A Houston man has entered a guilty plea for federal drug trafficking charges in Louisiana, where he was apprehended with a significant quantity of cocaine. Fulgencio Cardenas-Rivera, 35, admitted to possession with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine on April 15, according to a report by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Found hidden in the trunk of his vehicle, the stash of about three kilograms of cocaine was intended for distribution. The judgment was made in front of United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, who is now faced with sentencing Cardenas-Rivera to a mandatory minimum of five years up to 40 years in prison. Besides, the man could face fines up to $5 million, following at least four years of supervised release after any prison term, and a $100 special assessment fee.
The operation that netted Cardenas-Rivera was part of a wider crackdown by Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), which targets high-level drug traffickers and criminals. The approach they use is multi-agency and intelligence-driven, striving to dismantle organized crime that threatens U.S. security. According to the same source, the prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit and will now put Cardenas-Rivera away for potentially decades.
Key in bringing Cardenas-Rivera to justice were combined efforts from various agencies, including the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, which led the investigation. Assisting were the United States Border Patrol, joining the ranks of law enforcement against such networks, alongside the Louisiana State Police, the Kenner Police Department, and the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.
