A Mexican national was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on Tuesday for his role in trafficking multiple kilograms of methamphetamine into Mississippi.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Arturo Bonilla, 48, to 10 years. The sentencing follows a 2021 investigation that began with traffic stops conducted by the Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Department and Mississippi Highway Patrol.
Investigation and Drug Seizure
According to court records, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took over the investigation after local officials discovered methamphetamine in Bonilla’s possession. HSI officials subsequently discovered that Bonilla was responsible for delivering at least six kilograms of methamphetamine across the state.
During the investigation, federal investigators confirmed Bonilla’s illegal presence in the United States.
Legal Consequences and Deportation
In addition to his prison sentence, Bonilla had to spend five years of supervised release. However, Bonilla has been detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). He is expected to be expelled from the United States as soon as his federal sentence is completed.
“The defendant in this case, who never should have been in this country to commit these crimes in the first place, imported poison into our community and has now been held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary.
Matt Wright, HSI’s Acting Special Agent in Charge, underlined the agency’s commitment to “dismantling transnational criminal organizations” and protecting Mississippi communities from illegal drugs.
Operation Take Back America
Bonilla’s prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, a Department of Justice-led nationwide initiative. The program is intended to:
- Combat illegal immigration and related criminal activity.
- Eliminate drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs).
- Coordinate resources between Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Julie Addison, an assistant US attorney, prosecuted the case.
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