BROWNSVILLE – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts against a 55-year-old legal permanent resident for methamphetamine trafficking.

Martin Araiza-Jacobo was convicted of conspiracy to possess and possession of meth with intent to deliver as well as conspiracy to import and importation of meth.

On Jan. 19, 2017, Araiza-Jacobo, who resided in Matamoros, attempted to enter the U.S. through a pedestrian lane at the Gateway International Bridge, at which time he declared that he was bringing in sandwiches and two bags of candies from Mexico.

A Customs and Border Protection officer inspected the bags and noticed the candies inside the bag didn’t match the images on the packages.

Authorities conducted an X-ray examination which revealed anomalies in the bags. Officers opened up the packages and discovered 83 packages containing 5.19 kilograms of meth.

Araiza-Jacobo stated he worked as a “cruzador” or a person who helps people cross groceries from the U.S. to Mexico. He claimed he crossed into Mexico earlier that day to buy a sandwich for a lady and met an unknown man there who asked him to cross the bags of candy.

The man was supposed to call the 55-year-old once back in the U.S. and would give him the name and description of the person to whom he would deliver the candy.

Araiza-Jacobo denied ever seeing or talking to the unknown man.

However, the jury heard evidence both men were in contact since Jan. 16 and Araiza-Jacobo initiated the contact.

Testimony revealed Araiza-Jacobo overheard part of a conversation in which a man was looking for someone willing to cross a piñata and a box of candy into the U.S. and ship it to Atlanta, Georgia.

Araiza-Jacobo got the man’s number and called him. Less than an hour later, he commented that the trip was set.

His sentencing is set for Sept. 13. He faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million fine.