A former sergeant with the Donna Police Department has been sentenced to more than 14-and-a-half years in federal prison for helping drug traffickers gain safe passage through the city.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Alejandro Martinez to 175 months in federal prison on Friday.
“My only comment is, hey, the judge sent a message to everybody — to law enforcement and anybody that was thinking about doing it or is doing it — that there is a price to pay for doing it under the color of law,” Donna Police Chief Gilbert Guerrero said when reached for comment Friday.
Guerrero took over as chief about four years ago. Martinez was already on the force as a sergeant, Guerrero said.
The department terminated Martinez as soon as it learned of his arrest. Martinez’s son, who also served on the force, resigned soon after, Guerrero said.
The son has not been implicated in any crimes.
Federal agents arrested Martinez and another man, Victor Vallejo, on May 4, 2021 on charges that the pair conspired together to help drug traffickers move product through Donna undetected.
In reality, Martinez and Vallejo weren’t aiding drug traffickers, but an undercover agent and a DEA informant.
On Jan. 31, 2021, that DEA informant met with Martinez in the parking lot of the Basilica of Our Lady of San Juan del Valle National Shrine.
The pair met to discuss the scheme for Martinez to allow drugs to move through Donna.
“The (confidential source) had been provided with a recording device to record their conversation. The CS discussed with Martinez the CS’ (sic) intent to traffic narcotics through the City of Donna,” states the criminal complaint against both Martinez and Vallejo.
The following month, the scheme was put into play.
Martinez told the informant to “go for it” and “I got you” just before the informant and an undercover DEA officer made their way through the city after 11 p.m. on Feb. 25, 2021.
Martinez, who was on duty that night, also told the informant that he would conduct a traffic stop on their vehicle in order to act as a decoy and throw off the notice of any other law enforcement.
The former sergeant told the supposed drug traffickers that the traffic stop was “just for show,” according to the criminal complaint.
The informant and undercover agent were able to safely travel through Donna with more than 11 pounds of cocaine in the vehicle while Martinez’s co-conspirator, Vallejo, followed in a GMC Acadia, the complaint reads.
Later, the informant met with Vallejo in a Whataburger parking lot and paid him $1,500 “for his assistance in the escort and safe passage of narcotics,” the complaint states.
Both Martinez and Vallejo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance on March 22. While Martinez was sentenced Friday, Vallejo isn’t slated to be sentenced until December.
The pair initially faced a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison, as well as a fine of up to $10 million.
But reaching a plea deal with prosecutors, along with accepting responsibility for his crime, made Martinez eligible for some consideration at sentencing Friday.
Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, Martinez faced between 168–210 months, or 14–17.5 years.
Alvarez, the federal judge, chose to sentence Martinez to more than the range minimum.
“The federal judge put (sic) an example to everyone in law enforcement that if you get involved in any illegal activity during working hours or during your duty, you’re gonna pay the price… like Martinez is right now,” Guerrero said.
