A Mexican national living illegally in Dallas has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison for his role in methamphetamine trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Francisco Ortuno, 29, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He received a sentence of 170 months from U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on March 4, 2026.
Court records show that federal agents began investigating a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization operating in North Texas in 2021. The investigation resulted in several seizures of drugs including methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, as well as firearms and large amounts of cash.
On October 4, 2022, agents executed a search warrant at a Dallas residence used by the organization for narcotics distribution. During the operation, agents were fired upon by someone inside the house. Both that individual and Ortuno fled but were apprehended after a foot chase. Inside the residence, authorities found over 30 kilograms of methamphetamine, four firearms, drug ledgers, and equipment used for processing methamphetamine.
The case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative created by Executive Order 14159: Protecting the American People Against Invasion. According to the press release: "The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States."
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Wynne prosecuted it.
