Gilberto Jorge Rodriguez, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Texas 2014

Laredo Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Trafficking

A Laredo man and a Mexican national have been ordered to federal prison following their pleas of guilty to possession with intent to distribute nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine.

Gilberto Jorge Rodriguez, 48, of Laredo, and Andres Villarreal-Parades, 28, of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute nearly 50 pounds of methamphetamine. Rodriguez was arrested on July 28, 2014, following a routine traffic stop in Freer when a narcotics canine alerted to the presence of drugs in the trunk of his car.

Law enforcement officers then searched the vehicle and found eight bundles containing 20.7 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in the spare tire. The drugs were concealed in the spare tire, a common tactic used by methamphetamine traffickers.

The investigation revealed that Villarreal-Parades had recruited Rodriguez on at least three occasions to deliver methamphetamine that he had hidden in spare tires to various cities in Texas. After each trip to deliver the drugs, Rodriguez would return to Laredo and deliver the proceeds from the methamphetamine to Villarreal-Paredes, at which time he paid Rodriguez $10,000.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, who accepted both pleas, ordered Villarreal-Parades to serve a total of 168 months in federal prison and is expected to face deportation proceedings immediately thereafter. Rodriguez was sentenced to 78 months to be followed by three years of supervised release.

The charges were the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mike Eaton and Sanjeev Bhasker prosecuted the case.

The conviction and sentencing of Rodriguez and Villarreal-Parades highlight the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat methamphetamine trafficking in the Laredo area.

Gilberto Jorge Rodriguez is currently serving 78 months in federal prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Andres Villarreal-Parades is serving a total of 168 months in federal prison and is expected to face deportation proceedings immediately thereafter.

The charges against Rodriguez and Villarreal-Parades include possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The exact amount of methamphetamine seized from Rodriguez’s vehicle was 20.7 kilograms, which is nearly 50 pounds.

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