A 51-year-old Hendersonville, North Carolina woman has been ordered to federal prison for importing massive amounts of meth through Laredo, Texas.
Deanne Burkhart Bautista, 51, pleaded guilty on August 4 and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo. She will also serve five years of supervised release following her imprisonment.
The ordeal began June 3, 2020 when Bautista attempted to enter the United States at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo. Following a law enforcement query, authorities discovered that she might be transporting narcotics. A follow-up X-ray examination of her luggage revealed 5.5 kilograms of meth, with an estimated street value of $27,000.
Bautista admitted that she was aware of the drugs in her luggage and expected to be paid in cash, drugs, or both upon final delivery to Atlanta, Georgia.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation, with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew prosecuted the case.
Bautista will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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