Mexican National Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Efrain Espinoza-Pena, 47, a Mexican national, was sentenced in federal court in Albuquerque yesterday to 120 months in prison for conspiracy, distribution, and possession with intent to distribute more than 33 pounds of methamphetamine.
Espinoza-Pena pleaded guilty to these offenses on July 3, 2018. According to public court records, he conspired with three other defendants to distribute methamphetamine in New Mexico from Oct. 9, 2016, to Feb. 9, 2017. Espinoza-Pena, and his wife and co-defendant, Cordelia Louisa Espinosa, 47, delivered about one pound of methamphetamine to an undercover federal agent at a casino on Dec. 7, 2016. The conspiracy also involved a sale of 31 pounds of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Feb. 9, 2017.
Another co-defendant, Hector Hugo Magana, 36, of Redwood City, California, pleaded guilty on July 20, 2018, to conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He received a sentence of 70 months in prison. Another co-defendant, Edgar Madrid-Rascon, 34, of Chihuahua, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Sept. 13, 2018, to conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He is awaiting sentencing. Cordelia Espinosa previously pleaded guilty on June 14, 2018, to conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine. She received a sentence of 36 months in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Mysliwiec and David Cowen are prosecuting the case.
###
