Mexican man pleads guilty in South Texas for importing methamphetamine

LAREDO, Texas — A Mexican man on Tuesday pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana to conspiracy to illegally import methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico.

This guilty plea was announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick, Southern District of Texas. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP).   

Ricardo Muñoz-Vega, 35, from Pesqueria, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, admitted to transporting methamphetamine across the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge in Laredo. On Oct. 11, 2017, he crossed the bridge in a pick-up truck and was referred to secondary inspection. There, CBP discovered 29 bundles of narcotics in the vehicle’s wheels and another two bundles in the rear tire compartment.

The methamphetamine weighed 56.03 kilograms and 98 percent pure.

Judge Saldana anticipates setting up a sentencing date at a later time. At that time, Muñoz-Vega faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as possible $10 million fine.  He remains in custody pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bukiewicz, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.