McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to prison following his convictions related to the importation of cocaine, meth and fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jairo Esnid Pina-Carrillo pleaded guilty Dec. 2, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced him to a total of 70 months in federal prison. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Pina-Carrillo appeared to be a trusted member of the drug trafficking organization based on the number of times he admitted to smuggling narcotics and the amount and type of the narcotics.
On the morning of July 27, 2021, Pina arrived at the Anzaldua Port of Entry from Mexico where he was attempting to gain entry into the United States. He presented his Mexican border crossing card and claimed he intended to cross for a job-related duty in Brownsville.
Upon inspection, a canine alerted to Pina’s vehicle. Authorities found a total of five packages of narcotics in a lunch bag and a backpack located inside the vehicle. He expected to be paid $800 per package for importing the drugs.
The drugs totaled approximately one kilogram each of cocaine and fentanyl and three kilograms of heroin. Pina also admitted to importing narcotics on at least six other occasions.
He has 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 and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colton Turner prosecuted the case.