EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Federal authorities arrested three men on drug charges after federal investigators conducted a sting in Edinburg, records show.
Jose Guajardo, Sergio Ledesma and Jaime Longoria were charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, federal records show.
On Jan. 24, a Homeland Security Investigations and Drug Enforcement Administration-McAllen seized 97 pounds of suspected cocaine in 36 bundles. They later discovered Guajardo was a “co-conspirator in the transportation of the cocaine,” according to a criminal complaint obtained by ValleyCentral.
The next day, agents began surveilling a meeting at Longoria’s residence, where they obtained an audio recording of Longoria, Guajardo, Ledesma and a fourth person discussing the delivery of the cocaine, the document alleged. During the meeting, the men said the 36 bundles would be delivered the next morning, and that there was an additional 44 pounds still at the home, authorities said.
So agents prepared 36 bundles of “sham cocaine” to deliver Jan. 26, authorities said.
Five minutes after the delivery of the sham cocaine, agents executed a search warrant where they found an RV on the property.
“Upon a search of the RV, the 36 bundles of sham cocaine were recovered, in addition to boxes containing an additional 20 bundles of suspected cocaine weighing approximately 24.65 kilograms,” the complaint stated.
Ledesma was found inside the RV, along with the bundles of sham cocaine.
Guajardo, Ledesma and Longoria were transported to the HSI office in McAllen for interviews.
According to the complaint, Guajardo admitted to the transportation of the cocaine and claimed he would get paid $100 per kilogram that was transported.
HSI Agents discovered text and audio messages between Guajardo and Ledesma regarding the delivery of cocaine to Longoria’s residency, the criminal complaint stated.
“In one message, there is a conversation about the ’56,’ the exact amount from the 20 kg already on property along with the 36kg that was planned to be brought to the property,” HSI Agents said in the criminal complaint.
During the interview, Guajardo told authorities Ledesma and the other co-conspirator coordinated the transportation of the cocaine and Longoria was aware of the dealings, the complaint stated.