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A 47-year-old Matamoros man with a history of federal convictions has been sentenced to prison after admitting to illegally entering the country for the fourth time and to smuggling nearly 450 pounds of marijuana.
Ricardo Rios-Alanis, who pleaded guilty on June 13, was sentenced Wednesday to five-and-a-half years in prison, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced in a press release.
Rios-Alanis landed back in federal custody on Feb. 21 when Border Patrol agents spotted a blue sport utility vehicle traveling away from the Rio Grande toward Water Tower Road in Brownsville at a high rate of speed, according to a criminal complaint.
He fled at a high rate of speed, but agents caught up with him after the vehicle lost its right rear tire.
Border Patrol agents found 10 bundles of marijuana weighing a little more than 448 pounds inside the vehicle.
“Rios-Alanis told law enforcement in return for transporting the narcotics within the United States, he expected to not have to pay for his illegal entry into the country,” the release stated.
This wasn’t his first time being caught with a load of marijuana.
On July 6, 2011, Border Patrol agents in Brownsville spotted two men in Mexico standing on trees south of the Amigoland area, which at the time was a notorious entry point for drug smugglers and people entering the country illegally, according to a complaint.
While conducting surveillance, agents saw a gray four-door Cherokee approach the Amigoland Event Center before abruptly leaving.
Like his most recent case, a chase ensued and Rios-Alanis lost control of the vehicle and crashed. He was not injured and agents found four bundles of marijuana weighing a little more than 100 pounds.
He was sentenced to a little more than four years in prison in that case.
In the recent sentencing, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera heard about his lengthy criminal history with convictions dating back to 1997, the release stated.
“The convictions include assaultive conduct, two for felony drug offenses and three for illegal reentry after removal,” the release stated. “In handing down the sentence, the court noted that in 2021 he granted Rios-Alanis a ‘sentencing variance,’ lowering his sentence to 30 months after Rios-Alanis promised not to return and not continuing to violate the law.”
That was his third illegal reentry conviction.
Rios-Alanis, who has remained in custody since his arrest, will be deported after serving his sentence.
