Former Mexican official in federal prison for drug trafficking

TThe Brownsville-based former Mexican police officer convicted of smuggling drugs into the United States was sentenced Wednesday, according to a press release from the Attorney General's Office of the Southern District of Texas.

Gilberto Almaraz-Muniz, 56, was sentenced in April for one count of conspiracy and three counts of possession with intent to resell various controlled substances, including cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.

Almaraz-Muniz was sentenced to more than 20 years in a federal prison after a five-day trial.

“At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing the extensive elements of the conspiracy led by Almaraz-Muniz,” the press release states. “At sentencing, the court found that Almaraz-Muniz specifically targeted younger individuals to transport the drugs.”

On March 10, 2022, law enforcement arrested 24-year-old co-conspirator Pedro Venegas after agents from the Kleberg County District Attorney's Office Task Force conducted a traffic stop where they discovered over 26 pounds of narcotics concealed in his vehicle, according to court documents.

When questioned later, Venegas said he had been involved in smuggling drugs from Mexico to the United States since January 2022 along with Almaraz-Muniz, also known as “Primo,” and another man named Jetzrael “Jetz” Saldana, 26.

He stated that Saldana put Venegas in touch with Almaraz-Muniz to recruit him as a driver. Saldana told Venegas that Almaraz-Muniz was the “boss.” Venegas also said that Saldana would recruit drivers and track the drug shipments to Houston, for which he would receive $500 per trip north.

Venegas added that the truck he was driving during the March 10 raid was picked up from Almaraz-Muniz's home in Brownsville and that Almaraz-Muniz instructed him to take it to a specific parking lot in Houston and accompany Saldana.

“During this time, [Venegas] “I was in telephone contact with both Almaraz-Muniz and Saldana,” the document states.

A search of his cell phone revealed numerous drug-related conversations with a contact named “Nose” (sic), which means “don't know” in Spanish, but was later determined to be Saldana.

Saldana was stored as a “nickname” on Venegas' cell phone contact in order to deceive law enforcement as to the contact's true identity.

On April 13, 2022, Saldana was tracked down by agents and questioned about the March 10 raid. He admitted to working under Almaraz-Muniz's direction and confirmed Venegas's statements.

After his arrest, Almaraz-Muniz was also questioned. He admitted to knowing both Venegas and Saldana and that they had been arrested on drug charges, then added that “individuals in Mexico” had asked him to “find a lawyer” for them, the document said.

Almaraz-Muniz denied being involved in drug trafficking and said he only sold cars. He said he sold a car to a person in Mexico and then followed three people in that drug-laden car as they drove to Austin, where he was then paid to sell the car.

According to the document, these individuals were later arrested for possession of Black Tar Heroin with the intent to resell.

The jury heard about that seizure during the trial, as well as another seizure at the Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville, where police discovered about 84 kilograms of liquid meth.

Almaraz-Muniz will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. A transfer decision will be made in the near future.