McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old man has been sentenced to federal prison for importing a large quantity of methamphetamine into the United States.
Arnulfo Hinojosa Jr. pleaded guilty to the charges on August 1, 2023. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane then ordered Hinojosa to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
The court heard evidence that Hinojosa played an integral role in smuggling illegal narcotics into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that traffickers could not succeed without the willing participation of transporters like Hinojosa.
On April 22, Hinojosa claimed he had no illegal drugs in his vehicle when arriving at the Rio Grande City Port of Entry. However, a K-9 unit alerted to the odor of narcotics during a secondary inspection, leading to the discovery of 101 bricks of meth, weighing approximately 140 kilograms and hidden in compartments under the vehicle’s cargo bed.
The meth had an estimated street value of approximately $350,000. At the time of his plea, Hinojosa admitted that he knew he was smuggling narcotics into the United States.
Hinojosa will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case.
Defendant: Arnulfo Hinojosa Jr.
Criminal Charges: Importing methamphetamine
City and State: McALLEN, Texas
Crime Date: April 22, 2023
Sentence: 135 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and a transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility
Estimated Street Value of Meth: $350,000
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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