A 54-year-old naturalized citizen residing in Mexico has been sentenced for importing nearly 91 pounds of meth from Mexico, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Manuel Ignacio Ley Villa pleaded guilty on Nov. 28, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has ordered Ley Villa to serve 255 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The court noted Ley Villa had previously been convicted for the same offense.

Ley Villa was apprehended on April 30, 2023, as he approached the Hidalgo port of entry driving a maroon Chrysler Pacifica. Law enforcement became suspicious due to Ley Villa's nervous demeanor and conducted a secondary inspection. An X-ray scan revealed anomalies in the vehicle's fuel tank.

Upon further investigation, law enforcement discovered a fuel tank filled with a liquid substance that crystallized upon contact with the floor. The liquid meth weighed approximately 41.14 kilograms and had an estimated street value of $810,000.

Ley Villa will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.