Big Spring, Texas, Man Sentenced To 87 Months In Federal Prison On Cocaine Conviction

Law Enforcement Seized Cocaine and More Than $78,000 in Drug Trafficking Proceeds During Execution of Search Warrant

LUBBOCK, Texas — Gabriel Aguilar, 35, of Big Spring, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 87 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in October 2012 to an Information charging one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Judge Cummings remanded Aguilar, who had been on bond, to the custody of the U.S. Marshal.

According to documents filed in the case, officers with the Big Spring Police Department executed a search warrant at Aguilar’s residence on December 13, 2011. During the search, Aguilar advised officers that there was approximately 15-19 ounces of cocaine in the house, along with $60,000 in his closet. He stated that he had been selling cocaine for the past year to supplement his salary, but that he was down to his last “bird” or kilogram of cocaine.

In the residence, officers located approximately 2.49 pounds of cocaine in kitchen cabinets and Aguilar’s bedroom closet. A part of that amount was contained in 82 pre-measured, plastic bags that each contained seven grams of cocaine. In addition, officers located drug paraphernalia, such as plastic bags and digital scales, a 9mm semi-automatic pistol and $78,319 in cash that was concealed in clothing in Aguilar’s closet.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Big Spring Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin T. Cunningham was in charge of the prosecution.