A former federal fugitive from Magna, identified as a “ringleader” in drug trafficking, received a 22-year sentence in federal prison last month.
Llobani Federico Figueroa, known as “Pablo,” 33, from Magna, is labeled a “career offender” with a history of felony drug-related convictions, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah. After three years on the run, Figueroa was apprehended in 2023 in connection with a tragic car accident that claimed the life of a 17-year-old boy from Salt Lake.
In December, Figueroa admitted guilt for running a criminal operation in Utah and for possessing methamphetamine with plans to distribute it. A U.S. District Court judge has sentenced him to imprisonment and mandated the forfeiture of $300,961, along with two vehicles, three firearms, and associated accessories and ammunition. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will face a decade of supervised release.
Figueroa’s involvement in drug trafficking spans over ten years, beginning at the age of 18, as detailed in court documents. Between December 2022 and August 2023, Figueroa allegedly operated as the main link in an ongoing drug trafficking operation, connecting various suppliers from California and Mexico with distributors in Utah, according to federal prosecutors.
Figueroa acquired a range of illicit drugs, such as methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, and moved them to Utah. He operated several sites across the state for the storage and sale of the drugs.
In 2023, Figueroa faced charges for offenses related to drugs and firearms, alongside 28 other individuals implicated in his drug operation. A prominent figure within the national criminal syndicate “LaRaza” has been identified, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Utah.
“Llobani further admitted his role in the drug trafficking organization was as a manager or supervisor and he recruited other participants and organized couriers to distribute controlled substances on his behalf. He then delegated other responsibilities to his coconspirators and admitted his organization could not have functioned without the involvement and assistance of these others,” the federal agency said.
Figueroa faces serious legal challenges, with three additional criminal cases currently active in Utah, including charges related to drug possession, drug distribution, and manslaughter.
“As a decades-long drug-trafficker, Mr. Figueroa has been a threat and danger to the people of our state,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for Utah Felice John Viti. “His well-deserved decades-long sentence will serve as a reminder that those who peddle poison into our communities in violation of federal law for their own financial gain will face justice and forfeit their ill-gotten gains.”
