Texas Pair Busted for 6K+ Meth Busts: 2 Sentenced to Prison Time

TYLER, Texas – Two Mexican nationals were sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentences for methamphetamine distribution in the Eastern District of Texas.

Leopoldo Alonso-Palacios, 38, a previously deported Mexican national, was sentenced to 262 months (21 years and 10 months) in prison for his role in a massive methamphetamine distribution ring. His accomplice, Juan Luis Salinas-Leon, 37, was sentenced to 168 months (14 years) for his involvement in the same operation.

The convictions stem from an investigation that began on March 4, 2025, when Alonso-Palacios and Salinas-Leon were stopped for speeding on Interstate-20 in Wills Point. During the stop, they consented to a search of their vehicle, which led to the discovery of 937.7 grams of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed that the men had additional methamphetamine at their homes in Center, where federal agents recovered more than six kilograms of methamphetamine ready for distribution, as well as 22 kilograms of liquids in various stages of the conversion process.

During his arrest, officers found Salinas-Leon in possession of a firearm. Immigration records revealed that both men were unlawfully present in the United States, with Salinas-Leon having been previously prosecuted for illegally entering the country.

The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, eliminating cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime. The operation streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, and Wills Point Police Department were involved in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lucas Machicek prosecuted the case.

The lengthy prison sentences handed down to Alonso-Palacios and Salinas-Leon are a testament to the dedication of law enforcement agencies in the Eastern District of Texas to combating methamphetamine trafficking and bringing those responsible to justice.

Leopoldo Alonso-Palacios and Juan Luis Salinas-Leon will be required to serve their prison sentences consecutively, meaning they will not be eligible for parole until they have completed their full sentences.