INDIANAPOLIS – An Indianapolis man is the latest member of a heroin trafficking network to be sentenced to federal prison following his arrest in 2019.
The United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of Indiana announced Charles Kirby, 45, was sentenced to 10 years in prison following a three-day jury trial. He was convicted of heroin trafficking conspiracy and attempted possession with the intent to distribute heroin.
Kirby and his three co-conspirators Elias Parada-Borquez, Javier Lopez-Juarez, and Denice Cardenas, engaged in a conspiracy in 2019 to distribute over 2,354 grams of a heroin-fentanyl mixture in Indianapolis.
The Drug Enforcement Administration says fentanyl as little as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal, depending on a user’s size and tolerance.
A vehicle driven by Lopez-Juarez was stopped for a traffic violation in Foristell, Missouri on May 13, 2019. Cardenas and Parada-Borquez were passengers in the vehicle. After a K-9 officer detected narcotics, the vehicle was searched and police found three wrapped packages of a heroin-fentanyl mixture in a rear spare tire.
Investigators learned the trio picked up the drugs in San Bernardino, California, and were on their way to deliver the shipment to Kirby.
Kirby was arrested that night and was found in possession of a loaded Glock .45 handgun at the time of his arrest. He was acquitted by the jury for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense.
The other individuals were arrested on the following counts:
- Elias Parada-Borquez, 42, of Mexico: 41 months in federal prison followed by one year of supervised release
- Javier Lopez-Juarez, 24, of San Bernardino, California: 46 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release
- Denice Cardenas, 40, of San Bernardino, California: 40 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release
