Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Mexican national residing illegally in Mission, Texas, has been sentenced to federal prison for cocaine trafficking. Jorge Alberto Galindo-Vargas, 44, pleaded guilty on June 28, 2024. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced him to 210 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
During the sentencing hearing, Galindo-Vargas acknowledged a prior conviction for drug trafficking at age 17. Judge Crane remarked, "Unfortunately, you’re in the cocaine business again, and that’s going to cost you another chunk of your life."
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei commented on the case: “Illegally entering the United States is bad enough; illegally entering the United States in order to traffic drugs is even worse,” adding that Galindo-Vargas will have time to reflect on his actions before deportation.
The arrest occurred after a traffic stop on November 1, 2023, where authorities found 12 kilograms of cocaine inside an ice chest in Galindo-Vargas's vehicle.
Galindo-Vargas remains in custody awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation involving Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division. They received support from local law enforcement agencies including the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and police departments from Mission and Alton.
The OCDETF program aims to identify and dismantle major criminal organizations threatening the United States through coordinated efforts among various agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Lance Watt, and Brittany Jensen.
