A judge has sentenced a Denver man to 14 years in federal prison for possessing and intending to distribute illegal drugs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday.

Luis Gerardo Palacios, 31, pleaded guilty to working for a drug trafficking organization that locally distributed methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and heroin sourced from Mexico. Palacios was involved in the organizations from 2019 until February 2020.

“With this sentencing, a dangerous drug dealer is off the street and Colorado is safer as a result,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to stopping criminals from poisoning our communities with illicit narcotics.”

The attorney’s office said Palacios arranged the delivery of 10,000 fentanyl pills to Colorado in January 2020, coordinated a load of 2.5 pounds of heroin, a kilogram of fentanyl and 40 pounds of meth in December 2019 and helped find a driver who brought more than 50 pounds of meth to Colorado in October 2019.

At the time of his arrest, federal agents seized a pistol and over $20,000 in cash from Palacios’ apartment, the attorney’s office said. The weapon and cash were forfeited.

“This lengthy sentence shows the commitment to stop the poison of drugs into our communities,” said FBI Special Agent Michael Schneider. “The FBI is steadfast in investigating criminals like Palacios and the threat posed by the illicit drug culture he promotes that endangers our society.”

Palacios was sentenced on Nov. 29 by U.S. District Judge Raymond Moore, the attorney’s office said.

The FBI, Internal Revenue Service, Colorado State Patrol, Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and other departments conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.