Del Rio, Tx (FOX 44) – A 32-year-old Waco man has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

Jimmie Troy Palmer, III was sentenced in federal court in Del Rio. Court documents state that Palmer and other co-conspirators were arrested on August 1, 2020 after one of the co-conspirators – identified as Bibiana Ira Ortiz – tried to enter the country through the Del Rio Port of Entry with 16 packages of meth hidden in her vehicle. Lab tests revealed the meth had a purity level of 98 percent, with the weight of the meth and packaging totaling 7,864 grams.

Federal authorities stated Palmer escorted Ortiz to Piedras Negras, Mexico, where the meth was loaded into the vehicle Ortiz was driving. The statement said Palmer returned to the U.S. ahead of Ortiz – instructing her to call him when she got to Del Rio.

Homeland Security agents arrested Palmer and the other co-conspirators at a motel in Del Rio, where Ortiz was expected to rejoin them. Inside Palmer’s pickup, agents found drugs, drug paraphernalia, several cell phones and $9,869.06 in cash.

Palmer has been in federal custody since his arrest, and entered a guilty plea in July 2021. Co-defendants Ortiz, Joshua Ruben Olivencia and David Ray Coplin have each entered guilty pleas and are awaiting sentencing.

“The diligent efforts shown by both HSI and the U.S. Border Patrol in this case demonstrate their commitment to combating drug trafficking along our district’s border,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “This substantial penalty of 25 years in federal prison sends a very strong message that our judicial system does not tolerate the devastating impact illicit substances have on our communities. I am grateful to our dedicated law enforcement partners for their ongoing service in preserving the safety and well-being of our nation, and we will continue to fully prosecute these offenders.”