MCALLEN, Texas — U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani recently announced that former truck driver Daren Lynn Lopez, 51, of Edinburg, Texas, has been sentenced after his March 2022 conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 440 pounds of methamphetamine.
The narcotics were seized by law enforcement and later found to have an estimated street value of $1 million, according to a news release.
After learning of Lopez’s lengthy criminal history, which included three prior felonies, U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane sentenced Lopez to 16 years in federal prison.
After his sentence, Lopez will serve three years of supervised release.
At the time of the crime, authorities say Lopez arranged for the transportation of a tractor-trailer concealing the 440 pounds of meth. Once he successfully entered the United States, Lopez drove the trailer to his yard in Edinburg. He then coordinated with and hired a driver who would transport the trailer to Dallas.
However, law enforcement intervened, stopped and seized the trailer.
When they searched the it, they found a false compartment that covered the entirety of the trailer’s roof, which held hundreds of meth bricks.
Following his sentencing, Lopez will remain in custody while waiting to be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Erica N. Guy decided to stay in her hometown to begin her professional career in journalism. Since obtaining her bachelor’s degree from UAPB, Erica has professionally written for several publications about several topics ranging from lifestyle, tech, culture, and entertainment, just to name a few. Continuing her love for her hometown, she joined our team in June 2023, where she is currently a staff writer. Her career goals include continuing storytelling through her writing by being the best professional writer she can be. In her spare time, Erica enjoys trying new foods, cozying up with a good book, spending time with family and friends, and establishing herself as a future businesswoman.
