United States Attorney Richard B. Roper
Northern District of Texas

TRUCK DRIVER TRANSPORTING APPROXIMATELY 3000 POUNDS
OF MARIJUANA HIDDEN IN LOAD OF COMMERCIAL REFRIGERATORS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON

AMARILLO, Texas — Clark Pauyo, who was stopped by a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper on Interstate 40 in June for driving a tractor-trailer containing more than 3000 pounds of marijuana hidden in a legitimate load of commercial refrigerators, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Amarillo, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper of the Northern District of Texas. U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson sentenced Pauyo, who was convicted at trial in September on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, to 120 months (10 years) in federal prison. He will be deported after serving his sentence.

Pauyo was stopped by a DPS Trooper on June 30, 2008, for a traffic violation. The trooper grew suspicious and asked for consent to search the trailer of the semi that Pauyo was driving. Troopers found 1445 kilos of marijuana in the trailer hidden behind commercial kitchen appliances. Evidence at trial showed that Pauyo had picked up the appliances in Hayward, California, and traveled through Arizona and New Mexico before being stopped by the Trooper. The bill of lading indicated the appliances were destined for Illinois, Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Pauyo took the stand at trial and stated that he didn’t know the marijuana was in the truck. The marijuana was in the front of the trailer, concealed in luggage and wrapped in brown paper on a pallet. It was not visible when the back of the trailer was opened and was located only when a Trooper climbed over refrigerators to get to the front of the trailer, and then opened the luggage and tore the brown paper to reveal the marijuana. In addition, whoever had loaded the marijuana had attempted to mask the smell of the drug with fabric softener.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Texas Department of Public Safety and the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vicki Lamberson of the Amarillo, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

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