Liquid Methamphetamine Lands Brownsville Man in Federal Prison

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 20-year-old Brownsville man has been ordered to prison following his conviction of possessing with the intent to distribute more than 44 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Steve Turrubiates pleaded guilty Dec. 29, 2016.

Today, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Jack ordered Turrubiates to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.

Turrubiates was arrested Oct. 25, 2016, at the United States Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. On that date, he entered the primary inspection lane where a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics. He and his vehicle were sent to secondary inspection, at which time agents noticed tool marks on the gas tank and the bolts which hold it to the underside of the vehicle. Agents used a fiber optic scope to examine the inside of the tank where they observed large plastic bags concealed within the fuel. The agents removed the fuel tank and recovered eight bags containing more than 44 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe Jr. prosecuted the case.