Laredo’s Daniel Elizondo Gets 46 Months for 164-Kilo Marijuana Bust

LAREDO, Texas — A 29-year-old Laredo man has been locked up by federal authorities after being caught with nearly 164 kilograms of marijuana in a nighttime smuggling operation along the Rio Grande. Daniel Elizondo was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after a jury convicted him on charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana, comes after Elizondo admitted his role in the December 2015 drug run and offered a public apology to the court and his family. Judge Saldana acknowledged his acceptance of responsibility, but made clear the severity of the crime. Elizondo was also ordered to complete 50 hours of community service as part of his sentence.

The bust unfolded late on December 11, 2015, when Border Patrol agents spotted suspects hauling narcotics-laden bundles across the Rio Grande. Officers watched as the men vanished into thick brush near a roadway on the U.S. side. Around 90 minutes later, Elizondo arrived at the site in a pickup truck, accompanied by two other vehicles, according to trial testimony from multiple BP agents.

Agents moved in as bundles were loaded into Elizondo’s truck. He attempted to flee but was quickly intercepted. Inside the truck bed, authorities found four large bundles of marijuana. A fifth bundle, dropped during the scramble, was recovered nearby. Forensic analysis confirmed the total haul at 163.9 kilograms — worth an estimated $70,000 at the time.

Elizondo has remained in custody since the jury returned its verdict on March 16, 2016. He will soon be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, where he’ll serve his sentence under federal lockup. The investigation was a joint effort by the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Border Patrol, highlighting the continued enforcement pressure on cross-border narcotics operations in South Texas.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Ellison and Special AUSA Lisa Ezra, both of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson emphasized that the sentence sends a message: those who exploit the border for criminal profit will face serious federal consequences.