A 48-year-old woman from Alamo, Texas, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine after being stopped for speeding in South Texas and discovering 29 bricks of the drug hidden in her SUV.
Marina Saenz pleaded guilty following her arrest on June 11 in Live Oak County, which is located between San Antonio and Corpus Christi.
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78 pounds of cocaine found
Court records show that officials stopped Saenz while she was driving a white BMW SUV for speeding. A K-9 alerted police officials to the vehicle, and investigators uncovered an aftermarket compartment in the back hatch that contained 35.5 kilograms (almost 78 pounds) of cocaine.
Saenz revealed to investigators that she obtained the cocaine in Mexico and transported it across the border at the Progreso Port of Entry. She also indicated that she intended to deliver a major cocaine cargo to North Carolina for $10,000. Saenz also claimed to have made past trips with such big amounts of cocaine.
On February 24, 2026, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose a sentence. Saenz faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to life in federal prison, as well as a maximum fine of $250,000.
Saenz has been in detention since her arrest and will remain in custody until her sentence hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Live Oak County Sheriff’s Office all conducted investigations into the matter. Joseph Griffith, an Assistant United States Attorney, is prosecuting the case.
