A U.S. citizen from Reynosa, Mexico, entered a guilty plea for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei’s office announced. The individual, 20-year-old Marco Antonio Rodriguez, was nabbed at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint on April 25, when he claimed to be on a job hunt in Corpus Christi, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Driven by Rodriguez, the Ford Escape he was in raised eyebrows among law enforcement when they noticed it lacked personal items or tools that one might expect from someone supposedly seeking employment. An x-ray scan substantiated their suspicions, revealing inconsistencies in the vehicle’s rear quarter panels. According to a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the authorities subsequently discovered aftermarket compartments constructed to conceal 90 bundles of methamphetamine, amounting to 47.5 kilograms with a high purity level of 99%.
Rodriguez, during his plea, acknowledged receiving the vehicle from a Reynosa address the previous day before attempting to cross the border. He was aware of the drug payload he was transporting, intending to deliver it to Corpus Christi for unloading. U.S. District Judge Ramos is set to deliver Rodriguez’s sentence on Feb. 11, 2026. Looking at a potential life sentence in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine, Rodriguez remains in custody awaitng the sentencing hearing, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office…