Mexican National Sentenced for Trafficking Multiple Drugs

McALLEN, Texas – A Mexican man who had been residing in Pasadena has been ordered to prison for importing methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Gustavo Rivera-Morales pleaded guilty Jan. 28, 2016.

Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane ordered Rivera-Morales to serve 72 months in federal prison. He is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison.

At the time of his guilty plea, Rivera-Morales admitted that on Nov. 30, 2015, he had driven a vehicle from Mexico into the United States through the Pharr port of entry, knowing the vehicle contained a controlled substance. Upon inspection, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers discovered methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin hidden within the passenger and driver side rear panels of the vehicle. Agents seized numerous bricks of drugs weighing approximately 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of cocaine and three kilograms of heroin.

Rivera has been in custody without bond since his arrest in November 2015 where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and CBP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Requénez prosecuted the case.