LAREDO, Texas – In a shocking case of narcotics distribution, 52-year-old Romeo Serna Sr. has been ordered to federal prison for his role in selling cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana near a public middle school and high school in Laredo.
According to court documents, Serna pleaded guilty on June 17, 2013, to multiple conspiracies to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, as well as multiple counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances within 1,000 feet of a school.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia-Marmolejo handed down a total sentence of 84 months in federal prison, to be followed by six years of supervised release. In an upward departure, the court noted Serna’s under-represented criminal history, his aggravating role in the conspiracy, and the proximity of his house to the school, which was less than 1,000 yards away.
The government presented testimony from the case agent and the undercover agent who testified that they received information in March 2012 that drugs were being sold from the Serna residence on Bartlett Avenue. The agents conducted surveillance on the residence and observed several individuals engaging in what appeared to be drug transactions.
An undercover agent then conducted several controlled buys of cocaine, cocaine base, and marijuana from Serna Sr. and his sons, Romeo Serna Jr. and Randy Serna, at their residence throughout the course of several months. On March 7, 2013, law enforcement arrested Serna Sr. and his two sons after attempting another controlled buy of cocaine base. A search warrant was executed, resulting in the discovery of marijuana on the kitchen counter, in the attic, and in the living room, as well as cocaine in the kitchen and various drug paraphernalia associated with drug trafficking.
Serna Sr. and his sons admitted to selling marijuana and cocaine out of their residence for several years. Romeo Serna Jr. and Randy Serna pleaded guilty in the case and have also been ordered to prison. Serna Sr. has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance from the Laredo Independent School District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sonah Lee and Mary Ellen Smyth prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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