MS-13 Member Chuky Sentenced to 17 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking from Florida Prison

Mario Clifford Rivera, a member of the MS-13 gang, was sentenced to 17 years in federal prison for orchestrating a fentanyl distribution ring from behind bars. Rivera coordinated shipments of fentanyl from Mexico to California and then to Florida using the U.S. Postal Service, directing his network with prison phones and contraband cellphones. He was held accountable for distributing over three kilograms of fentanyl, both before and during his incarceration, and ensured he received a share of the profits while instructing dealers on sales tactics. Prosecutors and law enforcement emphasized that Rivera’s sentencing serves as a warning to other gangs attempting to traffic deadly drugs, highlighting ongoing efforts to dismantle such networks regardless of whether leaders operate inside or outside prison walls.