Utah man pleads not guilty to possessing 256 grams of cocaine valued at $9K

A Utah man charged with a Super Class X felony for allegedly providing 256 grams of cocaine valued at $9,000 to be sold to an undercover narcotics agent pleaded not guilty Friday in a McHenry County courtroom.

Armando Santana-Rojas, 55, of the 6500 block of Greenmeadow Way in Salt Lake City, is charged with unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, a Class X felony; and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 1 felony, according to the indictment filed in the McHenry County courthouse.

Santana-Rojas is accused of “knowingly and unlawfully” delivering between 100 and 400 grams of any substance containing cocaine on or about July 26, according to the indictment.

Santana-Rojas is charged with a “Super Class X” felony due to the amount of cocaine he is accused of possessing, according to a motion to compel the disclosure of source of funds. The sentencing range for that charge, if convicted, is between nine and 40 years in prison.

He is being held on $500,000 bond, of which he must post 10%, or $50,000, according to court documents.

“On July 27, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Police Narcotics Task Force and DEA agents, through the use of an undercover officer, purchased approximately 256 grams of cocaine from an individual,” according to the motion to compel. “Based on phone conversations, law enforcement learned that the cocaine that was purchased was provided by the defendant, and the individual who sold to the undercover owed the defendant $9,000 for the cocaine that was sold.”

Therefore, in the motion, prosecutors said that should Santana-Rojas post bond, he is required to show the funds came from a legitimate source and not from drug dealings.

Santana-Rojas is due back in court Sept. 13.