The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas sentenced Joshua Ruben Olivencia, 34, of Killeen, 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 US Attorney’s Office discovered the conspiracy in 2020, detailing numerous co-defendants and a well-organized operation to smuggle methamphetamine via a US border port of entry.
On August 1, 2020, a Del Rio hotel detained Olivencia and numerous accomplices after an investigation revealed their involvement in a methamphetamine trafficking operation spanning multiple Texas cities, including Austin, Killeen, Temple, and Belton.
According to court filings, during a search at a port of entry, Customs and Border Protection officials discovered 16 packages of methamphetamine hidden behind co-defendant Bibiana Ira Ortiz’s vehicle’s door panels.
On July 31, 2020, Olivencia and his co-defendant, David Ray Coplin, flew to Del Rio to meet with Ortiz and another co-defendant, Jimmie Troy Palmer III. According to court filings, Olivencia paid Palmer $18,500 to facilitate the acquisition of methamphetamine from Mexico.
Court documents reveal that on June 7, 2021, co-defendant Bibiana Ira Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. The court sentenced her to 151 months of federal prison.
On July 21, 2021, Jimmie Troy Palmer III, a co-defendant, pled guilty to conspiracy to import methamphetamine and received a sentence of 300 months in federal prison.
On March 8, 2021, Coplin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The agency has scheduled his sentencing for October 31.
