Defendant Gets 10 Years For Trafficking ICE in Texas

LAREDO, Texas – In a recent conviction, Arthur Carapia, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen from Dallas residing in Nuevo Laredo, has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 3.39 kilograms of a mixture containing methamphetamine.

Carapia pleaded guilty on May 13, 2013. On March 8, 2013, he was arrested at the El Espreso bus station in Laredo. Border Patrol agents had noticed Carapia wearing excessively large clothing while standing in line to board an autobus and subsequently discovered two packages of crystal methamphetamine attached to his legs.

Carapia was arrested and admitted his intentions to traffic these narcotics throughout the United States. He stated the drugs arrived from Nuevo Laredo and planned to transport them to Atlanta, Ga.

The methamphetamine, also known as "Ice" because of its high purity levels, weighed 3.39 kilograms and has an estimated street value of $288,000.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana ordered him to prison for 120 months to be followed by a five-year-term of supervised release.

Carapia will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Border Patrol and Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanjeev Bhasker and former AUSA Roel Canales prosecuted the case.

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