McALLEN, Texas — A south Texas man has been sentenced for importing 41 pounds of cocaine following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Miguel Angel Trejo, 28, of Pharr, was sentenced by a federal judge on May 15 to serve 50 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Trejo played an integral part in smuggling illegal narcotics into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that traffickers could not succeed without the willing participation of transporters like Trejo. Trejo pleaded guilty Feb. 21.
“HSI stands committed to keeping highly addictive drugs like cocaine off the streets of south Texas,” said HSI Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge Make Lippa. “Today’s sentence not only holds Mr. Trejo accountable for his crimes but serves as a warning to those traffickers who are contributing to the drug crisis in the United States. This investigation demonstrates the strength of collaborative law enforcement efforts and our strong partnership with the U.S. attorney’s office.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 30, 2023, Trejo claimed he had no illegal drugs in his vehicle when arriving at the Rio Grande Port of Entry checkpoint. CBP officers referred him to secondary inspection, where a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed 17 bricks of cocaine weighing approximately 19 kilograms hidden in compartments under the floorboards of the rear seat. The cocaine had an estimated street value of approximately $230,000. At the time of his plea, Trejo admitted he knew he was smuggling narcotics and had done so on multiple occasions.
Trejo will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case.
About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.