Lubbock Woman Sentenced To 17-And-A-Half Years In Prison For Meth Trafficking
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Lubbock woman who received shipments of methamphetamine via mail was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by a U.S. District Judge on Thursday, April 22.
Vanessa Rena Torres, 35, pleaded guilty in September 2020 to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, U.S. Customs and Border Protection assigned to the FedEx hub in Memphis, Tennessee identified a package inaccurately labeled as food products destined for Lubbock.
CBPO x-rayed and opened the package and located 3.15 kilograms of methamphetamine concealed inside seasoning packets.
HSI agents conducted a controlled delivery of the package to its original destination in Lubbock.
Torres accepted delivery of the methamphetamine-filled parcel.
Later that evening, agents executed a search warrant at the Lubbock residence and located the package in the master bedroom closet.
During a search of the residence, agents obtained receipts from money transfers to Mexico via Western Union.
When questioned by law enforcement, Torres admitted that she had been distributing methamphetamine in Lubbock for approximately two years.
A man from Mexico known as "El Tio" sent her the parcel for drug trafficking.
Torres also stated that "El Tio" had previously sent her one kilogram of methamphetamine which she had sold for approximately $10,000.
In March, Roger Pinon, 30, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for international money laundering for his role in the methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy.