A federal jury in Portland convicted a Honduran national illegally residing in Oregon of trafficking fentanyl, which led to the tragic overdose death of a Portland man.
Hugo Gomez-Soto, 51, provided illicit fentanyl powder and counterfeit tablets to a 29-year-old Southwest Portland resident. The victim died after overdosing on illicit fentanyl, despite receiving life-saving procedures such as Narcan. This case shows the deadly impact of fentanyl on our community,” said Scott Bradford, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Fentanyl claims too many lives and leaves families heartbroken.”
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On January 25, 2024, Gomez-Soto was detained for state offenses. He was arrested with fentanyl powder and counterfeit fentanyl pills.
On June 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland delivered a two-count indictment charging Gomez-Soto with fentanyl distribution that resulted in death and fentanyl possession with intent to distribute. Bradford stated that his agency remains committed to combating the pandemic and holding fentanyl traffickers in Oregon accountable.
Gomez-Soto is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and a possible term of life in prison. On July 10, he will be sentenced by a judge in the United States District Court.
The case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau’s Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit, as well as Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the FBI. Scott Kerin and Nicole Bockelman, both assistant United States attorneys, are prosecuting the case.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80 to 100 times more potent than morphine and 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl is sufficient to kill the average adult male.
The widespread availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has resulted in a sharp rise in overdose deaths across the state.
