Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
Two Texas residents have been sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Hernan Cortez, 40, from Houston, and Daniel Elizondo, 37, from Laredo, had previously pleaded guilty on January 8. U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen imposed a 63-month sentence for Elizondo, while Cortez received a 66-month sentence. Both will serve an additional four years of supervised release following their imprisonment.
During the court hearing, evidence revealed that Cortez transported approximately half a kilogram of fentanyl from Houston to Laredo on August 28, 2024, intending to sell it with Elizondo's help. Judge Kazen highlighted the lethal nature of fentanyl and its deadly impact.
Authorities reported that Cortez delivered the fentanyl to a stash house where Elizondo was present. Surveillance observed Elizondo leaving the house with a black satchel bag and returning without it after walking into an alleyway connected to another property. A search warrant led to the discovery of 274 grams of fentanyl hidden in a tire wheel within the covered alleyway.
Cortez initially believed he was dealing cocaine or heroin but faced difficulty selling it in Houston when it turned out to be fentanyl.
Both individuals remain in custody awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
