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Edinburg man sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking

Edinburg man sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking
1 year 2 months 1 week ago Wednesday, August 23 2023 Aug 23, 2023 August 23, 2023 2:51 PM August 23, 2023 in News - Local

An Edinburg man has been sentenced for his role in transporting meth in multiple tractor trailer loads.

Roel Longoria, 35, pleaded guilty in June 2022 and was ordered to serve 21 years in a federal prison followed immediately by five years of supervised release, according to a news release.

Three other individuals were also sentenced for trafficking meth. They were 36-year-old Dorian Hazel Ruiz-Chavez, a Mexican national that was illegally residing in the U.S., 43-year-old Mario Alberto Ortiz, from Edinburg and 35-year-old Luis Ramos, from Donna, according to the release.

Law enforcement initiated an investigation in September 2020 into a drug trafficking organization in the Valley. They believed the organization was involved in importing drugs from Mexico using commercial tractor trailers with hidden compartments, according to the release.

Ruiz-Chavez coordinated with Mexican narcotics suppliers who would send the tractor trailers to the U.S. and work with additional individuals to store and transport the trailers further north, according to the release.

Longoria and Ortiz worked to find willing drivers to transport the drugs after they entered the U.S., according to the release.

On November 12, 2020, authorities seized a trailer after it entered through the Laredo Port of Entry, where it was discovered it contained 147 kilograms of meth. On April 26, 2021, authorities seized another trailer after it entered through the Pharr Port of Entry, where it was discovered to be carrying 90 kilograms of meth. Both trailers were allegedly transported at the direction of Ruiz-Chavez, according to the release.

After the trailers were seized, the organization began transporting drugs in smaller loads using passenger vehicles, according to the release.

On May 13, 2021, authorities arrested Ramos after he was caught transporting 45 kilograms of meth in his personal vehicle, according to the release.

Longoria will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, according to the release.

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