Two men from the Rio Grande Valley have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
James Queen, 41, of McAllen, and Angel Valdez, 36, of Alton, pleaded guilty in September and October 2025. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Queen to 60 months in prison and Valdez to 27 months. Both will also serve three years of supervised release after their sentences. Judge Tipton highlighted the dangers associated with fentanyl use in the community during sentencing.
The investigation began in May 2025 when law enforcement identified Valdez as selling fentanyl in McAllen. Authorities determined that Queen supplied Valdez with the drug over the following two months.
Law enforcement conducted an undercover operation that resulted in purchasing more than 50 grams of fentanyl from Valdez. Investigators found that Valdez regularly met Queen at his residence to obtain drugs.
On June 23, 2025, authorities executed a search warrant at Queen’s home and seized more than 50 grams of fentanyl packaged in 15 baggies, multiple firearms, a bulletproof vest, a significant amount of cash, and a money counter.
Queen admitted to distributing user-level amounts of fentanyl to about 30 repeat customers.
Both defendants remain in custody awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes and representing the government in civil cases across its jurisdiction. The office works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute crimes. With headquarters in Houston and additional offices including McAllen—where this case originated—the office covers a large area from Houston to the Mexican border serving over nine million people across 43 counties.
