Former Bexar County Jail Guard Sentenced to Federal Prison for Conspiring to Protect Illegal Drugs

In San Antonio today, 37-year-old Hector Franco, a former Bexar County Sheriff’s Deputy, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for conspiring to protect cocaine shipments.

In addition to the prison term, United States Chief District Judge Fred Biery ordered that Franco be placed under supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.

On July 6, 2012, Franco pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and two substantive counts of attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine. By pleading guilty, Franco admitted to providing protection for two separate loads of what he believed was cocaine—one a four kilogram load on July 3, 2008, being driven from Hondo, Texas, to San Antonio by his fellow officer and co-defendant, 39-year-old Jose Angel Cordero; the other, a seven kilogram load on December 17, 2009, being driven from San Antonio to New Braunfels by an undercover FBI agent. In exchange for his services, Franco was paid $1,700.

Cordero, who pleaded guilty to the same charges in March, is scheduled to be sentenced at 8:30 a.m. on November 30, 2012, before Chief Judge Biery. He faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Ray Gattinella is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.