Woman Convicted in Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy Related to Mexico’s Gulf Cartel is Sentenced

DALLAS—Vanessa Ramirez Padilla, 24, of Dallas, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sidney A. Fitzwater to serve 63 months in federal prison for her role in a major cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Padilla pleaded guilty in June 2009 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine. Judge Fitzwater ordered that she surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on March 23, 2010.

Padilla was one of the 22 members of cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking cells that were arrested on September 16, 2008, in a coordinated enforcement action as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) led “Project Reckoning.” In that operation, which included both “Operation Dos Equis,” an investigation into a Mexican cocaine distribution organization, and “Operation Vertigo,” an investigation of a methamphetamine distribution organization, more than $8 million in cash, approximately 300 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 400 pounds of methamphetamine and approximately 20 weapons were seized.

The leader of the cocaine trafficking conspiracy, Hector Omero Rodriguez, a.k.a. “Guero” and “Papalote,” 35, of Allen, Texas, was sentenced in October 2009 to serve 20 years in federal prison. His brother, Lazaro Fernando Rodriguez, 29, of Dallas, was sentenced last week to 292 months (more than 24 years) in prison and ordered to forfeit numerous weapons and ammunition. They and their co-defendants were indicted on charges related to their operation of a cocaine-trafficking cell, associated with Mexico’s Gulf Cartel, that operated in and around the Dallas area. Most of the defendants in that case have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 51 to 360 months. In fact, in November 2009, defendant Uriel Palacios, 23, of Dallas, was sentenced to 30 years in prison, following his guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and one count of conspiracy to conduct money laundering. Three defendants remain fugitives.

According to documents filed in her case, during the course of the investigation, DEA agents intercepted numerous phone conversations involving various members of the organization discussing cocaine distribution and the collection and preparation for shipment of the proceeds derived from the cocaine sales. Padilla was one of those intercepted and, based on those interceptions, she was identified as an individual who would assist in exchanging the proceeds, including profits, of the cocaine distribution into larger bills. She also assisted Ava Moreno, Gabriella Moreno, and others prepare and package the money to be sent to Mexico.

Padilla admits assisting with the preparation and packaging of drug proceeds for shipment to Mexico derived from the sale of cocaine on or about August 26, 2008. Those proceeds were eventually seized by law enforcement in Laredo and totaled $1,159,645.

DEA, Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI, North Texas HIDTA, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Dallas Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Arlington Police Department, Grand Prairie Police Department, Farmers Branch Police Department, Coppell Police Department, Richardson Police Department, Waxahachie Police Department, and Dallas County Sheriff’s Office participated in this investigation.