Intercepted Phone Call and Fast Food Trip Led Police to Female Drug Trafficker Linked to Cartel

A Mexican national with ties to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and money laundering.

Adriana Melendez-Calvillo, 43, was in the country illegally when she was arrested near Dallas following an intercepted phone call during which she discussed logistics for a drug transaction with a co-conspirator. She pleaded guilty in November 2023.

According to U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton, Melendez met with two men–later identified as David García and Omar Gilliam– in an unspecified fast food restaurant, where they transferred an object from Melendez's back seat to the trunk of their vehicle.

Agents then followed the men to a gas station, where they transferred a "grey duffle bag" into a third vehicle, which was later pulled over for traffic violations. When officers inspected the duffel bag, they found plastic bags containing 4,886 grams of methamphetamine.

Following her arrest, Melendez admitted that she arranged the meth trafficking transfer. The Mexican national also disclosed her ties to CJNG, known for its sophisticated drug trafficking operations and extreme brutality. Founded in the early 2010s, the Mexican cartel specializes in producing and distributing methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.

Text messages introduced into evidence at sentencing revealed that the defendant received shipments of meth, cocaine, and other drugs sourced from illegal Mexican suppliers. Melendez was involved in the trafficking of 1,000 pounds of cocaine, 41 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 7.8 kilograms of ice methamphetamine. Adding to the bulk of evidence used against her, an electronic money transfer of $828,094 the defendant sent to co-conspirators in Mexico.

Eight more people have been identified and charged in connection with the drug trafficking scheme, including Garcia and Gilliam.