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A federal judge on Tuesday sentenced three Houston-area residents to prison after authorities there found 1,713 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in metal barrels labeled as containing mango puree that were stored in a warehouse.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced the sentences in a news release for Eduardo Figueroa Jr., 29, of Cleveland, Texas, and Cynara Lucia Sarmiento, 26, and Marlon Deon Martin, 31, both of Conroe, Texas.
The narcotics had a street value of $29 million, according to the release.
All three suspects pleaded guilty on March 22, 2023 to a count of possessing with the intent to distribute 1,713 pounds of methamphetamine.
U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane sentenced Figueroa to 12 years, Sarmiento to five years and Martin to nearly four years in federal prison.
“In handing down the prison terms, Chief Judge Crane informed Figueroa that he would end up with the biggest sentence as he was the organizer of this offense,” the release stated. “During his statement at sentencing, Figueroa took responsibility for getting his co-conspirators involved and stated that he was in charge.”
Figueroa previously admitted that he hired Sarmiento as his personal assistant and directed her to lease warehouse space while forming Hive Logistics, a business warehouse in Houston.
“Figueroa recruited Martin to help unload the narcotics,” the release stated.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant there on May 12, 2021 and found the 1,713 pounds of meth, along with 22 pounds of cocaine, ledgers, two pistols and five magazines.
“The meth was located inside metal barrels marked as mango puree,” the release stated.
Figueroa also admitted that this meth was part of a larger load he had already received, of which 1,763 pounds had already been distributed to several individuals.
“Sarmiento also admitted to creating a ledger for the drugs and delivering them on at least one occasion with Figueroa,” the release stated.
The meth case is part of a firearms exportation and straw purchasing investigation where in March 2021 Figueroa was identified as a recruiter. He also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to straw purchase five shotguns on Nov. 22, 2021 and was sentenced to five years, which will run concurrently with his sentence in the drug case.
