DALLAS — A Mexican national tied to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in federal prison for her role in a major methamphetamine trafficking and money laundering operation, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced.
Adriana Melendez-Calvillo, 43, who was unlawfully present in the United States, pleaded guilty in November to charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and money laundering. Her sentencing, handed down by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr, marks a significant victory in the fight against transnational drug trafficking networks.
Court records show that in September 2022, law enforcement intercepted a call between Melendez and a co-conspirator discussing a drug transaction. Surveillance later tracked Melendez to a fast-food restaurant, where she transferred drugs to associates David Garcia and Omar Gilliam. The operation culminated in a traffic stop, where police recovered a duffle bag containing nearly 5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors presented evidence tying Melendez to direct shipments of methamphetamine, cocaine, and other drugs from sources in Mexico. She was also implicated in laundering $828,094 in drug proceeds through electronic transfers to individuals in Mexico and in an attempt to smuggle $104,750 in bulk cash across the border. Investigators revealed her involvement in trafficking at least 1,000 pounds of cocaine, 41 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 7.8 kilograms of ice methamphetamine.
An agent testified that Melendez had connections to CJNG, a powerful and violent transnational criminal organization responsible for trafficking narcotics throughout North America. Text messages presented in court detailed her coordination of drug shipments and financial transactions with cartel suppliers in Mexico.
Several co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty, including David Garcia, who is scheduled for sentencing in January. Others, including Omar Gilliam and three additional defendants, await trial. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, with assistance from multiple federal, state, and local agencies, including the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Section. The case was prosecuted as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) initiative, which targets high-level drug traffickers and transnational criminal networks.