Asylum Seeker Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking

A man who came to the U.S. seeking asylum will spend five years in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking operation linked to fentanyl. This operation was responsible for distributing thousands of pills. The individual had previously sought asylum, citing “credible fear” from the Mexican cartel.

This week, 24-year-old Azael “Ace” Barientos Regarado appeared before U.S. District Judge Nerva Gonzalez Ramos, who handed down the five-year sentence. After completing his prison term, he will face deportation. Barientos admitted guilt to drug conspiracy charges back on September 13, 2024, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Texas.

Federal prosecutors noted that Barientos had left Mexico in 2020, claiming threats to his life from the cartel. After entering the U.S., he established a network for transporting drugs from South Texas to Houston.

Authorities began investigating Barientos in 2022 when two women tried to bypass the Falfurias Highway 281 Checkpoint in Brooks County while driving a Mercedes with two pounds of powdered fentanyl. After being directed to a secondary examination area, one of the women attempted to flee, leading authorities on a high-speed chase. They arrested her and discovered the fentanyl. As the investigation into the smuggling attempts continued, DEA agents identified Barientos as the leader who had recruited the women. Further inquiries revealed that he had moved thousands of fentanyl tablets.