Nogales Man Sentenced for Drug Charge After Tunnel is Discovered Under His House

TUCSON, Ariz. – Jovany Alonso Robledo-Delgado, 35, of Nogales, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 41 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Robledo-Delgado previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Import Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Fentanyl, and Heroin.

On December 17, 2019, federal agents executed a search warrant at the house Robledo-Delgado was renting in Nogales, Arizona.  In the house, agents discovered a subterranean tunnel down to the International Outfall Interceptor (IOI).  The IOI is a wastewater pipeline that begins at the Mexican border and flows north to a plant that treats wastewater from Nogales, Sonora, and cities in Arizona pursuant to an agreement between the United States and Mexico. Inside Robledo-Delgado’s residence, agents also found large amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin. Robledo-Delgado was discovered hiding under a bed in the house.

Robledo-Delgado told agents that he constructed the tunnel so he could breach the IOI and retrieve packages of drugs that floated through the IOI from Mexico into the United States. He was being paid $3000 for each smuggling attempt. 

Homeland Security Investigations - Nogales conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Russell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-20-0253-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2021-040_Robledo

###

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.