Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A woman from San Antonio has been sentenced to 97 months in federal prison for attempting to import methamphetamine into the United States. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Shania Nichele Ellis, aged 29, pleaded guilty on December 18, 2024. Her sentence includes five years of supervised release following her prison term. During the sentencing hearing, additional testimony revealed that Ellis knowingly traveled to Mexico with the intention of transporting narcotics for financial gain. The court remarked on her poor decision-making.
The incident occurred on August 25, 2024, when Ellis drove from Mexico to the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge 1 in Laredo and attempted to enter through a trusted traveler lane without being enrolled in the program. This led authorities to conduct a secondary inspection.
Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered several bundles of drugs hidden within her vehicle's panels and liftgate. In total, they found 44 bundles of methamphetamine weighing over 24 kilograms with high purity levels, as well as two bundles of cocaine and one bundle of black heroin.
Investigations uncovered that Ellis was recruited by a friend via social media to transport these narcotics from Mexico into the U.S. While visiting this friend in Monterrey, Mexico, her car went missing but was returned before she left.
Ellis admitted in her plea agreement that she conspired with at least one other person to import these drugs across the border. She remains in custody awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations along with Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch handled the prosecution.