Joshua Ruben Olivencia, 34, of Killeen, was sentenced to 264 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to import 7.86 kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced today.
The conspiracy, which was uncovered in 2020, involved multiple co-defendants and a well-organized effort to smuggle methamphetamine through a U.S. border port of entry, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
On August 1, 2020, Olivencia and several accomplices were arrested at a hotel in Del Rio after an investigation revealed their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking operation spanning several cities in Texas, including Austin, Killeen, Temple, and Belton.
According to court documents, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 16 packages of methamphetamine hidden inside the door panels of co-defendant Bibiana Ira Ortiz’s vehicle during an inspection at a port of entry.
On July 31, 2020, Olivencia and his co-defendant, David Ray Coplin, traveled to Del Rio to meet Ortiz and another co-defendant, Jimmie Troy Palmer III. Court records state that Olivencia provided Palmer with $18,500 to facilitate the purchase of methamphetamine from Mexico.