Odessa Man Sentenced to 37 Months for Cocaine Hidden Inside Wheels of Cheese at Presidio Port of Entry

Aaron Balderrama, a 23-year-old resident of Odessa, has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for importing cocaine through the Presidio Port of Entry. The sentencing took place at a federal court in Pecos.

According to court documents, on July 20, Balderrama informed U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers that he had “a couple bags of cheese” in his vehicle while attempting to enter the United States from Mexico. During a secondary inspection, officers discovered four wheels of cheese in the vehicle. Upon further examination, it was revealed that these wheels of cheese contained seven bundles of a substance testing positive for properties of cocaine.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas commented, “Drug traffickers regularly try to disguise their product and sneak illicit substances past our proven safeguards and trained agents. Thanks to the keen eye and awareness of our port of entry partners, we continue to prevent drugs like this from infiltrating our communities and prosecute those who challenge us.”

Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division stated, “HSI remains committed to combating the drug threat, keeping our communities safe from dangerous drugs, and bringing to justice traffickers who attempt to bring them into the country. Our robust, ongoing partnership with our law enforcement partners is crucial when investigating, prosecuting, and punishing drug dealers.”

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).