Amarillo Men Sentenced on Cocaine Offenses

AMARILLO, Texas — Two defendants, who pleaded guilty in November 2016 to their respective roles in cocaine trafficking have been sentenced, announced John Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

Yesterday, U.S. District Sidney A. Fitzwater sentenced Roberto Rodriguez, 32, to a 60-month term of imprisonment. Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting. Co-defendant Emmanuel Hira Robles, 30, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison. He also pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and aiding and abetting.

According to court documents, on August 11, 2016, a Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper stopped a SUV for speeding and following to close. The Trooper noticed that the driver, later identified as Robles, took an abnormal amount of time to stop once the Trooper initiated the traffic stop. Upon making contact with Robles and the passenger, who was later identified as Rodriguez, the Trooper noticed indicators of possible criminal activity.

While the Trooper was in the process of issuing Robles a warning for the two traffic violations, he noticed inconsistencies between Robles’ and Rodriguez’ stories about their trip. The Trooper asked Robles for consent to search his vehicle, and Robles refused. The Trooper then asked Robles and Rodriguez to wait on the roadside while he waited for a narcotics detection canine unit. The narcotics detection canine conducted a free-air sniff of Robles’ vehicle, and the canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in Robles’ vehicle. Based on the canine’s alert to the presence of narcotics, the Trooper searched the vehicle. During the search, the Trooper observed a carpeted box that, based on his training and experience, he knew to be used to smuggle narcotics and currency. Both Rodriguez and Robles were immediately handcuffed and placed under arrest. Robles told the Trooper how to open the compartment. Two bundles were located in the compartment. A field test of the substance in the bundles yielded a positive result for the presence of cocaine, a Schedule II controlled substance.

The suspected cocaine was confirmed to be cocaine with a net weight of 1,995 grams.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto prosecuted the case.

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