Man Pleads Guilty To Trying To Smuggle Fentanyl Pills Into U.S.

A man is facing a possible sentence of up to life in prison after pleading guilty to drug charges in South Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced the plea of Juan Jesus Orozco-Vargas on Friday.

Investigators say Orozco-Vargas was part of an effort to smuggle one-point-four-million fentanyl pills into the U.S. in April. He was supervising the transfer of 24 pallets of limes at a McAllen warehouse when one of the pallets broke, spilling fentanyl pills onto the floor.

Orozco-Vargas reportedly admitted that he knew the pills were in the pallets and that he was being paid to oversee their safe transfer. He will be sentenced in February.