LAREDO, Texas - A 32-year-old Laredo man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of smuggling 3.7 kilograms of methamphetamine past a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Francisco Guerrero pleaded guilty Jan. 23, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia-Marmolejo ordered Guerrero to serve 10 years in prison immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On Aug. 2, 2015, a Turimex bus pulled up to the BP checkpoint at mile marker 29 on interstate 35. Authorities recognized Guerrero as having made several recent trips through the checkpoint. Agents began to question him as to the purpose of the trip and Guerrero appeared noticeably nervous. He then gave consent for authorities to search his bag, at which time they found three bundles wrapped in brown tape which appeared to be narcotics. Lab tests confirmed the substance to be 3.5 kilograms of methamphetamine with a 99.5% purity.
Guerrero will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alfredo De La Rosa is prosecuting the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
