Houston Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal Prison for Smuggling Meth through Eagle Pass

DEL RIO, Texas – A Houston man was sentenced in a federal court to 168 months in prison for importing and trafficking methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Alfonso Avellaneda Chavarrieta, 25, drove into the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on Nov. 17, 2021, and was referred to secondary inspection, where a canine alerted U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers to 64 bundles of methamphetamine in the vehicle’s rear tires. The methamphetamine inside the bundles tested positive for 31.4 kilograms with a purity level of 97%.

Chavarrieta was indicted for four counts on Dec. 8, 2021. He pleaded guilty to all four charges on Aug. 22, 2022. He was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Fleming and Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

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