Edinburg man pleads guilty in smuggling case

Sentencing is set for the fall for an Edinburg man who pleaded guilty to smuggling more than 50 kilos of meth into the country, records show.

The court set an early September date for Fernando Cisneros who admitted to his role in a scheme to move methamphetamine from Mexico into the U.S., the complaint against the man stated.

The 21-year-old U.S. citizen attempted to move 51.72 kilos of meth concealed inside the vehicle he was driving as he attempted to enter the country from Mexico at the Hidalgo port of entry.

During this attempt, which took place April 13, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers referred Cisneros for a secondary inspection.

“A CBP K-9 narcotics detection team conducted a free air inspection which resulted in a positive alert for the odor of a controlled substance emanating from the vehicle,” the document stated.

A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 24 wrapped packages concealed in an “after-market” compartment inside the vehicle’s tires.

The packages were tested and confirmed to be 51.73 kilos of methamphetamine, the document stated.

During the interview with authorities, Cisneros said he was paid $1,000 by an unidentified person in Mexico to transport what he knew “were drugs from Mexico to the United States,” the records show.

Last week, Cisneros pleaded guilty to count 2 of the indictment against him, import of a controlled substance, records show.

At his sentencing, Cisneros faces a maximum 10 years in federal prison.