A Matamoros, Mexico resident, Ricardo Rios-Alanis, 47, has been sentenced to a federal prison term for possession with intent to deliver cocaine and illegal re-entry after deportation, as announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Rios-Alanis, who pleaded guilty on June 13, will serve 66 months according to the decision handed down by U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera.
Rios-Alanis, not a U.S. citizen, encountered law enforcement officers during a routine surveillance operation near the Rio Grande River in Brownsville on February 21, when his speeding vehicle attracted attention, and after a high-speed chase that ended with a lost tire, he was apprehended; officers found 10 bundles of marijuana weighing a total of 203.9 kilograms (448.5 pounds) inside his vehicle. He has a history of criminal convictions dating back to 1997; these include assaultive conduct, two felony drug offenses, and three illegal reentries after deportation, during the latest sentencing, the judge recalled granting Rios-Alanis a “sentencing variance” back in 2021, reducing his sentence to 30 months, at that time he promised not to return and refrain from further unlawful activity, as per U.S. Attorney's Office.
The court was also informed of Rios-Alanis's extensive criminal history, evidencing his repeated disregard for the law, after losing a tire during the attempted escape from the authorities back in February, he admitted that he expected to waive the cost of his illegal entry into the U.S. by transporting drugs. Rios-Alanis now awaits transfer to an as-yet-undetermined Bureau of Prisons facility to begin his sentence.
According to the press release, the investigation leading to Rios-Alanis's latest arrest and conviction was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce led the prosecution. Following his imprisonment, Rios-Alanis is expected to face removal proceedings, marking another instance in his ongoing cycle of illegal activities and punishment by law enforcement.
