SAN ANTONIO — Jorge Armando Morado, 44, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison on June 11 after pleading guilty to conspiring to traffic cocaine and harbor undocumented immigrants. His son, Jorge Armando Morado Moreno, 25, previously received a 21-month sentence on the same charges earlier this year.
The father-son pair operated a small but lucrative drug and human smuggling ring in Bexar County, just blocks from Harlandale High School, raising concerns over public safety in the area.
Court records show that in July 2023, Morado helped arrange a drug sale between his son and an undercover Bexar County deputy. Morado later facilitated a second sale involving one kilogram of cocaine, personally driving alongside his son to complete the delivery. Both were intercepted by law enforcement en route.
Searches of Morado’s residence uncovered $601,302 in bundled cash hidden in a cooler, a loaded firearm, a suspected drug ledger, and a room housing five undocumented immigrants under unsanitary conditions. Moreno’s phone revealed text messages coordinating drug deals and migrant harboring logistics.
The seized cash represents one of the largest forfeitures in a local drug case in recent years. Authorities plan to use the funds to purchase vital public safety equipment for law enforcement and emergency responders.
U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons emphasized, “Alien smuggling is not a victimless crime but a for-profit enterprise, enriching criminals at the expense of community safety.”
Morado’s 37-month sentence runs concurrently on counts of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to harbor undocumented immigrants. He also received credit for four months served in state custody on related charges.
