SHERMAN, Texas — An Irving man has been sentenced to more than 13 years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl in North Texas following an investigation conducted by the Homeland Security Task Force.
U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced that 25-year-old Dulio Ariel De-La-O was sentenced on June 15, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.
De-La-O previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The court sentenced him to 165 months, or nearly 14 years, in federal prison.
According to court records, investigators determined during a 2022 drug trafficking investigation that De-La-O was distributing fentanyl in large quantities throughout the Eastern District of Texas.
Federal authorities said De-La-O supplied what are commonly referred to as "k-packs," consisting of approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills per transaction.
During the investigation, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at De-La-O's residence.
The search resulted in the seizure of more than 3,000 counterfeit Xanax pills that contained fentanyl, along with $91,799 in cash.
Federal officials noted that counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl continue to pose a significant public safety threat because users often believe they are purchasing legitimate medication when, in reality, they are ingesting a potentially deadly opioid.
The case was investigated as part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, a multi-agency effort focused on dismantling drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal enterprises, gangs, and other criminal networks operating in the United States.
The task force includes personnel from numerous federal agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals Service, and other federal and regional law enforcement partners.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson prosecuted the case in the Eastern District of Texas.
Federal officials said the sentence reflects the serious dangers associated with fentanyl trafficking and the large quantity of counterfeit pills recovered during the investigation.
