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A former Cameron County constable who was initially sentenced to life in prison for protecting marijuana and cocaine shipments for the Gulf Cartel has been released from jail after a federal judge granted him compassionate release.
Former Cameron County Precinct 7 Constable Jose Alfredo Jimenez’s sentence was later reduced to a little more than 29 years in prison after an appellate court found he was improperly sentenced to life.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera granted Jimenez’s motion for compassionate release on July 24.
Jimenez — who has Parkinson’s Disease and other ailments — was sentenced in 2004.
He was initially held responsible for protecting more than 66,000 pounds of marijuana for the Gulf Cartel, but through a series of appeals the total weight was reduced to a little more than 2,800 pounds of marijuana.
Federal prosecutors had improperly calculated the weight he was responsible for at his 2004 sentencing, appellate courts found.
Jimenez, now 66, was charged more than two decades ago along with former Cameron County Precinct 7 Deputy Constable Juan Contreras, Jose A. Camaron Morales, who was not a law enforcement officer, Benito Villarreal, who was a former deputy at the time, and Ramon Montoya, who was a drug trafficker.
The men, who operated out of La Feria, protected drug loads for the Gulf Cartel.
Contreras was released from prison in June 2018 after his sentence was reduced and he was ordered released.
Montoya was released from prison in 2017, but died on March 21, 2021 while he was on supervised release.
Villarreal was released from prison in 2012 after finishing his sentence.
Morales was released from prison in 2022, but on Nov. 28, 2023 U.S. Customs and Border Protection found a pistol in his silver 2012 Chevrolet as he attempted to cross into Matamoros for Thanksgiving to visit his father.
Hidalgo County deputy constables then arrested and charged him with unlawful carrying of a weapon and he was released on a $1,000 bond the next day.
Morales told federal probation officers that he had recently purchased the vehicle from a private seller and was unaware the firearm was in the vehicle.
Federal probation officers have recommended that “no adverse action” be taken against Morales as the matter is handled in state court.
A search of Hidalgo County court records didn’t return any open cases against Morales for the charge.
