An Arizona man received his sentence for trafficking meth in a case that turned fatal when two people overdosed and died inside his home last year.
Eric Rope Jr., 41, of Bylas, was sentenced to nine months in jail on September 21 after pleading guilty to possessing meth with intent to distribute, the San Carlos Apache Tribe stated Monday.
Prosecutors say the case began on February 21, 2025, when tribal officials responded to an allegation of an incident that left someone gravely injured. While investigating, investigators discovered meth and the weapon used in the attack in Rope’s residence.
Just a week later, on February 28, Rope called for help himself, claiming that numerous people inside a home were not responding. When authorities arrived, they discovered four guys in the midst of narcotic overdoses. Two of them did not survive.
Investigators said Rope gave the men drugs, including meth, earlier that nite. One of the survivors claimed that Rope offered him a white substance that he mistook for cocaine, and that he became critically unwell almost immediately after consuming it, eventually losing consciousness.
Although investigators were unable to explicitly link the two deaths to Rope’s drug peddling, the occurrence was considered by the court when determining his punishment.
Weeks later, on March 19, tribal police stopped Rope as he drove from Phoenix to the reservation. Rope reportedly took off briefly before landing in a secluded location.
Prosecutors claim his passenger then fled into the desert with Rope’s rucksack, which was subsequently discovered to contain 369 grams of meth, marijuana, various drug paraphernalia, and a revolver with the serial number wiped off. A second gun was found in Rope’s truck.
Rope was first held in tribal custody before being handed up to federal authorities.
“We will continue to do everything we can to protect our Tribe from the tragic outcomes that ultimately result from drug abuse and reckless violence,” San Carlos Apache Tribe Chairman Terry Rambler said in a written statement.
The Tribe’s Department of Justice Criminal Division collaborated with the United States Attorney’s Office in Phoenix to prosecute the case.
“On behalf of the San Carlos Council, I thank the SCAPD, BIA and prosecutors whose exemplary work removed a dangerous person from our Reservation,” Rambler stated.
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