Presidio woman pleads guilty to drug trafficking, faces life in prison

ALPINE, Texas (KOSA) - A Presidio County woman pleaded guilty in a federal court in Alpine to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.

According to court documents, Cherakee Lee Perez, 33, provided a negative declaration during a Customs and Border Patrol vehicle inspection at the Presidio Port of Entry from Mexico into the U.S.

A narcotic detection canine discovered more than three dozen packages hidden in the vehicle. 29 of the packages contained approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, while the other 13 contained seven kilograms of fentanyl.

Perez is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 and faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.