Three ordered to prison for trafficking $29M in meth

McALLEN, Texas - Three Houston-area residents have been sent to prison following their convictions of possessing with intent to distribute 777 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Eduardo Figueroa Jr., 29, Cleveland, and Cynara Lucia Sarmiento, 26, Conroe, pleaded guilty March 22, 2023. Marlon Deon Martin, 31, Conroe, pleaded guilty March 21, 2023.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Figueroa, Sarmiento and Martin to serve 144, 60 and 37 months in federal prison, respectively. All three must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. In handing down the prison terms, Chief Judge Crane informed Figueroa that he would end up with the biggest sentence as he was the organizer of this offense. During his statement at sentencing, Figueroa took responsibility for getting his co-conspirators involved and stated that he was in charge. Chief Judge Crane noted that he handed down lighter sentences as the co-conspirators were young and foolish with little to no criminal history who he wanted to help get back on the right path.

At the time of his plea, Figueroa admitted he hired Sarmiento as his personal assistant and tasked her with leasing warehouse space and forming Hive Logistics, a business warehouse located in Houston. Figueroa recruited Martin to help unload the narcotics.

On May 12, 2021, authorities executed a search at the location and discovered 777 kilograms of meth, 10 kilograms of cocaine, ledgers, two pistols and five magazines. The meth was located inside metal barrels marked as mango puree.

In furtherance of his plea, Figueroa admitted the meth was part of a larger shipment he had received, of which approximately 800 kilograms had already been delivered to several individuals. Sarmiento also admitted to creating a ledger for the drugs and delivering them on at least one occasion with Figueroa.

The estimated street value of the meth is $29 million.

This case is part of an exportation and straw purchasing of firearms investigation from March 2021 where Figueroa was identified as a recruiter. He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to straw purchase five shotguns on Nov. 22, 2021, and was sentenced to 60 months in prison to run concurrently.

Sarmiento and Martin were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons (BOP) facility to be determined in the near future. Figueroa will remain in custody pending transfer to a BOP facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case.