South Texas man sentenced to nearly 16 years in federal prison for smuggling 19 pounds of liquid meth

LAREDO, Texas — A South Texas man received a lengthy federal prison sentence Friday following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.  This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Laredo Police Department (LPD).

Victor Hugo Gonzalez, 36, of Laredo, was sentenced Jan. 22 by visiting U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack to 188 months in federal prison, which is to be immediately followed by five years’ supervised release.  Gonzalez pleaded guilty to the charges Aug. 25, 2015. 

According to court documents, on July 17, 2015, HSI special agents received information identifying a black Nissan Altima that would be used to transport narcotics. LPD officers and HSI special agents discovered the vehicle and performed a traffic stop.

Gonzalez was cited for driving without a license and consented to a search of the vehicle. With the assistance of an LPD canine, officers soon discovered in the backseat two bottles of anti-freeze with small crystals formed at the top. Agents tested the bottles and found that both bottles contained liquid methamphetamine with a combined gross weight of 8.55 kilograms (about 19 pounds).

Gonzalez admitted he picked up the bottles of anti-freeze from a truck driver in an industrial area in Laredo. He further added that he knew the bottles contained narcotics and that he was transporting the bottles to an unknown person.

As part of his sentence, Gonzalez will be required to complete an intensive drug treatment program and a mental health program while in prison.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge Vela, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.