GREENSBURG, Pa. — Two men convicted of trafficking heroin and fentanyl through Westmoreland County have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms following their arrests on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 2023.
District Attorney Nicole W. Ziccarelli announced Tuesday that Mario Caba, 39, received a sentence of six to 12 years, while Elvis Holguin Ventura, 29, was sentenced to six and a half to 14 years in state prison. Both men were found guilty in April during a non-jury trial before Common Pleas Judge Timothy Krieger.
The pair was stopped by Pennsylvania State Police in March 2023 in New Stanton for expired inspection and emission stickers. A K-9 search revealed a hidden compartment in the vehicle containing heroin and fentanyl with an estimated street value of $150,000. Lab tests confirmed the presence of fentanyl, heroin, and xylazine.
Prosecutors credited Pennsylvania State Police for preventing the drugs from reaching local communities and Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger for handling the case.
