RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas (KVEO) — Two men will serve federal prison sentences for being found guilty of smuggling cocaine in 2020.
On Thursday, Jorge Luis Perez-Cortez, a 65-year-old Mexican national, was sentenced to 80 months, or six years and eight months, in federal prison for his involvement with the crime. He is expected to face removal proceedings following his release from prison.
His son, Jorge de Jesus Perez, a 31-year-old from Mission, was sentenced at an earlier date to serve 24 months, or two years, in prison.
The pair picked up two kilograms of cocaine and then traveled to a McDonald’s in Edinburg on May 22, 2020.
Law enforcement approached the pair and located the cocaine.
Perez-Cortez admitted he was responsible for the drug transaction and his son was only being used for transportation. The two were planning to transport the drugs to Houston.
An investigation revealed that Perez-Cortez was linked to a drug trafficking ring. Officials found this through incriminating messages on Perez-Cortez’s cell phone.
Perez-Cortez plead guilty to the crime on December 3, 2020.
