Gulfport, Miss. – Carlos Orozco, 24, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty today before U.S. District Court Judge Sul Ozerden, to transporting marijuana on the interstate, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and DEA Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam.
On April 6, 2017, Orozco traveled with Victor Legarda to Gulfport with approximately 40 kilograms of marijuana. A Gulfport police officer stopped the truck driven by Legarda for a traffic violation on Interstate 10. The tag on the vehicle was associated with another vehicle, and upon making contact with Legarda and Orozco, the officer noticed Legarda was acting extremely nervous. Legarda consented to a search of the vehicle, and the officer located hidden compartments in the vehicle containing vacuum sealed packages of marijuana. In total, 100 packages were removed from the vehicle. After agreeing to talk to law enforcement, Orozco stated that he was aware of the marijuana in the vehicle.
Orozco will be sentenced on June 13, 2018, by Judge Sul Ozerden, and faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The case was investigated by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, the Gulfport Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathlyn R. Van Buskirk.
credit:justice.gov