A woman from Weslaco, Texas, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to deliver more than five kilograms of cocaine. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Edith Gonzalez, 34, admitted during her initial arrest that she “knew this date was coming” and that she personally “gift-wrapping” a box containing the cocaine.
Law enforcement stopped a Chevrolet Equinox in Weslaco on April 16, 2024. They found a gift-wrapped cardboard box inside the vehicle that contained 8.8 kilograms of cocaine.
Gonzalez also acknowledged as part of her plea that she communicated with others to have the cocaine delivered.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing on December 17. Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and could receive up to life in federal prison, along with a possible $10 million fine.
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF uses an approach led by prosecutors and supported by multiple agencies at the federal, state, and local levels to identify and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and criminal networks in the United States. More information about OCDETF can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
