The Department of Justice announced Monday that an area man was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug and money laundering related charges.Â
Authorities say 33-year-old Aaron Peila of Nevada and Utah was sentenced last Wednesday to a conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and conspiracy to commit money laundering.Â
They say for five years, from approximately 2007 through 2012, Peila engaged with other co-conspirators in a large-scale effort to distribute oxycodone in Utah and surrounding areas, federal prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum filed with the court. Through a significant investigation, agents believe Peila and his co-conspirators distributed approximately 89,000 oxycodone 80 mg tablets and 22,000 oxycodone 30 mg tablets. Authorities say they also engaged in laundering about $3.8 million in drug proceeds.Â
As a part of his plea agreement with federal prosecutors, authorities say Peila admitted traveling from Utah to Las Vegas to pick up the oxycodone pills for distribution in Utah.
Several co-conspirators involved in the case have pleaded guilty and are serving sentences ranging from 72 months to probation. Sentencing is pending for three individuals.
(Department of Justice contributed to this report.)Â
