A Mission man found guilty of playing a role in conspiracy to smuggle meth was sentenced to 135 months in prison Tuesday, according to a news release from the Southern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s office.
In late May, jurors found Eugenio Perez Jr. guilty of playing a role in a methamphetamine smuggling scheme after a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.
According to the testimony at the time of the trial, authorities discovered a little more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine while investigating a drag racing incident that resulted in a two-car crash.
During the trial jurors heard from three witnesses, including a local police officer who testified how Perez crashed into an SUV pulling out of a parking lot.
The officer approached Perez after observing him pull a bag from his truck’s cab and place it into the bed of the truck. He instructed Perez not to take anything from the vehicle but soon observed Perez’s daughter arrive on the scene.
At that time, the officer stated Perez’s daughter took the bag from the bed of the truck and placed it in her car, according to testimony.
The officer further testified that he stopped her from leaving the area and asked her to show him what was inside the bag. The daughter opened the bag which was found to contain approximately 1.6 kilograms of meth.
“U. Perez then opened the gray bag and pulled out a clear plastic bag which contained a white crystal like substance,” the complaint against Perez stated.
Perez, who was taken into custody in May following the guilty verdict, will remain in custody pending his transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
