BROWNSVILLE, Texas —
Three individuals have been charged following the seizure of a significant quantity of cocaine destined for Houston and northern states, announced U.S. Attorney Nicolas J. Ganjei.
The suspects, Pablo Luis Fuentes-Rivas, 40, of Baytown, Efren Pinales-Hernandez, 51, of Weslaco, and Daniel Teniente-Marfileno, 39, an illegal alien residing in Houston, appeared in Houston and will be transferred to Brownsville for further proceedings.
The charges allege that in the early hours of March 29, law enforcement observed the trio at a Baytown truck lot offloading narcotics from a semi-tractor trailer onto a vehicle. As Teniente-Marfileno drove away with the cocaine bundles, authorities conducted a traffic stop and seized the drugs, according to the charges. Fuentes-Rivas and Pinales-Hernandez were arrested as they attempted to leave the scene.
The seized cocaine weighed 182.25 kilograms and had an estimated street value of nearly $2.3 million. All three are charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiracy to do so. If convicted, they face up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which aims to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks threatening the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department, Cameron County Sheriff’s Office, and the Baytown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
