BEAUMONT, Texas - The organizer and leader of a large scale drug trafficking ring responsible for moving multi-kilogram quantities of illegal drugs from Mexico to the United States has been sentenced to federal prison in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.
Alejandro “Alex" Gonzales, 36, of Alvin, Texas, pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2014 to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine, over 1,000 kilograms of marijuana, and over 500 grams of methamphetamine and was sentenced to 270 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
According to information presented in court, Gonzales began acquiring multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine from drug cartel suppliers in Mexico sometime in the late 2000’s. Those narcotics were subsequently smuggled into the United States and transported to Alvin, Texas for distribution. Gonzales and other members of the drug ring coordinated the sale of those narcotics to customers located in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey.
On Aug. 8, 2013, a federal grand jury returned a six-count second superseding indictment against Gonzales and 27 other codefendants, charging them with numerous federal drug trafficking conspiracy and firearm violations.
During the course of the investigation, state and federal agents successfully arrested 40 individuals and seized large quantities of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, $766,577 in U.S. currency, 30 vehicles, a boat, three residences, and 25 firearms. This case was the result of an extensive two and a half year joint investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Galveston Resident Office, the Miami and Houston Division Offices, the McAllen District Office, and the Dickinson Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement/Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Marine Interdiction Agency, Texas Department of Public Safety, Brazoria, Galveston, Harris, and Jefferson County (Texas) Sheriff’s Offices, and the police departments of Alvin, Beaumont, Galveston, Houston, League City, Pasadena, and Pearland, Texas. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Baylor Wortham and Michelle Englade.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
