Crime and SafetyTexas News

Former Hidalgo County deputy sentenced for role in drug trafficking conspiracy

McAllen, Texas – A former deputy with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has been sentenced to federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.

Former Deputy Receives Prison Sentence

Baldemar Cardenas, 39, of McAllen, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2022, and has now been ordered by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to serve 46 months in federal prison. This sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release. The court acknowledged the severity of his actions, emphasizing the broader issue of law enforcement officers assisting drug traffickers and how such conduct undermines public trust in the justice system.

Cardenas admitted that in January 2020, he worked with a drug trafficking organization to manipulate drug seizures for financial gain. He and his co-conspirators received high-purity cocaine but would dilute portions of it, creating sham cocaine with an extremely low level of purity.

A Scheme Built on Corruption and Deception

To facilitate the criminal operation, Cardenas used his position to direct local law enforcement agencies to seize fake cocaine while ensuring the actual high-purity drugs remained in circulation. By staging these seizures, he allowed his criminal associates to avoid consequences while profiting from the distribution of stolen drugs.

As part of the scheme, Cardenas provided information to law enforcement officers in January 2020, leading them to seize 33 kilograms of sham cocaine in Mission. He falsely claimed that a confidential source had supplied the tip, disguising his direct involvement in orchestrating the seizure.

However, laboratory tests on the seized bundles later confirmed that the cocaine had a purity level of just 1.5%, exposing the deception. This manipulation not only facilitated the criminal activities of the drug organization but also diverted law enforcement resources under false pretenses.

Investigation and Sentencing

The case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which involved multiple agencies working together to dismantle drug trafficking networks. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mission Police Department.

Following his sentencing, Cardenas was allowed to remain on bond and will voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility at a later date.

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