Federal prosecutors say a Fort Worth man is headed to prison for four decades after agents tied him to a staggering cache of ultra-pure methamphetamine hidden around the city.
Evaristo Hidrogo, 31, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after prosecutors linked him to more than 244 kilograms of 100 percent pure meth seized in Fort Worth. Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor handed down the sentence on June 26, wrapping up a case that started with a high-speed chase in November 2025. Authorities said heroin, cocaine, and multiple firearms were also seized during the arrest and subsequent searches.
Sentence and charges
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, Hidrogo was convicted of possession with intent to distribute more than 244 kilograms of methamphetamine, other controlled substances and three firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Garland prosecuted the case, and Judge O’Connor imposed a 480-month sentence.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould described the punishment as a clear warning to narcotics traffickers operating in the district, signaling that massive drug loads and guns can draw decades behind bars.
How investigators linked the drugs to Hidrogo
Court records show the investigation started on November 18, 2025, when officers pursued Hidrogo in a high-speed chase that ended with him crashing into another vehicle and being taken into custody. As detailed by the Drug Enforcement Administration, officers found 56 grams of methamphetamine on him at the time of his arrest.
Agents searching his vehicle recovered another 823 grams of meth, 301 grams of heroin, 55 grams of cocaine, and two firearms, according to the DEA release. Follow-up searches at a Fort Worth storage unit turned up 244 kilograms of methamphetamine at 100 percent purity, while a residence search yielded about 10 kilograms of meth and 2 kilograms of heroin.
Who led the probe
The DEA’s Fort Worth District Office led the investigation with support from the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, according to the releases. Prosecutors say the case is part of an ongoing push to disrupt high-volume drug trafficking networks in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
The DEA characterized the 40-year sentence as an “unmistakable message” to people who flood North Texas communities with meth. The U.S. Attorney’s Office likewise said the outcome is intended to deter traffickers who try to move large quantities of narcotics through the region.
Local context
Local coverage in the Fort Worth Star‑Telegram highlighted the size of the seizure and noted that multiple agencies were credited with bringing the case together. Prosecutors told local reporters that the combination of the drugs’ purity and the overall quantity made this a particularly serious trafficking prosecution, and that investigators plan to keep tracing suppliers and distribution channels linked to the stash.
What’s next
The U.S. Attorney’s Office press release did not say whether Hidrogo intends to appeal. It lists a media contact for further inquiries, and any appeal or post-sentencing motions would appear in the formal court record and federal docket if filed and made public.
