Mexican National Sentenced to 127 Months for Drug Trafficking and Unlawful Re-Entry into United States

LEXINGTON, Ky. – On Friday, a Mexican National, Hector Salas-Pina, 40, was sentenced to 127 months in federal prison.  United States District Judge Danny C. Reeves sentenced Salas-Pina for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and unlawful re-entry into the United States, after a previous deportation for an aggravated felony.

Salas-Pina was tried and convicted of the drug charges, in February of this year.  The evidence at trial established that Salas-Pina obtained six kilograms of cocaine, from other individuals who had concealed it in the axles of a trailer.  Salas-Pina drove a vehicle and the trailer to Lexington, to be delivered to a cocaine dealer for sale in Lexington.  On May 17, 2017, members of the Lexington Police Department, in conjunction with the FBI and KSP, made a stop of the vehicle and trailer and subsequently located the cocaine.  The street value of the cocaine is approximately $600,000.  Following the trial, Salas-Pina entered a guilty plea to re-entry charge.

Under federal law, Salas- Pina must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence; and upon release, he will be deported from the United States. 

Robert M. Duncan, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Amy Hess, Special Agent in Charge, FBI; Kristoffer Cortez, Acting Assistant Field Office Director , Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Richard Sanders, Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police: and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly made the announcement.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, ICE, KSP, and the Lexington Police Department.  The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Roger W. West.