HOUSTON, Texas – A 26-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for his role in a transnational drug trafficking organization.
Andres Reyes-Morales, 26, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on October 31, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has ordered Reyes-Morales to serve 144 months in federal prison. As a non-U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
The investigation began in November 2022, when authorities identified Reyes-Morales as a member of a transnational criminal organization responsible for smuggling and distributing methamphetamine from Mexico into South Texas and on to Houston.
Reyes-Morales acted as a conversion lab operator, courier, and facilitator for the organization. As part of an undercover operation, authorities purchased approximately five kilograms of methamphetamine from Reyes-Morales. He then coordinated with Moices Moreno-Marin and Franciso Reyes Solorzano-Duarte to complete the deliveries.
On April 14, 2023, authorities executed a search warrant at Reyes-Morales’ residence and seized approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine concealed in a shoe box in a bedroom closet. Reyes-Morales admitted that the narcotics belonged to him.
Moices Moreno-Marin, 38, and Franciso Reyes Solorzano-Duarte, 27, also Mexican nationals, pleaded guilty for their roles and were sentenced to 36 and 54 months in prison, respectively.
Reyes-Morales will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day prosecuting the case.
Mandatory Facts:
Defendant: Andres Reyes-Morales
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine
City and State: Houston, Texas
Date: October 31, 2024 (sentencing), November 2022 (investigation began)
Sentence: 144 months (12 years) in federal prison
Amount: Approximately five kilograms of methamphetamine purchased from Reyes-Morales
Related Federal Cases
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- John Yang, Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearms Offenses, Wisconsin 2020 · Texas
- Steven Mark Zuber, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Arkansas 2021 · Kansas
- Terrance Foy, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Iowa 2021 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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