Weslaco Man Sentenced To Prison For Attempting Smuggle Crystal Meth

Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 1:45 P.M. ET. 1 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

MCALLEN, TX.- A 23-year-old Weslaco, Texas, man was sentenced on Tuesday to federal prison for attempting to bring a shoebox filled with crystal methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico in November 2022.

     According to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani, on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, Jesse James Gonzalez, 23, of Weslaco, appeared in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Micaela Alvarez to 120 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.

     Gonzalez had previously appeared in U.S. District Court on September 27, 2023, and pleaded guilty to the charge.

Court Hears Gonzalez Prior Criminal History

     During Tuesday’s hearing, the court heard additional information regarding Gonzalez’s lengthy and repetitive criminal history, warranting a lengthy sentence. In handing down the sentence, Judge Alvarez noted the societal harms of trafficking in narcotics and the destruction in communities where it occurs.

     According to documents filed with the court on November 29, 2022, Gonzalez attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Donna Port of Entry. Gonzalez was carrying a shoebox containing two packages of crystal methamphetamine. 

     Customs and Border Patrol agents discovered the crystal meth during the inspection process, and Gonzalez subsequently admitted he had “ice” in the shoebox.