Former Mexican official pleads guilty to smuggling cocaine

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A former government official from the Mexican state of Morelos pleaded guilty to smuggling drugs on Friday.

Jesus Fernando Serrano Lauretta — who managed sustainable development for the state of Morelos — confessed to crossing the border with nearly 55 pounds of cocaine.

“We’re just hoping for a lenient sentence,” said attorney Daniel J. Garcia of Rio Grande City, who represents Serrano. “Hopefully everything works out for him and his family.”

Officers stopped Serrano at 12:37 p.m. on Sept. 16, when he showed up at Falcon Dam, a sleepy border crossing between Roma and Zapata.

Serrano said he planned to visit a friend in Austin and shop in San Marcos, according to the criminal complaint against him. Serrano had a travel permit but hadn’t made any hotel reservations in San Marcos.

Officers sent Serrano to secondary inspection. When they searched his car, officers discovered a hidden tracking device.

“The device appeared to have a microphone wire,” according to the criminal complaint against Serrano, “and was wrapped in clear cellophane and black tape.”

Officers also noticed the rear seat of Serrano’s car seemed heavy.

They drilled a hole in the seat, according to the criminal complaint, and found “a white powdery substance.”

Officers discovered 14 packages of cocaine hidden in the rear seat, four packages in the driver’s seat and four packages in the front passenger seat.

Agents with Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, questioned Serrano about the cocaine.

“SERRANO was read his Miranda rights and requested to have a lawyer present,” according to the criminal complaint against him. “No further questions were asked.”

Government databases showed Serrano’s car, a white 2024 MG5, had crossed the border using at least three different license plates.

“Based on my training and experience,” an agent with Homeland Security Investigations wrote in the criminal complaint against Serrano, “I know this is (sic) common tactic utilized by drug smuggling organization to not raise suspicion of a vehicle with multiple crossings from Mexico into the interior of the US.”

A judge ordered Serrano held without bail.

Serrano returned to court on Friday morning, when he appeared before Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane at the federal courthouse in McAllen.

During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Cook Profit said Serrano “knew the cocaine was concealed in the vehicle and he intended to distribute the cocaine to another individual.”

“Guilty,” Serrano said in Spanish.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 4. Serrano faces 10 years to life in federal prison.