Houston Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking

Jorge Delgado-Santacruz, 33, has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute nearly 4,000 grams of drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Delgado-Santacruz pleaded guilty on November 29, 2022, admitting to his involvement in trafficking both methamphetamine and heroin in the Houston area. The investigation, initiated in November 2020, revealed that Delgado-Santacruz orchestrated the distribution of 892 grams of meth and 3,059.357 grams of heroin between December 9, 2020, and January 18, 2022, with an estimated street value of $375,000.

Law enforcement authorities conducted controlled drug buys during the investigation, where Delgado-Santacruz negotiated sale prices and directed others to deliver the narcotics. The court heard additional testimony during the sentencing about the detrimental impact of meth and heroin on the community, and U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal deemed the 15-year sentence necessary to deter such illicit activities.

Delgado-Santacruz will serve five years of supervised release following his prison term. He has been in custody since his guilty plea and will remain so pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, the location of which is yet to be determined.