San Antonio, Texas – In a major crackdown on drug trafficking, three local residents have been locked up for significant time after being convicted of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani made the announcement regarding the sentencing.
Lucille Nicole Mendoza, 43, Debra Ann Sauceda, 54, and Julian Santiago Espinoza Jr., 32, all from San Antonio, pleaded guilty on January 5, 2022. The trio is facing a combined sentence of more than 70 months behind bars.
On May 31, 2020, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents apprehended the suspects while attempting to cross the border at the Pharr Port of Entry in a GMC Yukon. During secondary inspection, authorities discovered a hidden cache of approximately five kilograms of methamphetamine in the vehicle’s battery.
Judge Randy Crane has sentenced Mendoza and Espinoza to 70 months each, with Sauceda receiving a 60-month term. Each defendant has also been ordered to serve three years of supervised release upon their release from prison.
The investigation leading to the trio’s arrest was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps handling the prosecution of the case. The defendants are currently in custody and await transfer to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
This sentence sends a strong message against drug trafficking in Texas, underscoring the government’s commitment to cracking down on organized crime and its impact on communities across the state.
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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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