Hector Eduardo Duarte-Martinez, Methamphetamine Trafficking, Texas 2025

Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Busted in Texas

A massive methamphetamine trafficking operation has been dismantled in the Eastern District of Texas, with a key player sentenced to federal prison for his role in the crime.

Hector Eduardo Duarte-Martinez, a 23-year-old Mexican national residing in White Settlement, Texas, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 11, 2025.

According to information presented in court, in February 2024, Duarte-Martinez was observed coming and going from several known drug trafficking residences in the DFW area. A search executed at the White Settlement residence where Duarte-Martinez was residing resulted in the seizure of a large amount of liquid methamphetamine. Duarte-Martinez admitted to being responsible for distributing 45 kilograms of methamphetamine.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the government to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson.

Duarte-Martinez's sentencing marks a significant blow to the methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in the Eastern District of Texas. The case serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts to combat the flow of illicit substances into our communities and the devastating impact of methamphetamine on individuals and families.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx/pr/mexican-national-sentenced-federal-prison-trafficking-methamphetamine