Mexican national sentenced to 21+ years in prison after being found with $3m of meth in Dallas
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DALLAS - A man from Mexico living illegally in the US was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for his role in a crystal meth trafficking operation.
Gerardo Barraza-Ortiz was sentenced to 262 months behind bars after more than 100 pounds of meth was found in Dallas.
Dallas meth bust
The backstory:
In June 2022, the Duncanville police department executed a search warrant at an auto body shop located on South Cockrell Hill Road in Dallas. According to testimony, Barraza-Ortiz ran from officers as they entered but was soon apprehended.
A Duncanville police officer testified that a search of the building revealed more than 100 pounds of crystalized methamphetamine. Most of the methamphetamine was found in 1,022 small packages hidden within buckets and pallets. The auto-body shop housed a freezer, burners, coolers, storage bins, and barrels, all being used to store, cook, and clean liquid methamphetamine into a crystallized form. According to the Duncanville Police Department, the nearly 50 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine had an estimated street value of approximately $3,128,400.
SOURCE: U.S. Attorney's Office Northern District of Texas
A further search of the auto-body shop also revealed three firearms and several pounds of marijuana during the search.
Barraza-Ortiz pleaded guilty in September 2023 to possessing with intent to distribute over 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
He received his sentence on Monday, March 10, 2025.
What they're saying:
"This conviction sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the distribution of dangerous narcotics," said Chief of Police Matthew Stogner. "Removing over $3 million worth of methamphetamine from our streets is a significant victory in our ongoing fight against drug trafficking, and we remain committed to protecting our neighborhoods from the devastating impact of illegal drugs."
The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas.