(PUEBLO, Colo.) — A Pueblo man who was previously charged with a felony has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that 52-year-old Dominick Jesus Salazar was sentenced to 180 months, or 15 years, in prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm and ammunition despite having been previously convicted of a felony.

Salzar was arrested in May 2023 outside a Pueblo-area hotel room he was staying in after police saw him interacting with multiple people in a manner consistent with hand-to-hand drug sales.

When officers arrested Salazar, he had a loaded gun in his pocket, along with drug proceeds. Inside his hotel room, police found 1888 grams of methamphetamine and 82 fentanyl pills. Evidence showed he had been dealing drugs out of his hotel room.

“Pueblo is safer because Mr. Salazar is going to federal prison,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly. “We’re grateful to the committed men and women of the Pueblo Police Department and federal partners like the FBI who are invested in reducing violent crime and drug dealing in that community.”