A 54-year-old Mexican national, who made a failed bid to evade the law, is now facing a harsh reality behind bars after a Texas federal court delivered a lengthy prison sentence, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Abel Avendano, a legal permanent resident residing in San Antonio, was slapped with a 168-month sentence for his involvement in a meth distribution ring and skipping town while on bond.
Avendano's day of reckoning came after he pleaded guilty to both failing to appear in court and the underlying drug offense, capturing the attention of U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos who didn't mince words while highlighting his central role in the conspiracy and the significant quantity of drugs involved; Avendano approached a Border Patrol checkpoint on June 19, 2020, appearing nervous it prompted a secondary inspection, where agents discovered four kilos of meth stashed away in the stolen ride he was driving a turn of events that eventually tied back to a similar bust, where five kilos were seized on May 31, 2020, at the Pharr Port of Entry with the offenders fingering Avendano as the mastermind.
Despite being granted bond, Avendano decided to flee justice, cutting off his ankle monitor and disappearing, only to wind up back in cuffs, this time with no leeway from the court. His stint in custody will persist as he awaits transfer to a federal prison, with inevitable removal proceedings on the horizon given his non-U.S. citizen status.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with Customs and Border Protection, were instrumental in untangling this web of drug trafficking, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office; their collaborative effort was underscored by Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña's successful prosecution, as Avendano's future holds nothing less than a strict federal imprisonment followed by his likely deportation, his dreams of a life unimprisoned trading meth across borders crushed under the weight of the law's long arm.
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