A Mexican national living illegally in White Settlement, Texas, has been sentenced to more than six years in federal prison for methamphetamine trafficking, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs for the Eastern District of Texas.
Hector Eduardo Duarte-Martinez, 23, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and received a sentence of 78 months from U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan on December 11, 2025.
Court documents state that in February 2024, Duarte-Martinez was seen at several locations associated with drug trafficking in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Law enforcement searched his residence and found a large quantity of liquid methamphetamine. Duarte-Martinez admitted responsibility for distributing 45 kilograms of methamphetamine.
The prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to use all resources of the Department of Justice against illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime.
The investigation was led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Johnson prosecuted the case.
