Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Smuggling Six Kilograms of Cocaine

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A Texas man has been sentenced for smuggling six kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.

U.S. District Judge Annmarie C. Axon sentenced Brandon Azael Lopez, 30, of McAllen, Texas, to 46 months in prison. In October 2025, Lopez pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.

"Those who use the interstate highways in the Northern District of Alabama to transport narcotics will be held accountable for their actions," said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. "We are grateful for the outstanding interdiction work of the 17^th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force."

"Drug traffickers are routinely finding creative ways to hide their illicit cargo, but our partners at the 17^th Circuit Judicial Drug Task Force proved that solid investigative work will always defeat these tactics," said DEA Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott. "To anyone attempting to use Alabama's highways as a pipeline for poison: no matter how well you think you've hidden your drugs, we will find them, and you will go to federal prison."

According to the plea agreement, on December 12, 2023, an agent with the 17^th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Lopez for changing lanes without using a signal on Interstate 20/59 in Greene County, Alabama. The agent told Lopez that he would be writing him a warning. Lopez appeared to be extremely nervous during the conversation. Lopez told the agent that he and his brother were traveling to Charlotte, South Carolina, for three weeks to work for an oil company. When asked by the agent if he meant Charlotte, North Carolina, Lopez agreed that he meant North Carolina rather than South Carolina. The agent asked if he could search the vehicle and Lopez consented. Underneath the front passenger seat, the agent found a new battery jump box; and on the back floorboard, he found a set of jumper cables. The agent looked under the hood and noticed two batteries that had extensive tooling on the battery cable and the nuts holding the cable onto the battery. There were also pry marks and glue. The agent picked up the battery and noticed that it felt significantly lighter than a typical car battery. Upon searching the batteries, agents found six bundles of cocaine, which weighed one kilogram each.

DEA Birmingham Division investigated the case along with the 17^th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.