Mexican national sentenced to more than 17 years in prison in Texas meth ring case

An undocumented immigrant was sentenced to 17 years and six months in federal prison on Monday for his role in a regional methamphetamine conspiracy ring.

Rosalio Ramos Tapia pleaded guilty in October 2016 to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, according to a news release from the U. S. attorney's office.

Tapia will be deported after serving his sentence.

Tapia was charged along with 21 others with various offenses related to a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. Of the 21 charged, 14 have pleaded guilty, seven have been sentenced and two are awaiting trial. Four defendants remain fugitives.

The investigation involved several wiretaps covering a variety of suspects and uncovered a ring that distributed methamphetamine throughout North Texas and into Louisiana, according to court documents.

A co-conspirator told federal agents during the investigation that she converted liquid methamphetamine into crystal methamphetamine at a residence in the 3200 block of Post Oak Road in Wilmer, about 50 miles southeast of Fort Worth, court documents said.

The co-conspirator said that she knew the methamphetamine came from Mexico and that she cooked and cleaned the drug so that it could be sold in Texas and other parts of the United States.

Dallas police raided the residence and seized about 375 pounds of methamphetamine, firearms and nearly $300,000 in cash.

Mitch Mitchell, 817-390-7752, @mitchmitchel3

This story was originally published January 31, 2018 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Mexican national sentenced to more than 17 years in prison in Texas meth ring case."