Attempted Crystal Meth Distribution Lands Two Mexican Men In Federal Prison

McALLEN, Texas – Arturo Cesar Rodriguez, 30, and Josue Gonzalez-Cardenas, 39, have both been ordered to federal prison for distributing crystal methamphetamine in two separate, but similar cases, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Javier Peña, special agent in charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Rodriguez, of Hurapan, Michoacan, Mexico, and Gonzalez-Cardenas, of Monclova, Coahuila, Mexico, entered guilty pleas on Feb. 27, 2013.

Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, who accepted the pleas, handed Gonzalez-Cardenas a total sentence of 57 months in federal prison. Following that hearing, Judge Alvarez then sentenced Rodriguez to a term of 188 months, noting that in his case, he was “critical” to the transaction. 

As illegal aliens both men are expected to face deportation proceedings following release from prison.

In the first case, Gonzalez-Cardenas was indicted along with Jose Cruz Deleon-Vasquez, 47, of San Juan. On Aug. 21, 2012, local law enforcement had conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Deleon-Vasquez was driving. A subsequent search of the vehicle lead to the discovery of a box with two bundles of crystal methamphetamine. Gonzalez-Cardenas was to receive the box with the narcotics from another associate. Deleon-Vasquez was allegedly then supposed to drive Gonzalez-Cardenas to another location for delivery of the box of crystal methamphetamine to another associate for further distribution.

A subsequent analysis of the narcotics revealed the net weight of the crystal methamphetamine was 1.971 kilograms and that the narcotics had purity level of 93.3%.

Deleon-Vasquez is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the U.S. Marshals Service at 1-877-WANTED2 or 1-800-336-0102. His case remains pending and he is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

In the second case, Rodriguez was stopped by law enforcement after he was observed receiving a cardboard box from another individual on Aug. 27, 2012. At that time, Rodriguez attempted to flee from the vehicle but was eventually arrested. The box was determined to contain eight bricks of crystal methamphetamine. Upon receipt of the narcotics, Rodriguez was to deliver it to an unknown associate for further distribution within the United States. 

A subsequent analysis of the narcotics revealed that the net weight of the crystal methamphetamine was 8.159 kilograms and the narcotics had purity level of 98.5%

Rodriguez and Gonzalez-Cardenas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Both cases were investigated by the DEA and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Juan Alanis.