Mexican man pleads guilty in East Texas meth case
© 2011 The Associated Press
Feb. 8, 2011, 3:19PM


TYLER, Texas — Authorities say a 32-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in an East Texas methamphetamine case.

U.S. Attorney John M. Bales said Gabriel Hernandez Rodriguez pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and the distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie. Authorities say Rodriguez was living illegally in Tyler.

Prosecutors say Rodriguez and Jose Zavala of Whitehouse, Texas, conspired to distribute meth in an operation that was shut down early last year.

Zavala pleaded guilty in July and is to be sentenced Wednesday. Rodriguez pleaded guilty in September. Both face up to 10 years in federal prison.

Tyler is about 90 miles east of Dallas.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/7418451.html