A 21-year-old Hidalgo County man has been sent to federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Matthew Ethan Joseph Castillo pleaded guilty on February 10. Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Castillo to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Castillo transported cocaine numerous times in the past, having delivered narcotics to Houston and Dallas as well as Atlanta, Georgia, and New York City.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted the significant quantity of cocaine that Castillo was smuggling. Castillo is set to be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
On September 29, 2021, Castillo was traveling on a Tornado commercial passenger bus that entered the primary inspection area of a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias, Texas.
A service canine alerted to a specific piece of luggage in the lower compartment of the bus. Authorities identified Castillo as the owner, and a search of the item found two wooden tortilla presses, each containing two bundles of cocaine.
The cocaine was estimated to have a street value of more than $300,000. Castillo has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck prosecuted the case.
MANDATORY FACTS:
Defendant/Respondent: Matthew Ethan Joseph Castillo
Criminal Charges: Possessing with the intent to distribute 4.5 kilograms of cocaine
City and State: Corpus Christi, Texas
Exact Date: February 10, 2021 (plea), September 29, 2021 (crime date)
Sentence or Outcome: 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release
Dollar Amounts: Over $300,000 street value of cocaine
Related Federal Cases
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- Rafael Villanueva, Cocaine Trafficking, Texas 2024 · New York
- Cocaine-Distribution Scheme Brought Down by Traffic Stop · Alabama
- Efrain Colon-Garcia, Cocaine Trafficking, Providence RI, 2023 · Puerto Rico
- Francisco Jesus Ramirez, Heroin and Methamphetamine Smuggling, Alabama 2021 · Alabama
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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