A 42-year-old resident of Illinois, Cruz Vargas Jr., has been sentenced for importing methamphetamine into the United States. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Vargas had pleaded guilty to the charges on March 4, 2023. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced him to 120 months in federal prison, which will be followed by five years of supervised release.
The incident occurred on July 24, 2022, when Vargas attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Rio Grande Port of Entry. He claimed that large containers in his vehicle contained vitamins. However, a narcotics detection K-9 unit signaled an alert during a secondary inspection. Authorities tested the contents of the containers and confirmed they held methamphetamine.
At his plea hearing, Vargas admitted to transporting drugs with over 50 kilograms of meth discovered in his possession.
Vargas is currently in custody and will remain so until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case.