Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 5 Years

TUCSON, Ariz. – Anastacio Alvarez-Lion, 41, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Alvarez-Lion previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine and to illegal reentry after removal. 

The investigation into the case revealed that Alvarez-Lion operated as an “arete” (trusted supervisor) for a Mexican based drug trafficking organization. Alvarez-Lion served as a guide and supervisor for a group of Mexican nationals who transported narcotics into the United States by means of backpacks. Alvarez-Lion was arrested on June 30, 2020 in Tucson after delivering a load of narcotics to a trusted courier. Agents arrested Alvarez-Lion in a vehicle that had three backpacks containing approximately 1.46 kilograms of cocaine, 342.5 grams of heroin, and 19.19 kilograms of methamphetamine, as well as a loaded handgun magazine.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case, with assistance from the United States Border Patrol. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR 20-2246-02-TUC-RM (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2021- 069_Alvarez-Lion

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