Mexican man sentenced to 5 years in prison for drug trafficking in Arizona by Tucson judge

PHOENIX — A Mexican man was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday for trafficking various drugs in Arizona, including heroin and methamphetamine, authorities said.

Anastacio Alvarez-Lion, 41, of Nogales, Mexico, had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute the drugs and to illegal reentry after being removed from the country, the United States Attorney’s Office District of Arizona said in a press release.

An investigation launched by authorities showed that Alvarez-Lion was a trusted supervisor for a drug trafficking group based in Mexico, serving as a guide and supervisor for Mexican nationals who brought narcotics into the country hidden in backpacks.

When agents arrested Alvarez-Lion in June 2020, he had in his possession three backpacks with the narcotics and a loaded handgun magazine.

Homeland Security Investigations in conjunction with U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

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