An Illinois man has been sentenced to a decade in prison for his role in a large-scale meth trafficking organization.
Cruz Vargas, Jr., 42, of the state known for its Great Lakes connection, was sentenced to 120 months in prison on Tuesday and will face another five years of supervised release after pleading guilty, as mandated by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane, according to the US Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas.
Authorities stopped Vargas during a routine border crossing inspection on July 24, 2022, after he attempted to pass large containers labeled as vitamins through the Rio Grande Port of Entry. A narcotics detection K-9 raised the alarm, and a secondary inspection revealed the containers contained meth.
The drug weighed more than 50 kilos, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Following his initial allegation, tests revealed the presence of the illegal narcotic, prompting Vargas to admit his role in drug transportation and, ultimately, his guilty plea.
Vargas will remain in custody until a US Bureau of Prisons site becomes available for his transfer. Assistant US Attorney Cahal P. McColgan directed the prosecution, while Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in coordination with Customs and Border Protection.