Drug Cartel Supplier Gets 30 Years in Federal Prison for East Texas Drug Conspiracy

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 33-year-old Houston man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Jaime Cruz Romero pleaded guilty on May 17, 2017, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison on Dec. 15, 2017 by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

            According to information presented in court, beginning in March 2014, federal agents began in investigation of a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine from Houston to Beaumont, Texas and then throughout the United States. Jaime Cruz Romero was identified as a main supplier of methamphetamine, dealing directly with the Mexican sources which was confirmed to be with the Knights of Templar Cartel.  Cruz Romero was identified as a manager or supervisor and was found to be personally responsible for conspiring with others to distribute at least 62 kilograms of methamphetamine, 18 kilograms of cocaine, and 20 pounds of marijuana.  The drugs were brought from Mexico and distributed to sources in the Houston and Beaumont areas for further distribution.

           This case is the result of an extensive joint investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).  The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.  Cruz Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury on Feb. 3, 2016 and charged with drug trafficking violations.   

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle S. Englade.