United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 21-year-old Mexican citizen has been sent to prison following his conviction of conspiracy to transport over four thousand pounds of marijuana, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Jorge Monjaraz-Perez pleaded guilty Jan. 13.

Today, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. ordered Monjaraz-Perez to serve 200 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Monjaraz-Perez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Monjaraz-Perez coordinated with a drug trafficking organization and was also manager in that organization, facilitating the trafficking of the drug loads in numerous different ways. Judge Rodriguez further noted that this wasn’t aberrant behavior and that Monjaraz-Perez trafficked a large amount of marijuana over several different events.

At the time of his plea, Monjaraz-Perez admitted he conspired with a drug trafficking organization to transport at least 1,886 kilograms of marijuana.

He also acknowledged running a marijuana stash house located in Brownsville and participating in at least 12 drug trafficking loads. Law enforcement seized marijuana from 7 different events in Brownsville near the Rio Grande River, each load ranging between 91 kilograms and 528 kilograms.

Monjaraz-Perez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Lindenmuth prosecuted the case.