Drug Courier Sentenced In Federal Court

MOBILE, Ala. – Jose Mauricio Lopez, 46, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced in federal court to 70 months imprisonment for his role in driving a load of cocaine and heroin from Texas through Baldwin County in route to Florida. Court documents reflect that Lopez’s vehicle was stopped on I-10 by a Baldwin County sheriff’s deputy for following too closely. Lopez was the sole occupant of the vehicle and the ensuing investigation resulted in the discovery of 12.9 kilograms of cocaine and 2.4 kilograms of heroin, all concealed in the fuel tank of the vehicle. Lopez entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin in April of 2014 and was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Callie V. S. Granade.

The judge also ordered that Lopez serve a three-year term of supervised release, to begin when he is discharged from his prison sentence, and that he pay $100 in special mandatory assessments. No fine was imposed.

The case was investigated by the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted in the United States Attorney's Office by Assistant United States Attorney Gloria Bedwell.