Antonio Cortez Gonzales, Cocaine Trafficking, Tyler TX, 2023

TYLER, Texas – A35-year-old Longview, Texas man, Antonio Cortez Gonzales, has copped to serious drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a statement by U.S. Attorney John M. Bales.

Gonzales pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love today to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana. The case is grimly marked as another victory against the illegal drug trade in Texas.

The search warrant executed at Gonzales’ residence on Aug. 19, 2013, yielded a disturbing array of contraband: 150 grams of cocaine, 6.5 kilograms of marijuana, kilogram-sized cocaine wrappers, firearms, and ammunition. But that was just the beginning. Further probing revealed a major pipeline operation, with drugs being transported from Houston to Longview for distribution.

Gonzales and 17 others were hit with a 30-count indictment on Apr. 23, 2014, charging them with drug trafficking violations. If sentenced to the maximum term, Gonzales could face life in federal prison, and as of now, no sentencing date has been set.

This operation is part of an ongoing Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation aimed at dismantling serious drug trafficking organizations and individuals responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. The DEA led the probe, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Ann Cozby prosecuted the case.