Press Release
Fugitive Headed to Prison After Failing to Appear for Sentencing
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 46-year old Brownsville resident has been ordered to federal prison for 18 years following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana plus failing to appear in court for sentencing, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Rene Izaguirre pleaded guilty to the drug charge Jan. 19, 2013, and was permitted to remain on bond. He was scheduled to appear in court Aug. 28, 2013, for sentencing. However, shortly before that date, Izaguirre’s ankle monitor was found cut off and left behind at his home. The investigation revealed he had fled to Mexico. He was later arrested and pleaded guilty to the failure to appear Dec. 6, 2018.
Today, U. S. District Judge Rolando Olvera imposed a 108-month sentence for the drug charge. Izaguirre also received another 108 months for failing to appear which was ordered to be served consecutively. The total 18-year-term of imprisonment will be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that not only did the defendant flee in order to avoid sentencing on his drug charge but that he also was found selling narcotics once again while on the run.
From 2007 to 2013, Izaguirre was part of a drug trafficking organization working with a local freight company to hide marijuana in crates of heavy machinery for transport north of the Rio Grande Valley. At the time of his plea, he admitted that with the help of his freight company contact, he was able to ship more than 700 kilograms of marijuana to Houston, Dallas and Pennsylvania where he had buyers.
After fleeing and failing to appear for sentencing, law enforcement found him in October 2018 in Odessa. At that time, authorities believed he was selling cocaine out of a trailer where he resided while working as a roofer. He was soon arrested and found in possession of nine ounces of cocaine.
Izaguirre remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Betancourt prosecuted the case.
Updated May 22, 2019
Topic
Drug Trafficking
Component