Commercial Trucker Who Transported Narcotics from Texas to Ohio Pleads Guilty

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Javier Eduardo Gutierrez-Quintana, 47, of El Paso, Texas, has pleaded guilty to possession of 20 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute.

According to court documents, on May 31, 2024, Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) officers encountered the defendant who was driving a commercial vehicle bearing a Texas license plate and registration. A second OSHP officer deployed a K-9 near the defendant's vehicle, and it subsequently gave a positive signal for the odor of narcotics. The defendant consented to a search of the vehicle. Three black duffle bags containing 20 blue-taped packages were found during the search. Upon the discovery, Gutierrez-Quintana admitted to investigators that he knowingly transported 20 kilograms of narcotics from El Paso, Texas to the Youngstown, Ohio area, where he was scheduled to meet with an unknown person (or persons) and deliver the packages. Laboratory testing confirmed that the packages contained cocaine.

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 22, 2024. Gutierrez-Quintana faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possessing narcotics with intent to distribute. He also faces a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The investigation was conducted by the DEA and the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio prosecuted the case.

If you have information about the drug-related manufacture, distribution or trafficking of controlled substances, submit an anonymous tip at dea.gov/submit-tip.