Mexican National Living Illegally in the United States Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Silvester Barcenas, 24, a Mexican national living illegally in the United States, was sentenced on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, to four years and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 12, 2024, Barcenas arrived in Charleston, West Virginia, with over 8 pounds of methamphetamine in a vehicle he had driven from South Carolina, where he was living at the time. Barcenas admitted that he possessed the methamphetamine, that a co-conspirator directed him to deliver the methamphetamine to another individual in Charleston, and that he delivered the methamphetamine to the individual as instructed.

Barcenas and two other Mexican nationals living illegally in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as "Raul," 32, pleaded guilty on August 11, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 25, 2026. Co-defendant German Francisco Diaz, also known as "Trulio," 41, remains a fugitive. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, was sentenced on November 20, 2025, to three years and 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine as a result of the joint investigation.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has immigration detainers on the Mexican national defendants for their transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings upon the conclusion of their criminal cases.

United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff's Office, the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176.

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