Adrian Pineda-Orozco, a 32-year-old undocumented alien residing in Houston, was convicted today by a federal jury in Del Rio on charges tied to a 43-kilogram liquid methamphetamine smuggling operation. The verdict lands a major blow against a cross-state drug ring that used everyday vehicles to move massive quantities of narcotics across the southern border.
Pineda-Orozco was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine. The trial exposed a calculated drug network with prior deliveries stretching from Eagle Pass to major Texas cities, including Houston and Dallas—fueling addiction and violence in urban centers.
On December 18, 2015, Customs and Border Protection officers at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry uncovered 15 plastic bottles filled with liquid meth hidden inside a vehicle driven by co-conspirators Marcelo Guzman, 20, of Houston, and Cyndy Palma, 21, of Houston. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine before trial.
According to testimony, Guzman admitted he was en route to deliver the drugs to a contact in Houston. HSI agents executed a controlled delivery. When they arrived at the designated meeting point, Pineda-Orozco was waiting. The moment agents identified themselves, he jumped into his vehicle and fled—nearly striking an agent—sparking a high-speed chase through residential streets.
Authorities ended the pursuit with spike strips, disabling Pineda-Orozco’s vehicle. No injuries were reported. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest. Guzman and Palma are also still detained, each facing a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in prison.
Sentencing for Guzman is scheduled for March 7, 2017. Palma and Pineda-Orozco await sentencing dates. The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations, with support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Houston Police Department.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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