South Texas Man Sentenced For Trafficking 20 Kilos Of Pure Meth
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 40-year-old Brownsville man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Ricky Joe Urenda pleaded guilty Sept. 3, 2015.
Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos ordered Urenda to serve 168 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
On June 26, 2015, Urenda arrived at the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita driving a Dodge Avenger bound for Florida. A routine K-9 exam resulted in an alert which prompted agents to refer Urenda and his vehicle to secondary for further inspection. That inspection resulted in the discovery of 25 bundles in a hidden compartment in the vehicle which tested positive for methamphetamine. Laboratory analysis determined the drugs had a purity level of 99.3% resulting in 20 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.
In federal custody since his arrest, Urenda will remain there pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future.
The conviction stems from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt is prosecuting the case.
