The following information was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Western District of Texas.
DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted a Mexican national on four counts of trafficking cocaine into the U.S. from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on March 16, 2025, Eli Alejandro Hernandez Ledezma, 25, of Piedras Negras, was referred to secondary inspection at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers discovered approximately eight kilograms of cocaine in an aftermarket compartment in Ledezma’s vehicle.
Testimony during the trial revealed Ledezma was in contact with an unindicted coconspirator who offered him “fast money” if he had a valid visa. Additionally, testimony and evidence presented at trial showed Ledezma shared his GPS location with an unindicted coconspirator before he approached the Eagle Pass Port of Entry.
In a trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez, a federal jury found Hernandez Ledezma guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiracy to import cocaine, and one count of importation of cocaine.
Each count carries a penalty of 10 years to life in federal prison and up to a $10 million fine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh, Nallely Duarte, and William Golden are prosecuting 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, and protect communities from violent crime.
