LAREDO, Texas – Israel Perez-Solis, 32, has been sentenced to 292 months in prison as a result of his conviction for trafficking in methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Visiting Judge Ivan Lemelle from the U.S. District Court in Louisiana presided over the sentencing hearing today at which time he also fined him $10,000.

On July 22, 2011, after two days of trial and approximately two hours of deliberation before U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana, a federal jury found Perez-Solis guilty of conspiring to possess and possessing with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.

During trial, the jury heard testimony from Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents who described the events of May 20 and May 23, 2011, during which the DEA orchestrated a controlled undercover buy of 1.96 kilograms of 97% pure methamphetamine from Perez-Solis’ co-defendant, Rene Ramiro Martinez, for $13,000 per pound. Agents had received information that Martinez was a local Laredo source of supply of methamphetamine. According to testimony, on May 23, 2011, Martinez met with the undercover agent to make the exchange near a local hotel. Martinez did not have the methamphetamine with him, but instead called Perez-Solis, who was waiting in the vicinity of the hotel. Perez-Solis arrived in his white van moments later. The undercover agent asked Perez-Solis if he had "it" and Perez-Solis acknowledged that he did in a cooler in the back of the white van. Perez-Solis then helped remove the inner lining of the cooler and the four bundles of methamphetamine were inside the inner lining. The bundles were later determined to have a gross weight of 1.96 kilograms. Both men were arrested and subsequently charged.

Martinez, of Laredo, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine on July 11, 2011. He faces no less than 10 years up to a maximum of life imprisonment at his sentencing. Martinez has been permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Perez-Solis has been in federal custody without bond where he will remain pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The case was investigated by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Don J. Young and Special Assistant David White prosecuted the case.