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A guard tower and razor wire at a prison in Texas. (Photo by Andrew Lichtenstein/Corbis via Getty Images)
HOUSTON – A Mexican national was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for his role in a drug conspiracy that involved 116 kilograms of methamphetamine and led to the seizure of numerous weapons.
Mexican National Sentenced
What we know:
Eustorgio Quiroz-Salto, 41, pleaded guilty on July 11, 2024, to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and unlawfully possessing ammunition and firearms. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett ordered the sentence and also the forfeiture of all weapons and ammunition seized during the investigation.
Authorities said Quiroz-Salto, who is not a U.S. citizen and faces removal proceedings after his imprisonment, had previously been convicted of cocaine trafficking in 2011 in Florida. He had also been removed from the United States in 2007 and 2008 before returning illegally.
The backstory:
The case stemmed from a Dec. 12, 2023, operation in which Quiroz-Salto and Manuel Varjas Corona were arrested in the parking lot of a church in Crosby. According to court documents, they were attempting to deliver more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, also known as “ice.”
A subsequent search of Quiroz-Salto’s home led to the seizure of an additional 93.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 firearms, a silencer, 351 rounds of ammunition and various firearm parts.
What they’re saying:
“When a defendant, like the one here, illegally enters our country three times, engages in drug trafficking despite having prior drug convictions, and illegally possesses firearms, he better believe we’re going to come looking for him,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
What you can do:
Manuel Varjas Corona, 51, also a Mexican national, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. He faces a potential sentence of up to life in prison.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
CrosbyCrime and Public SafetyImmigration