Houstonian sent to prison after hiding meth in speaker box

HOUSTON – A 32-year-old man has been sent to prison following his conviction for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Martin Alejandro Carreno pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2022.

Today, U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein ordered Carreno to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony about the impact meth has had on individuals, families and communities and noted that deadly drugs lead to disaster.

In March 2022, authorities learned Carreno was selling meth by the kilogram in the Houston area and had recently received a large quanity. Law enforcement conducted a search of his residence and discovered more than nine kilograms of meth concealed inside a speaker box.   

The total weight was approximately 9.15 kilograms meth with a 99% purity level. It had an estimated street value of $500,000.

Carreno will remain 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Precinct 3 Harris County Constables Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart A. Burns prosecuted the case.