HOUSTON – A 32-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for conspiracy to distribute meth during a transaction that occurred in a Houston neighborhood, the United States Department of Justice announced.
Ismael Salas Navarro, 32, pleaded guilty Nov. 17, 2022.
Recommended Videos
On Thursday, U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Navarro to a total of 135 months in federal prison. Navarro, who is not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Navarro’s arrest and conviction stem from an investigation into suspects affiliated with the Gulf Cartel operating in Houston, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said. On Jan. 25, 2021, law enforcement recorded Navarro ordering two kilograms of crystal meth from a co-conspirator. Authorities then watched as the narcotics were delivered to Navarro in a “quiet” Houston neighborhood, investigators said. Navarro was taken into custody before he could drive off with the narcotics.
“Mexican cartels and their drugs are not welcome in our cities,” Hamdani is quoted saying in a news release. “Cartels, like the Gulf Cartel, endanger the lives of our citizens and loved ones. Today’s sentence sends a strong message to criminals like Navarro that our communities will not tolerate the scourge of drug traffickers.”
Navarro has been and will remain in custody while awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future, DOJ said.