Taneka Desha Felder, 27, of Amarillo, and Gustavo Morales Aguilar, 40, of Dumas, have pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy after attempting to smuggle more than $2 million worth of fentanyl into the United States from Mexico.
On December 17, 2024, Felder and Morales Aguilar crossed into Mexico, where they allowed drug smugglers to load 10 bundles of fentanyl powder (about 11.65 kilograms or 25 pounds) into a hidden compartment in their vehicle. The pair attempted to re-enter the U.S. at the Lincoln Juarez International Bridge in Laredo, Texas, where Customs and Border Protection officers discovered the drugs during a secondary inspection.
Felder and Morales Aguilar admitted to purchasing the vehicle just days before the trip for the sole purpose of smuggling the drugs into the U.S. They also acknowledged that they were expecting to be paid after delivering the fentanyl-laden vehicle to individuals in Dallas.
The fentanyl, one of the deadliest drugs on the market, has become a significant concern for law enforcement agencies across the U.S., particularly in the Texas Panhandle, which has seen a rise in fentanyl trafficking incidents.
Both Felder and Morales Aguilar face a potential life sentence and a maximum fine of $10 million. They remain in custody and will be sentenced at a later date by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña. The investigation was led by ICE-HSI, with support from Customs and Border Protection.
