Texas Man Sentenced for Transporting Marijuana

Gulfport, Miss. – Carlos Orozco, 24, of Socorro, Texas, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Sul Ozerden, to serve 7 months in federal prison, followed by 6 months home confinement and three years of supervised release, for using the interstate to travel in aid of an unlawful activity, specifically distribution of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge J. Derryle Smith. Orozco was also ordered to pay a $5,500 fine. He pled guilty to the charge on February 21, 2018.

On April 6, 2017, a Gulfport Police Criminal Interdiction Officer stopped a vehicle being driven by Victor Alfonso Legarda for a traffic violation. Orozco was a passenger in the vehicle. Upon inquiry by the officer, he learned that Legarda had previously been arrested for marijuana seizures and the vehicle had crossed the United States/Mexico Border the day before the stop. The officer was provided consent to search the vehicle, and during his search, he located numerous vacuum-sealed bags of marijuana throughout the vehicle. In total, the officer located 100 packages that had a gross weight of 55.05 kilograms.

Victor Alfonso Legarda pled guilty on January 19, 2018, to using the interstate to travel in aid of an unlawful activity. He was sentenced to 25 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $3,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Gulfport Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathlyn Van Buskirk.