Possession of multi-kilos of meth lands three in prison for significant time

McALLEN, Texas – Three residents of San Antonio have been sentenced following their convictions of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute a total of approximately five kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Lucille Nicole Mendoza, 43, Debra Ann Sauceda, 54, and Julian Santiago Espinoza Jr., 32, pleaded guilty Jan. 5, 2022.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Mendoza and Espinoza to serve a total of 70 months each, while Sauceda received a 60-month-term of imprisonment. All were further ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their term of incarceration.

On May 31, 2020, law enforcement encountered the three as they attempted to cross into the United States from the Pharr Port of Entry in a GMC Yukon. At that time, authorities sent them to secondary inspection, which resulted in the discovery of approximately five kilograms of meth hidden in the battery.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps prosecuted the case.