A Houston resident, Fulgencio Cardenas-Rivera, 35, has entered a guilty plea for violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act. The plea took place on April 15, 2025, before United States District Judge Brandon S. Long. Cardenas-Rivera admitted to possessing with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, as announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
The court documents reveal that Cardenas-Rivera traveled to the Eastern District of Louisiana carrying roughly three kilograms of cocaine in the trunk of his car, intending to distribute it. The potential sentence for Cardenas-Rivera includes a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, with a possible maximum of 40 years. Additionally, he faces a fine of up to $5 million, at least four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle major drug traffickers and criminal organizations in the United States. The task force employs a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency strategy.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration's New Orleans Field Division Office. It received support from the United States Border Patrol, the Louisiana State Police, the Kenner Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit is handling the prosecution.
