LAREDO, Texas – In a dramatic turn of events, Alfredo Aguilar Jr., a 30-year-old Harlingen native, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for leading an attempted methamphetamine importation ring through jalapeño and hominy cans. U.S. Attorney Ryan Patrick announced the sentence on Friday.
Aguilar was found guilty at a bench trial on September 6, 2018, before U.S. District Judge Hilda G. Tagle. Co-defendants Cristen Nicole Cano, 29, of Combes, and Cristal Hernandez, 23, of San Benito, had previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the scheme on August 7, 2018.
The sentencing hearing saw Aguilar receive a total of 240 months in prison. He was held accountable for orchestrating the drug importation event. Cano and Hernandez were also sentenced today, each receiving 60 months in prison.
On May 15, 2018, Aguilar, Cano, and Hernandez attempted to enter the United States at Laredo’s Gateway to the Americas International Bridge Port of Entry. Their bags contained groceries, including four cans that appeared unusually heavy when shaken. X-rays revealed anomalies in the cans, which were found to contain a total of 10.52 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Further investigation revealed that Aguilar had recruited Cano and Hernandez to smuggle the drugs into the country. Both Cano and Hernandez have been in custody since their arrest on May 15, 2018, while Hernandez was permitted to remain on bond pending surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher dos Santos prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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