UPDATE
FORT CAVAZOS, Texas — According to Fort Cavazos officials, it has been confirmed that the four men arrested are connected to the "tragic death of Cam Chamberlain".
"To retain the integrity of the prosecution and sentencing in this case, additional information cannot be released."
25 News will provide any updates or additional details if they become available.
ORIGINAL STORY
BELL COUNTY, Texas — Four suspects have been arrested on criminal charges related to their possible involvement in fentanyl trafficking, which resulted in the death of a Fort Cavazos soldier's spouse.
The U.S. Department of Justice said court documents state the suspects as Julio Bonilla-Tirado aka "Falo", 36, of Copperas Cove; Gilberto Hernandez-Marin aka "Joyto," aka "Lento," aka "El Viejo," 28, of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; Juan Cabral aka "Juanki," 31, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; and Adxel Romero-Flores aka "Axel," 31, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
The court documents said the four men are allegedly responsible for transporting more than two pounds of fentanyl pills into Central Texas, some of which caused the death of a U.S. Army spouse.
The DOJ said Bonilla-Tirado was arrested on Sept. 14 in Copperas Cove by the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Copperas Cove Police Department.
The Puerto Rico Police Department arrested Hernandez-Marin on Oct. 8, and Cabral was arrested by the U.S. Marshal Service Puerto Rico Fugitive Task Force on Oct. 19, the department said.
The DOJ said Romero-Flores is currently in custody by the Puerto Rican judicial system for an unrelated offense and is pending extradition by the federal government.
All four suspects are charged by the federal government with conspiracy to posses with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl that resulted in death and unlawful communications. If the suspects are convicted, the DOJ said each of the four defendants face a penalty of 20 years to life sentence in prison.
With consideration from the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, a federal district court judge will decide the sentence.
This announcement comes from the Office of U.S. Attorney Jamie Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Maria Thomas for the Army CID Central Texas Field Office.
The Army CID are the investigators of this case with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminial Investigation Division; the Killeen Police Department; the Copperas Cove Polcie Department; and the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Blanton is the case prosecutor.
DOJ: An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
