Women Sentenced for Trafficking Cocaine through the Eastern District of Texas

BEAUMONT, Texas - Two women have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.

Tina Gilder, 40, of Houston, and Gina Moreno, 29, of San Benito, Texas, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 8, 2020, and charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.  On Jan. 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Crone sentenced Gilder to 121 months in federal prison and Moreno to 87 months in federal prison.  

According to information presented in court, Gilder and Moreno were both part of a Houston-based conspiracy to traffic kilograms of cocaine through East Texas to the East Coast for distribution.  On August 26, 2019, Gilder was stopped and found in possession of four kilograms of cocaine concealed in a hidden compartment in a Jeep.  Moreno was stopped on Sep. 21, 2019 and found in possession of 22 kilograms of cocaine.  Gilder was convicted at trial on Feb. 24, 2022 and Moreno pleaded guilty on Feb. 7, 2022.

These cases were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.

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