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Crime & Courts

Houston Woman Convicted of Smuggling 98.26 Kilograms of Methamphetamine

A federal jury in Del Rio convicted 67-year-old Maria Lucio on four drug trafficking counts following an investigation by federal agencies.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 20, 2026, 10:17 a.m. ET
On August 13, 2026, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons announced that a federal jury in Del Rio Houston resident Maria Lucio, 67, on four counts of trafficking methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico. According to official court documents, on December 16, 2025, Lucio hired a transportation company to import 14 vinyl rolls containing 98.26 kilograms of methamphetamine while she entered the United States in a separate vehicle at the Del Rio Port of Entry. Official court records state that evidence extracted from Lucio’s cell phone showed she had personally imported similar vinyl rolls on several other occasions and kept unindicted coconspirators informed of her travel while possessing the rolls. In a trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Ivan L. Lemelle, Lucio was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and one count of importation of methamphetamine. The case remains open and developing as a sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Each count carries a penalty of 10 years to life in federal prison and up to a $10 million fine. The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daisy Gonzalez and William Golden prosecuting. Official records note that the case is part of Operation Take Back America.

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  1. Version 120 Aug 2026, 14:17current

    First published.

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