Thomas Galiano III and Hailee Anne Helton, both 26 and from Colorado Springs, have been sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. Galiano received a sentence of 144 months, while Helton was sentenced to 168 months.
The charges stem from several incidents in 2022. In August of that year, Colorado Springs Police responded to a death at Mountain View Apartment Homes on West Meadow Drive. At the scene, officers found a deceased 31-year-old man and evidence including a blue tablet marked M-30, which tested positive for fentanyl. Investigators used electronic data such as CashApp payments and social media messages to link the drugs sold to the victim back to Helton and Galiano.
In October 2022, Pueblo County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a residence on Park Road in Rye, Colorado, where an unresponsive 18-year-old woman was found dead. Investigators recovered three blue tablets marked M-30 at the scene that also tested positive for fentanyl. Social media evidence again connected these pills to Helton and Galiano.
Also in October 2022, an undercover officer purchased 16 fentanyl pills for $150 from Helton and Galiano during a controlled operation in Colorado Springs.
United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly commented: “Fentanyl is a scourge on our society, and it has claimed the lives of two more young people in our community. These cases should serve as a warning to other fentanyl dealers that selling even just a handful of pills can put you in federal prison for a very long time.”
FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski stated: “Fentanyl continues to take lives within our community, and two lives are lost due to the careless actions of these drug dealers. Working jointly with the Colorado Springs Police Department, FBI Denver was able to bring a measure of justice to their families and accountability to those responsible. We will not stop and will continue to target drug traffickers who bring violence and misery to our community.”
Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez said: “While no sentence can bring the victims in this case back, we hope this outcome provides a measure of justice and comfort to their families and loved ones. We remain unwavering in our commitment to aggressively pursuing those who profit from poisoning our community.”
Pueblo County Sheriff David J. Lucero added: “The loss of a life to fentanyl is devastating, and we take every overdose death seriously. Our crime scene and narcotics detectives’ exceptional work in this case ensured that those who supplied the drugs were brought to justice. This outcome reflects our commitment to treating these cases with the seriousness they deserve.”
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over both sentencings.
The investigation involved cooperation between multiple agencies including the FBI Colorado Springs Resident Agency, Colorado Springs Police Department, and Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by the Transnational Organized Crime and Money Laundering Section.
Case Numbers: 23-cr-00371-CNS
