Texas man sentenced to over 21 years for transporting $800K in liquid meth following HSI Rio Grande Valley, federal partner investigation

McALLEN, Texas — A Texas man was sentenced for importing nearly 91 pounds of meth from Mexico following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Manuel Ignacio Ley Villa, 54, was sentenced Feb. 14 to 255 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the judge noted Ley Villa had been previously convicted for the same offense. Ley Villa pleaded guilty Nov. 28, 2023.

“Those who engage in narcotics trafficking pose a deadly threat to our South Texas communities. This lengthy sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and the lack of tolerance for the endangerment of our citizens,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “HSI will continue to work aggressively with our federal law enforcement partners to make our community a safer place to live.”

According to court documents, on April 30, 2023, Ley Villa approached the Hidalgo Port of Entry driving a maroon Chrysler Pacifica. Authorities noticed he appeared nervous and referred him to secondary inspection. There, an X-ray revealed anomalies in the vehicle’s fuel tank; authorities found it filled with a liquid material that crystalized upon contacting the floor. The liquid meth weighed approximately 41.14 kilograms and had an estimated street value of $810,000.

Ley Villa remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)