A Killeen man was handed a 22-year prison sentence by a federal court in Del Rio for his role in a methamphetamine importation conspiracy. Joshua Ruben Olivencia, 34, attempted to smuggle 7.86 kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Olivencia's arrest occurred in a Del Rio hotel on August 1, 2020, alongside co-defendants, following an investigation that linked them to the drug trafficking operation. Court documents reveal that, Olivencia was not just a casual participant but an active distributor, moving drugs through Austin, Killeen, Temple, and Belton. He had recruited a network of individuals to distribute the methamphetamine in and around the Austin area.
The case unfolded when Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted multilayered packages of methamphetamine during an inspection at a port of entry. These packages were concealed within the door panels of a vehicle belonging to co-defendant Bibiana Ira Ortiz. Ortiz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute the meth and was sentenced to 151 months in prison.
Olivenicia, who faced similar charges, was seen to be deeply entrenched in the drug trade. On July 31, 2020, one day before the bust, he and David Ray Coplin had ventured to Del Rio to link up with Ortiz and another co-defendant, Jimmie Troy Palmer III. According to an announcement made by U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza, Olivencia handed Palmer $18,500 to procure the methamphetamine from Mexico. Palmer and Coplin also admitted to their roles in the conspiracy and received 300 and pending sentencing, respectively.
Homeland Security Investigations took charge of the case while Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley was the prosecutor. This prosecution is part of an ongoing effort by the Department of Justice to combat the distribution of narcotics in the United States.
