Five Sentenced for Smuggling Cocaine into the Country
McAllen, Texas – Four more individuals from Mexico have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy involving over 100 kilograms of cocaine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Bolivar Ramos-Barragan, 45, Angel Ramirez-Serna, 28, and Claudia Contreras-Viveros, 41, all of Mexico, had all previously pleaded guilty.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now imposed a 70-month-term of imprisonment for Ramos-Barragan, while Ramirez-Serna and Contreras-Viveros received respective terms of 36 and 50 months. Not U.S. citizens, all are expected to face removal proceedings following their sentences.
Victor Aguilar, also of Mexico, was previously sentenced to 127 months.
The investigation revealed that in 2022 and 2023, all had smuggled multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States. The co-conspirators would utilize vehicles to smuggle the drugs which would then be stored in local stash houses before being distributed to others for further distribution.
In December 2022, authorities arrested Ramirez-Serna while in possession of eight kilograms of cocaine. The following month, Filiberto Elizalde-Hernandez had delivered eight kilograms of cocaine to Contreras-Viveros and her husband - Aguilar. During each of the events, Ramos-Barragan oversaw the transfer and distribution of the narcotics.
The investigation revealed the conspirators had possessed and distributed over 100 kilograms of cocaine over several months.
Elizalde-Hernandez is set for sentencing April 28.
Ramos-Barragan, Ramirez-Serna and Contreras-Viveros will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Edinburg Police Department and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Sturgis prosecuted the case.