Miguel Angel Bravo-Farias, Methamphetamine Distribution, TX 2023

Miguel Angel Bravo-Farias, 41, an illegal immigrant, and Hector Terrazas, 25, both of Amarillo, Texas, were sentenced to 180 and 156 months in federal prison respectively for their roles in a large-scale methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater handed down the sentences yesterday, marking the end of a two-year federal investigation into a mobile meth operation rooted in the Texas Panhandle.

The pair pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. Both have been in federal custody since their arrest in June 2017, following a controlled buy operation targeting the delivery of 20 pounds of the drug. When law enforcement met with Bravo-Farias and Terrazas, they were found in possession of a box packed with methamphetamine and were arrested on the spot.

Co-defendant Rogelio Xochitl Amparan, 29, was sentenced to 189 months in December 2017 after admitting his role in the conspiracy. During surveillance, Amparan was seen leaving Terrazas’ residence and was pulled over for driving with a suspended registration. A search of the home uncovered disturbing evidence: 34 empty glass bottles with crystal residue on the spouts, two containers with similar residue, and approximately 5,498 grams of liquid methamphetamine stashed in the refrigerator.

Inside a converted closet in the bedroom, investigators found a fully operational drying station rigged with fans and igloo-style containers. Used plastic gloves and utensils covered in crystalline substances littered the floor. The setup confirmed the residence was being used as a conversion lab—transforming liquid meth into its more potent crystal form.

Amparan admitted during a post-arrest interview that he collected all proceeds from meth sales and transported the cash to his brother in Juarez, Mexico. The operation reeked of transnational coordination, with drugs and money moving across the border under the radar—until federal agents closed in.

The case was jointly investigated by the Amarillo Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, Randall County Sheriff’s Office, Potter County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Potter County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Bell prosecuted the case, hammering home the message that drug labs won’t be tolerated on Texas soil.