Houston woman tried to bring 4.6 kilograms of fentanyl across Mexico border: USAO
HOUSTON - A 49-year-old Houston woman was sentenced to federal prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to import fentanyl, said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Monica Mata Vasquez will have to serve 11 years and four months immediately followed by five years of supervised release as ordered by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana. This comes after a two-day trial on Aug. 25, 2023, where Vasquez was convicted.
During the sentencing hearing, the court emphasized the danger of fentanyl in communities nationwide.
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"It takes only a tiny amount of fentanyl to kill a loved one. Vasquez brought in 4.6 kilos of that dangerous drug from Mexico--enough to kill approximately 2 million people," said Hamdani in a press release. "She routinely traveled to Monterrey, Mexico, to pick up narcotics and did it all for money. She prioritized her greed over the well-being of our community. Today’s sentence takes a callous drug transporter off the streets and away from the border and guarantees that Vasquez will no longer profit from the pervasive destruction of fentanyl."
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Vasquez arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo, Texas on March 10, 2023, with what authorities called a "suspicious travel itinerary."
She was referred for a secondary inspection and officials found anomalies in the battery of her car. When they removed the battery, law enforcement dat four bundles of fentanyl inside with a total weight of 4.6 kilograms.
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Officials say the fentanyl was enough to kill more than two million people.
"Illicit fentanyl is one of the greatest dangers we’re facing as a country," said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio in a release. "The conviction and sentencing of Vasquez highlights the strength of our law enforcement partnerships who spend countless hours combating a poison that is harmful to many communities and families. HSI is steadfast in its efforts to disrupt and dismantle transnational criminal organizations and combat the flow of illicit opioids into the United States."
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the jury saw messages from Vasquez's phone showing she coordinated "trips" with co-conspirators to and from Monterrey, Mexico into the U.S. dating back to July 2022.
Testimony indicated her involvement in an agreement to import and traffic narcotics, including travels to locations such as Alabama and discussions about the purchase and installation of car batteries.
Reports from the Attorney's Office say the defense attempted to convince the jury that Vasquez was unaware of the drugs inside the car, but the jury found her guilty of engaging in a conspiracy to import fentanyl.
Vasquez is currently in custody and will remain so until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, the location of which will be determined at a later time.