ALPINE, Texas — A Mexican national, formerly a Mexican police officer, pleaded guilty in a federal court in Alpine to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine as the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with the case.
According to court documents, Cesar Alonzo Lopez Ruiz, 34, of Rosales, Mexico, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico at the Presidio Port of Entry. A search revealed 50 packages of methamphetamine hidden inside the gas tank of his vehicle. The drugs’ total weight was approximately 27.8 kilograms.
Lopez Ruiz pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26. He faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Greenbaum and Amy Greenbaum are prosecuting 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.