Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking
Posted/updated on: February 23, 2011 at 5:15 pm
TYLER — A 25-year-old illegal alien living in Tyler, has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking. Francisco Velazquez-Banderas pleaded guilty last August to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced yesterday to 46 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider. Velazquez-Banderas was also ordered to forfeit $10,000.
According to federal prosecutors, on November 2, 2009, Velazquez-Banderas was arrested following an investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in the Tyler area. It was also determined that he was illegally in the United States. He will be deported to Mexico after he has served his prison sentence.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 14, 2010, charging Velazquez-Banderas and three others with federal drug trafficking crimes. Armando Velazquez-Castro was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, Saul Velazquez-Castro was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and Jose Francisco Moreno was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison.
