COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A U.S. district court judge sentenced a Columbus man to federal prison for his role in a drug ring that involved more than 80 pounds of fentanyl.

29-year-old Luis Manuel Munoz will serve more than 15 years in federal prison after he was arrested last year along with two other men, Maximus Dominguez, 20, and Rene Gaytan, 23, for conducting illicit drug operations in central Ohio.

On Feb. 2, 2021, law enforcement officials oversaw surveillance at a Red Roof Inn in Westerville and a residence on Chesford Road in Columbus where these three men conducted operations of the drug ring, according to the U.S. District Court.

After Dominguez was caught at a traffic stop at I-270 with a little over 2 pounds of fentanyl in his BMW, Munoz drove off from the Chesford Road location and was pursued on the road by officials, who apprehended him on foot and found 66 pounds of fentanyl in his vehicle, per court records.

According to court records, agents found Gaytan and 17 pounds of fentanyl in a room at the Red Roof Inn.

Munoz pled guilty in June 2021 for conspiring to possess and possessing with intent for the distribution of fentanyl.