A Brownsville man, aged 51, is poised to serve a decade behind bars, following a guilty plea for his role in trafficking cocaine cleverly concealed within his vehicle. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani's office announced the sentencing of Rosalio Mendoza, who entered his plea on May 1, as per a report by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.
During the procedure of sentencing, Mendoza was handed a 120-month prison term by U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera, who, following his release, will be subjected to another five years under supervised release. The severity of punishments associated with drug cases like these was highlighted by the Judge, issuing a stern warning to Mendoza against any future involvement in the narcotics trade, which could land him a life sentence according to a press release.
The circumstances leading to Mendoza's conviction unfolded on Jan. 26 when he sought entry into the United States via the Veteran’s Port of Entry in Brownsville. A secondary inspection was prompted and subsequently a K-9 unit alerted authorities to something amiss near the driver's side door which eventually pointed them to the center console. Upon removal of the console, officers unearthed a hidden compartment housing 14 packages of cocaine, with a combined street value estimated at $155,250.
Mendoza awaits his transfer to a federal penitentiary, the details of which are yet to be decided, remaining in custody in the meantime. The operation leading to his arrest was a concerted effort by Homeland Security Investigations, assisted by Customs and Border Protection, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Arreola leading the prosecution as outlined in the official statement.
