3 men sentenced to federal prison for 'cooking' custom meth orders

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Three men have been sentenced for trafficking and "cooking" custom meth orders in McAllen, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

California native, 32-year-old Alfredo Duarte and Mexican citizens 39-year-old Abraham Pena-Quintero and 49-year-old Francisco Hernadez-Madrid pleaded guilty on April 24, 2023.

During an undercover investigation held in 2021, authorities discovered that Duarte and co-conspirators had imported liquid meth from Mexico.

The men would then "cook" the liquid meth into crystals of "whatever purity level and size" the customers asked, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Additionally, investigators discovered the men delivered over 24 pounds of meth in McAllen.

The release stated that Duarte served as the customer-facing member, while Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid were the narcotics couriers.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Duarte to 11 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Pena-Quintero was sentenced to six years in federal prison and Hernandez-Madrid was sentenced to up to five years in federal prison.

Both Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid are expected to face removal proceedings following their imprisonment.

Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid are pending a transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. Duarte was permitted to stay on bond and voluntarily surrender at a later date