Young Man Gets 15+ Years For Smuggling $1 Million In Meth

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Jaime Homero Guerrero, 20, has been ordered to prison for conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. A federal jury convicted Guerrero, of Brownsville and Matamoros, Mexico, on Jan. 24, 2014, following more than two days of testimony and approximately five hours of deliberation.
 
Today, U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen, who presided over the trial, handed Guerrero a sentence of 188 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court noted the sentence was imposed to reflect the seriousness of the offense, promote respect for the law, provide just punishment for the offense and afford adequate deterrence to criminal conduct.
 
Guerrero was a passenger in a 2010 Nissan on April 5, 2013, when it was stopped for a traffic violation on Highway 77 near Raymondville in Willacy County. At that time, officers found 36 packages containing a total of 26.16 kilograms of methamphetamine.
 
Guerrero initially stated he was headed from Matamoros, Mexico, to a Quincenera in Houston. He later claimed he was going to deliver the vehicle to Houston.
 
Also charged was Oraldo Arvey Castro-Rocha, who was driving the Nissan and later pleaded guilty. He will be sentenced June 4, 2014.
 
At trial, agents testified the methamphetamine Guerrero and Castro smuggled was valued at nearly $1 million in the Houston area.
 
Guerrero will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
 
The case was investigated by Drug Enforcement Administration and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorneys Carrie Wirsing and David A. Lindenmuth prosecuted the case.