McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute greater than 5 kilograms of cocaine, US Lawyer Alamdar S. Hamdani introduced.
Orlando Candelario Almanza pleaded responsible in October. 23,
U.S. District Choose Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Almanza to serve a complete of 75 months in federal jail to be instantly adopted by three years of supervised launch. On the listening to, the court docket heard extra proof about Almanza's high-ranking place at UPS. Not solely was he a driver, however he was additionally accountable for delivering packages on to UPS service planes for outbound transport. Within the sentence, the court docket stated that Almanza performed a key function within the group of drug trafficking.
“Almanza selected to interrupt not solely the belief of his firm, however that of the group,” Hamdani stated. “These males selected to assist the drug traffickers, finally making them alternate their brown uniforms for orange overalls.”
Almanza was a UPS worker for greater than 20 years and used his information to assist bypass safety protocols and ship cocaine-filled packages on behalf of drug traffickers.
Regulation enforcement seized a number of packages of cocaine from throughout the nation that had been traced to the McAllen UPS facility and to Almanza and one other worker – Fidencio Salinas Jr.
In October 2022, after a number of months of investigation, authorities noticed Almanza receiving a bundle from drug traffickers whereas on obligation. The bundle was destined for Tennessee and contained 10 kilograms of cocaine.
The drug sellers paid Almanza about $300-$500 per bundle stuffed with cocaine shipped.
Salinas Jr., 51, Pharr, a UPS worker for greater than seven years, beforehand obtained 27 months in federal jail.
Almanza was allowed to stay on bond and voluntarily give up to a US Bureau of Prisons facility to be decided within the close to future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration together with the FBI carried out the investigation. Assistant U.S. Lawyer Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
