Houston Woman Convicted for Smuggling 98.26 Kilos of Methamphetamine into the United States

DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted a Houston woman on four counts of trafficking methamphetamine into the U.S. from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 16, 2025, Maria Lucio, 67, of hired a transportation company to import 14 vinyl rolls containing 98.26 kilograms of methamphetamine, while she entered the United States in another vehicle at the Del Rio Port of Entry. Evidence extracted from Lucio’s cell phone revealed that she had personally imported similar vinyl rolls on several other occasions and kept unindicted coconspirators informed of her travel while in possession of the rolls. In a trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Ivan L. Lemelle, a federal jury found Lucio guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and one count of importation of methamphetamine. Each count carries a penalty of 10 years to life in federal prison and up to a $10 million fine. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daisy Gonzalez and William Golden are prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. ###