McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A former sheriff’s deputy who staged a drug bust was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison on Tuesday.
Baldemar Cardenas, 39, of McAllen participated in a conspiracy to steal nearly 73 pounds of cocaine.
“I just want to apologize to the United States and the State of Texas for my wrongdoing,” Cardenas said on Tuesday morning, when he appeared before a judge for sentencing.
Cardenas worked for the Alton Police Department and the Hidalgo Police Department before accepting a job with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office in September 2015.
The Sheriff’s Office assigned Cardenas to the Patrol Division, according to documents released under the Texas Public Information Act.
Questions about Cardenas surfaced in January 2020, when he passed along a tip.
Cardenas claimed an informant had provided him with information about a drug shipment.
Officers stopped a car and seized nearly 73 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine, however, was just 1.5% pure.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, started investigating.
On March 10, 2020, the Sheriff’s Office placed Cardenas on administrative leave. He resigned less than a week later.
“I would like to thank each and every one of you all for giving me an opportunity to work for the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office,” Cardenas wrote in his resignation letter.
Cardenas cooperated with the government and pleaded guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge in April 2022.
As part of his plea, Cardenas admitted to participating in a conspiracy to steal cocaine from a drug trafficking organization.
Smugglers wanted to steal nearly 73 pounds of cocaine from the drug trafficking organization. To make sure they did not get caught, the smugglers paid Cardenas to stage a drug bust.
They created packages that contained a small amount of cocaine mixed with another substance. Cardenas arranged for the Mission Police Department to seize the packages during a traffic stop.
“So, in order for the scheme to work, your honor, the cocaine has to be seized by law enforcement,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto “Bobby” Lopez Jr. said during a hearing in April 2022. “So they can get law enforcement’s paperwork, turn it over to the source of supply and, in essence, say: ‘We didn’t steal your cocaine. It was seized by law enforcement.’”
Cardenas said the smugglers promised to pay him $10,000.
It is unclear whether other law enforcement officers participated in the conspiracy.
“And you were also dealing with other law enforcement agents?” U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa asked during the April 2022 hearing. “Or just yourself?”
Lopez, the federal prosecutor, asked to approach the bench.
“You don’t have to,” Hinojosa said. “I’m not going to proceed with that anymore.”
Cardenas returned to court Tuesday morning for sentencing.
“I wish I could go back,” Cardenas said, and do things differently. “But I can’t.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane described the case as disappointing.
“We count on you to serve and protect,” Crane said.
Cardenas faced 5 to 40 years in federal prison. After his arrest, though, Cardenas cooperated with the government.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas filed a sealed motion that recommended a lower sentence.
After reviewing the motion and holding a sealed bench conference, Crane sentenced Cardenas to three years and 10 months in prison.
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