Grimy Times Exclusives: Former Judicial Officer Tied to 100 Kilos of Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl
A federal jury in Brownsville, Texas, has delivered a guilty verdict against Gilberto Almaraz-Muniz, a 55-year-old Mexican citizen and former judicial officer, for his role in a large-scale conspiracy to smuggle cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl into the United States.
Almaraz-Muniz was found guilty on one count of conspiracy and three counts of possession with intent to distribute various controlled substances following a five-day trial. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before reaching their decision.
According to court documents, Almaraz-Muniz operated as a drug supplier, using his connections to recruit drivers to transport large quantities of narcotics across the border. The drivers, often unaware of the true contents of the vehicles, would be instructed to make ‘dry runs’ crossing the port of entry multiple times before hiding the drugs within the vehicle.
Witnesses testified that Almaraz-Muniz would arrange for the vehicles to be titled in the drivers’ names, making it appear as though they were legitimate shipments. The investigation revealed that Almaraz-Muniz was involved in two other significant drug seizures, including 83 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville and 24 kilograms of black tar heroin in Robstown.
“This case removed over 100 kilograms of deadly narcotics off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “My office will continue to prosecute not only those individuals caught transporting dangerous drugs but also those that provide and involve others in the illicit drug trade.”
Almaraz-Muniz is facing a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a possible fine of up to $10 million. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Co-conspirators Pedro Venegas Jr. and Jetzrael Saldana have pleaded guilty and are set to be sentenced in May and July, respectively.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the South Texas Narcotics Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistants U.S. Attorneys Oscar Ponce and Victoria Aranda are prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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