A 42-year-old resident of San Benito has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over five kilograms of cocaine.
Salvador Cortez-Nava, aka Chava, pleaded guiltyon August 24, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Cortez-Nava to serve 120 months in federal prison, immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Nava ordering the kidnapping of a co-conspirator and threatened harm over the loss of several drug loads. In handing down the sentence, the court approved the government’s request to forfeit assets obtained through drug proceeds.
Cortez-Nava was a key player in a large-scale cocaine trafficking network, importing significant quantities of cocaine from Mexico. He oversaw transportation and distribution across multiple U.S. cities, including Rio Grande Valley, North Carolina, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, and Indiana.”
Cortez-Nava’s criminal organization employed sophisticated methods, such as using vehicles with hidden compartments at ports of entry to smuggle cocaine from Matamoros, Mexico, into the United States. He also supervised the recruitment of individuals to carry out these smuggling operations.
A multi-agency task force investigating several narcotics and cash seizures from 2016 to 2020 determined that Cortez-Nava led the organisation.
A series of drug and money seizures resulting from Cortez-Nava’s orders included $501,145.00 in drug proceeds concealed inside a vehicle in February 2016 and 1.10 kilograms of cocaine in April 2017 that was intended to be distributed.
After that drug seizure, authorities discovered an additional 48.35 kilograms of cocaine belonging to the Gulf Cartel. These seizures were followed by seizures of 29.45 kilograms of cocaine and $269,996.00 in 2018 and 68.3 kilograms of cocaine and over $812,000 in 2019.
During the investigation, authorities seized over $1.5 million in proceeds and approximately 150 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of his guilty plea, Cortez-Nava agreed to forfeit several properties, including a vehicle, two firearms, and various jewellery, watches, and other items.
Cortez-Nava will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined in the near future.
