Corpus Christi 'trap house' dealer sentenced, attempted to use daughter
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Melissa Rendon was sentenced to federal prison for her role in trafficking drugs, said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Rendon, a 32-year-old from Corpus Christi, entered a guilty plea on Aug. 4, 2023, and has been ordered to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, according to U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton.
During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented detailing Rendon's aggravated role in the offense, her attempts to obstruct the investigation, and her use of her minor daughter to hide evidence from authorities.
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The investigation, conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration with help from the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit, revealed that Rendon distributed narcotics from her Corpus Christi home.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant on July 7, 2022, and found various people inside, but not Rendon. Meth, cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine, and fentanyl – some packaged for sale – were found on the property. They also discovered a digital scale, baggies, and latex gloves.
Rendon also recruited a woman to live at the home and distribute drugs for her.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says authorities saw Rendon leaving her residence with four children on March 2, 2023, and dropping them off at school. They did a second search, finding more cocaine, crack cocaine, Ziploc baggies, a digital scale, latex gloves, and several pieces of mail addressed to Rendon.
While she was in jail, Rendon would call her juvenile daughter to visit their residence, find a white cell phone, change the password, and delete all its contents, including photos, Facebook data, texts, and Snapchat messages, investigators reported.
Rendon will remain in custody until her transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility is determined soon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould prosecuted the case.