Dallas man sentenced to 40 years for smuggling meth from Mexico and operating conversion lab
Dallas, Texas – A Dallas man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine he received from Mexico. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas, who emphasized the serious threat posed by such drug networks to the safety and health of communities in North Texas.
Massive Meth Shipments and Apartment Lab Operations
Orlando Gerardo Mejia-Mendoza, a Dallas resident, pleaded guilty in June 2025 to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, Mejia-Mendoza was receiving large shipments of liquid methamphetamine directly from Mexico throughout 2023. Each shipment ranged from 20 to 25 kilograms, with each kilogram costing him around $1,800.
Instead of storing the drugs in traditional stash houses, Mejia-Mendoza operated an active methamphetamine conversion lab inside a Dallas apartment. Authorities found meth in different stages of conversion—being transformed from liquid to crystal form—scattered throughout the space. A second apartment used by Mejia-Mendoza was found to contain multiple firearms and large amounts of cash, highlighting the high-risk and violent nature of his trafficking operation.
On January 14, 2026, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown handed down a 480-month (40-year) federal prison sentence to Mejia-Mendoza for his role in the trafficking operation.
Part of Larger Federal Crackdown
“This criminal spilled poison into our communities in exchange for money,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Ejecting transnational drug traffickers from our streets is critical to protecting North Texas. All credit for the conviction and 40-year prison sentence goes to our heroes in law enforcement and our line prosecutor, who worked in close collaboration with the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force.”
The sentencing was praised by leaders across federal agencies. “The sentence of Mr. Mejia-Mendoza sends a clear message to drug traffickers that they will be held accountable for the distribution of poisonous drugs and violence in North Texas,” said DEA Dallas Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker. “This investigation demonstrates what coordinated, intelligence-driven law enforcement can accomplish.”
FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock echoed those sentiments, adding, “This lengthy sentence is another success for the Dallas Homeland Security Task Force. Our collective effort resulted in a member of a transnational criminal organization being held accountable for trafficking narcotics into the Dallas area.”
Homeland Security Task Force Operation
The case was part of a broader effort under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), launched under Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a government-wide initiative that targets criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human trafficking networks, both in the U.S. and abroad. The effort brings together multiple federal agencies, pooling resources and intelligence to dismantle these operations and prosecute those responsible.
A key feature of the task force is its focus on violent offenders, especially those involved in crimes against children. In this case, HSTF agents from the FBI, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation, with support from local law enforcement including the Dallas, Coppell, and Grand Prairie Police Departments.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case, continuing its mission to hold traffickers accountable and remove dangerous individuals from American communities.
