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Date: 05-15-2024
Case Style:
United States of America v. Miguel Angel Trejo
Case Number: 7:23-cr-01792
Judge: Drew B. Tipton
Court: The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Harris County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in McAllen
Defendant's Attorney: Eloy Ignacio Hernandez
Description: McAllen, Texas criminal defense lawyer Eloy Ignacio Hernandez represented the Defendant charged with importing over $200,000 of cocaine
Pharr man sent to prison for importing over $200,000 of cocaine
Miguel Angel Trejo, age 18, was ordered to serve 50 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Trejo played an integral part in smuggling illegal narcotics into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that traffickers could not succeed without the willing participation of transporters like Trejo. On Nov. 30, 2023, Trejo claimed he had no illegal drugs in his vehicle when arriving at the Rio Grande City port of entry checkpoint.
Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed 17 bricks of cocaine weighing approximately 19 kilograms hidden in compartments under the floorboards of the rear seat. The cocaine had an estimated street value of approximately $230,000.
At the time of his plea, Trejo admitted he knew he was smuggling narcotics and had done so on multiple occasions.
Trejo will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case.
Outcome:
Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 50 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: