A former deputy with the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office has been sentenced to prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking conspiracy. Baldemar Cardenas, 39, from McAllen, Texas, was convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced the conviction.

Cardenas pleaded guilty on April 1, 2022. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced him to 46 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. The court considered Cardenas's role as a deputy and the implications of law enforcement aiding drug traffickers when determining the sentence.

During his plea, Cardenas admitted that he conspired with a drug trafficking organization in January 2020. The group obtained kilogram quantities of highly pure cocaine and used small portions to create low-purity sham cocaine.

Cardenas facilitated the seizure of these fake bundles by providing information to local law enforcement agencies. This allowed authorities to seize the low-purity cocaine while enabling co-conspirators to evade responsibility for stealing and distributing the real cocaine for profit.

In exchange for compensation, Cardenas provided false information claiming it came from a confidential source. This led law enforcement to seize approximately 33 kilograms of sham cocaine bundles in Mission, Texas. Laboratory tests showed that these bundles had a purity level of only 1.5%.

Cardenas is allowed to remain on bond until he surrenders voluntarily at a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted this operation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, with support from other agencies including the Drug Enforcement Administration and local police departments. OCDETF aims to dismantle high-level criminal organizations through coordinated efforts across multiple law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. prosecuted this case.