Former Cartel Hitman Sentenced for Trafficking 70 Pounds of Cocaine and Meth in Texas

A man who was illegally residing in Texas pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute 9 kilograms (about 20 pounds) of cocaine in July of 2025. In reality, he was trafficking a total of 70 pounds of illegal narcotics and firearms. He was sentenced on February 18, 2026, to nearly two decades in prison as a result.

Massive Shipment of Cocaine and Meth Stopped from Being Trafficked

36-year-old Baldemar Navarro-Jaimes, an undocumented Houston resident, was responsible for the coordinated smuggling of large quantities of cocaine and other dangerous narcotics from Mexican cartels into Texas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reported.

Not only was Navarro-Jaimes trafficking cartel deliveries into Texas, he was also responsible for other major U.S. cities in Illinois, New York, Georgia, and North Carolina.

Investigators discovered that Navarro-Jaimes was helping arm Mexican cartel members after he was tied to delivering 9 kilograms (~20 pounds) of cocaine, 23 kilograms (~50 pounds) of methamphetamine, and more than 10 firearms.

A Shocking Criminal History

Navarro-Jaimes used to be a hitman for the Mexican cartel and spent seven years in a Mexican prison before illegally entering the U.S., according to ICE.

After entering the U.S., he was able to quickly assume a leadership position in the drug trafficking organization.

Navarro-Jaimes' arrest stems from a larger investigation dating back to April 2023 when the criminal organization he was a part of was discovered to be using semi-trucks with concealed compartments used to smuggle narcotics across state lines.

Nearly Two Decades in Prison

Baldemar Navarro-Jaimes was sentenced to 234 months (19 and a half years) in federal prison as a result of his involvement in the criminal smuggling organization.

He will remain in custody until a prison facility is determined to carry out his sentence.