Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine

Jackson, Miss. – Arlene Viridiana Moya, 23, of Texas, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge William H. Barbour to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Special Agent in Charge Jere T. Miles of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans Field Office.

On January 22, 2018, a Rankin County Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle driven by Moya for a traffic violation. A search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of approximately 16 kilograms or 35 pounds of methamphetamine from the vehicle’s fuel tank.

Moya will be sentenced by Judge Barbour on November 27, 2018, at 10:00 a.m. and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison followed by a $10,000,000 fine.

The case was a joint investigation by the Rankin County Sherriff’s Office, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE/HSI) Jackson, MS office, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Chris Wansley.