Mexican man sentenced to prison in failed drug smuggling attempt at Presidio port of entry
A Mexican man, who was supposed to be paid $5,000 to smuggle marijuana and meth into the U.S., was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for the failed smuggling attempt at the Presidio Port of Entry.
Cesar Tarango Cobos, 42, of Chihuahua, Mexico, was sentenced Tuesday, Oct. 3, to five years and 10 months in prison on one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, distribute or dispense, federal court records show.
"Over 100,000 Americans died last year due to illicit synthetic drugs, primarily fentanyl and methamphetamine," U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's El Paso Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Castañeda said in a statement. "The men and women of the DEA will continue to prioritize, with laser focus, those who traffic these harmful drugs."
The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.
Cobos pleaded guilty to the charge July 21. Several other drug trafficking charges were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
"With this conviction, FBI El Paso and our Drug Enforcement Administration partners are working together to have a positive impact at the local level," FBI El Paso Division Special Agent in Charge John Morales said in a statement. "We are sending a strong and unified message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated, and, in turn, we are keeping our communities safer and free from methamphetamine which continues to cause horrific damage in too many of our communities."
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A co-defendant, Francisca Rivera Velazquez, was also facing charges in connection with the smuggling attempt, court records show.
Velazquez pleaded guilty Aug. 14 to one count of withholding information on a crime, federal court records show. Several drug trafficking charges against her were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.
She is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 17.
"Agents at the ports of entry remain vigilant and I commend all of our law enforcement partners for their investigative work in this case," U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Jaime Esparza said in a statement. "As the U.S. Attorney's Office, we are committed to working with our federal partners to prosecute drug traffickers and protect our communities from the detrimental effects of their crimes."
$5,000 to smuggle weed, meth hidden in vehicle into U.S.
Cobos and Velazquez attempted to cross the border Feb. 17 in a vehicle at the Presidio Port of Entry in West Texas, a federal complaint affidavit states. Cobos was driving the vehicle, while Velazquez was a passenger.
The vehicle was selected for secondary inspection, where federal agents found "aftermarket compartments built" into the vehicle, the affidavit states.
Agents found 94 pillow-shaped bundles containing marijuana and 21 cylinder-shaped bundles of methamphetamine.
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Agents then questioned Cobos. He told agents he knew the vehicle had aftermarket compartments and was loaded with illegal narcotics, the affidavit states.
He added he was supposed to be paid $5,000 to smuggle the drugs into the U.S., the affidavit states. Cobos claimed he did not know what types of illegal drugs he was smuggling.
Agents then questioned Velazquez. She also confessed to knowing illegal drugs were in the vehicle but said she did not know what types of drugs, the affidavit states.
The affidavit filed against Velazquez does not state what specific information she withheld from law enforcement.
A "felony information" document filed in federal court only states Velazquez had "knowledge of the actual commission of a felony cognizable by a court of the United States to wit: the importation of controlled substances from Mexico into the United States, willfully did conceal the same and did not, as soon as possible, make known the commission of said felony to a judge or other person in civil or military authority within the United States."
Aaron Martinez may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on Twitter @AMartinezEPT.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Mexican man sentenced to prison in failed drug smuggling attempt