A Houston woman has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Alyssa Marie Maldonado, aged 40, had previously pleaded guilty on October 16, 2024.
The sentencing was handed down by U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez and includes three years of supervised release following her prison term. During the hearing, the court reviewed testimony highlighting Maldonado's involvement in smuggling activities, specifically her efforts to conceal drugs within a vehicle.
Maldonado's arrest occurred on March 24, 2024, when she attempted to enter the United States at the Brownsville and Matamoros International Port of Entry. She initially denied having any contraband in her vehicle and provided false information about her visit to Mexico. However, during a secondary inspection prompted by a K-9 alert, authorities discovered anomalies in the fuel tank that led them to find 22 packages testing positive for fentanyl with a combined weight of 8.70 kilograms.
After being released on bond earlier, Maldonado was taken into custody post-sentencing and will remain detained until she is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Customs and Border Protection. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Blackmon.