Out-of-state pair sentenced for meth and fentanyl possession

PRINCETON – A pair of Columbus, Ohio, residents were sentenced by Bureau County Circuit Judge Marc Bernabei to prison for possession of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Ernesto Cabanzo-Rosas, 34, and Sonia Ibarra, 20, were sentenced to 16 years in prison for unlawful possession of methamphetamine, a Class X felony, and unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance (fentanyl), also a Class X felony.

On Wednesday, Cabanzo-Rosas and Ibarra were sentenced to the department of corrections for 16 years on each count, with credit for 184 days served in pre-trial custody. Sentences will run concurrent. They each also were ordered to pay fines, fees and assessments in the amount of $8,065.

Charges stemmed from an April 15 incident in which Ibarra and Cabanzo-Rosas were arrested by Trident Drug Task Force following a traffic stop.

Ibarra was pulled over for a traffic stop while driving east on Interstate 80 in Bureau County. The officer smelled the odor of burnt cannabis coming from the vehicle which led to a search of the car. The Trident agents found several packages of a white powdery substance in the rocker panels of the car. The packages contained more than 900 grams of methamphetamine and more than 900 grams of fentanyl.

The two were prosecuted by State’s Attorney Geno Caffarini. Cabanzo-Rosas was represented by Douglas Olivero; Ibarra was represented by Assistant Public Defender Brad Popurella.

The defendants have no prior criminal history.