May 13, 2015

Three El Paso Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for the Distribution of Cocaine

IN EL PASO TODAY, 35-year-old Isaac Hernandez, (aka “ICE”), the leader of an El Paso-based cocaine trafficking organization, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, El Paso Division; and, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division.

In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Philip R. Martinez ordered that Hernandez pay a $10,000 fine and be placed on supervised release for five years after completing his prison term.

Hernandez is the third defendant to be sentenced to federal prison for his role in the drug trafficking scheme. Yesterday, May 12, 2015, 35-year-old Joel Moreno was sentenced to six years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release and fined $5,000. On May 7, 2015, 34-year-old Carlos Escobedo was sentenced to two years in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release.

All of the defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver cocaine. By pleading guilty, the defendants admitted to trafficking over 500 grams of cocaine in the Western District of Texas between January 2013 and July 2014. According to court records, these defendants conspired to distribute a total of approximately two kilograms of cocaine.

This joint investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).