CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A 28-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Cleveland has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales sentenced Elmer Vargas-Serrato to 201 months in federal prison. Vargas-Serrato pleaded guilty Oct. 28, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine.
Because Vargas-Serrato is not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Vargas-Serrato led a drug trafficking organization responsible for moving cocaine from cartels in Mexico to Houston and Dallas. The cocaine was then distributed to cities across Illinois, New York, Georgia and North Carolina. The organization also transported firearms to Mexico to arm the cartels.
He was responsible for sourcing cocaine from Mexican cartels and directing the organization's U.S. operations. Authorities tied him to approximately 41 kilograms of cocaine seized across 3 states.
A search warrant executed at a residence connected to Vargas-Serrato led to the seizure of cocaine, a stolen firearm and multiple drug ledgers documenting the movement of narcotics and firearms. Authorities also found titles to numerous vehicles used to transport narcotics.
Vargas-Serrato remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster, Liesel Roscher and Ashley Martin prosecuted the case, which Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck announced.
The investigation was part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The task force is a partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
The Homeland Security Task Force South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of Transportation, IRS Criminal Investigation, Interpol/Department of State and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
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