Mexican national sentenced for methamphetamine trafficking in Mississippi

ABERDEEN, Miss. — A Mexican national was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months in federal prison for his role in trafficking multi-kilogram quantities of methamphetamine into Mississippi.

Arturo Bonilla, 48, received the 10-year sentence from Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock. The sentencing follows a 2021 investigation that began with traffic stops conducted by the Tishomingo County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

Investigation and Drug Seizure

According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) took over the case after local authorities discovered methamphetamine in Bonilla’s possession. HSI agents eventually determined that Bonilla was responsible for distributing at least six kilograms of methamphetamine throughout the state.

During the investigation, federal agents also confirmed that Bonilla was present in the United States illegally.

Legal Consequences and Deportation

In addition to his prison term, Bonilla was ordered to serve five years of supervised release. However, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has placed a detainer on Bonilla. He is expected to be removed from the United States immediately following the completion of his federal sentence.

“The defendant in this case, who never should have been in this country to commit these crimes in the first place, imported poison into our community and has now been held to account,” said U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary.

Matt Wright, HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge, emphasized the agency’s commitment to “dismantling transnational criminal organizations” and protecting Mississippi residents from illegal narcotics.

Operation Take Back America

The prosecution of Bonilla is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative. The program is designed to:

• Combat illegal immigration and related criminal activity.
• Eliminate drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs).
• Coordinate resources between Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison.