A South Texas man has pleaded guilty to possessing nearly 29 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jorge Rafael Perez, 48, was stopped at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint on July 19 while driving a white Chevrolet Tahoe. During a secondary inspection, agents used an x-ray scan and found a lead-lined wall in the vehicle’s passenger side. Authorities searched the area and discovered 24 vacuum-sealed bundles of cocaine hidden in the rear quarter panel.
Field tests confirmed that the bundles contained approximately 28.94 kilograms of cocaine. Perez admitted that he knowingly transported the drugs from Edinburg and planned to deliver them to San Antonio.
The investigation also showed that Perez had previously been convicted in 2010 for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Due to this prior conviction, he now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in federal prison, along with a possible $20 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera.
Perez remains in custody pending sentencing.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF uses a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven approach involving multiple agencies at federal, state, and local levels to target drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks threatening 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 Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
