FARGO, ND (trfnews.i234.me) – Fidel Arenas-Torres was set for release from federal custody and deportation to Mexico on July 17, following his January 2023 arrest at the Sky Dancer Resort in Belcourt, North Dakota, for being in the U.S. illegally. However, a new federal indictment has changed his fate.
Last month, an indictment was unsealed, accusing Arenas-Torres and four others of operating a major drug trafficking ring that funneled hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine into the Turtle Mountain Reservation over several years.
On July 10, just a week before his scheduled release, Arenas-Torres, 44, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty to charges of drug and money laundering conspiracy. His attorney, Eric Thomas, stated that Arenas-Torres would remain in custody due to an ICE hold, awaiting trial in the drug case.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, with a maximum of life in prison. Among the co-conspirators are Diana Quezada, identified as Arenas-Torres’ girlfriend or wife, and Timothy Houle, who continued the drug operations after Arenas-Torres’ incarceration.
Magistrate Judge Alice Senechal scheduled a tentative trial date for September 10, with the defense requesting more time due to the extensive discovery involved. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn Dietz expects the trial to last several weeks.
Arenas-Torres, also known as “El Pelón,” was previously convicted for murders and kidnapping in Mexico in 2013. During his 2023 immigration proceedings, he claimed he fled to the U.S. to escape torture from corrupt officials and drug cartels in Mexico.
The drug ring’s exposure began with an informant naming Houle as a meth source, leading to surveillance and a traffic stop in November, where 50 pounds of meth worth $250,000 were found in Houle’s vehicle. Houle identified Arenas-Torres as his supplier and was sentenced to eight years in prison.