Asylum Seeker Sentenced on Fentanyl Trafficking Charges — 5 Years Plus Deportation

A man who entered the country as an asylum seeker will be spending five years in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy responsible for moving thousands of pills. The man had previously requested asylum, claiming “credible fear” of Mexican cartels.

This week, 24-year-old Azael “Ace” Barrientos-Regalado went before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos, who sentenced him to five years in prison. He will be facing deportation after his sentence is completed. Barrientos pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy charges on September 13, 2024, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas revealed.

According to federal prosecutors, Barrientos received asylum in 2020 based on his claims that cartels would kill him if he stayed in Mexico.

Once in the U.S., Barrientos set up a network of drivers and load carriers to move drug shipments from South Texas to Houston.

Authorities first began investigating Barrientos in 2022 after two women tried to drive a Mercedes sedan past the Falfurrias Highway 281 checkpoint in Brooks County with two pounds of powder fentanyl. An agent sent the women to a secondary inspection area. However, the women tried to drive away, starting a high-speed chase. Authorities arrested the women and found the fentanyl soon after. During the investigation into the smuggling attempt, DEA special agents were able to identify Barrientos as the organizer who had recruited the women. In the subsequent investigation, agents found thousands of pills that Barrientos had been trying to move.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart News Foundation. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart News Foundation’s Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..