Drug conspiracy sends women to federal prison
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Galveston women have been sentenced to prison in Corpus Christi federal court for their convictions of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than six kilograms of methamphetamine announced DEA Houston Division Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Beatrice Adriana Ortega, 28, pleaded guilty Nov. 2, 2017, while co-defendant Esmeralda Guadalupe Ramos, 27, pleaded guilty the following month.
Today, U.S. District Judge Janis Jack handed Ramos a 35-month sentence. On Monday, April 8, Judge Jack ordered Ortega to serve a 42-month term of imprisonment. Both were further ordered to serve five years of supervised release following their sentences. In imposing the terms of incarceration, the court noted that even though neither defendant had prior criminal history, a term of imprisonment was appropriate given the amount of methamphetamine they were transporting.
On Aug. 6, 2017, Ortega and Ramos arrived at the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint in a 2012 blue Chrysler 200. During primary inspection, a canine alerted to the vehicle. Upon further inspection, authorities discovered six bundles wrapped in black electrical tape and clear cellophane hidden within the dashboard of the vehicle. In those packages was a total of 6.28 kilograms of methamphetamine.
Both women were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert D. Thorpe, Jr., is prosecuting the case.
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