Mexican National Sentenced for Trafficking Methamphetamine in East Texas

MARSHALL � Authorities say a 45-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Marshall has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Melicio Nunez-Duque, also known as La Burra, of Coyuca de Catalan, Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2013, to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced in Marshall to 108 months in federal prison on Feb. 18, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap. Nunez-Duque was also ordered to pay a money judgment in the amount of $20,000 to the United States as part of his sentence.

According to federal prosecutors, from July 2011 to October 2012, Nunez-Duque conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine in and around Marshall. Nunez-Duque admitted to distributing 15 grams of methamphetamine on July 27, 2011 and another 14 grams on Oct. 27, 2011 in Marshall. He also admitted to directing others to distribute methamphetamine on Aug. 4, 2011 and Aug. 24, 2011. He admitted the value of the methamphetamine distributed was at least $20,000. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Oct. 3, 2012, charging Nunez-Duque and co-defendants Julia Flores Saucedo and Oscar Diaz-Mendoz with federal drug trafficking violations.