Francisco De Luna, Marijuana Smuggling, Texas 2020

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered a 37-year-old Laredo man to federal prison for conspiring to import over 50 kilograms of marijuana. Francisco De Luna was found guilty on August 3, 2020 and was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

De Luna’s sentence was handed down after he was caught involved in a marijuana smuggling operation. On February 12, 2020, co-conspirator Antonio de Jesus Cadena-Rodriguez applied for entry into the United States at the Lincoln-Juarez port of entry in Laredo. A K-9 alerted to contraband in the silver Dodge Grand Caravan he was driving, where authorities ultimately found 57.38 kilograms of marijuana.

Cadena-Rodriguez admitted to being a part of the smuggling operation, noting he was supposed to take the vehicle to a pre-arranged location. Law enforcement continued the investigation by delivering the marijuana as expected. A white Kia Rio soon arrived with De Luna riding as passenger. Another passenger entered Cadena-Rodriguez’s vehicle and attempted to start it.

Authorities took everyone into custody. De Luna admitted he smuggled marijuana and was at the location to pick up the load for further distribution. Law enforcement also conducted a search of De Luna’s bedroom where they found a scale, marijuana, plastic wrap and an AR-15 style rifle with high-capacity magazines.

The estimated street value of the drugs was $27,830. De Luna was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

De Luna’s previous convictions of drug distribution and being a felon illegally in possession of a firearm were also considered in the sentencing. Mexican national Cadena-Rodriguez, 36, had also pleaded guilty and previously received his sentence for his role in the scheme.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Harrison prosecuted the case.

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