Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
Merrick B. Garland, Attorney General | https://www.justice.gov/
A federal inmate in Texarkana has received an extended prison sentence for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy, according to Abe McGlothin Jr., the Acting U.S. Attorney. Jimmy Barrientos, 38, from Grand Prairie, entered a guilty plea to the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine within a prison setting. On April 15, 2025, U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III sentenced Barrientos to an additional 100 months in federal prison.
Court documents reveal that Barrientos, who was confined at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Texarkana, directed Catherine Gamez to smuggle methamphetamine during a prison visit. On September 25, 2022, Gamez brought approximately 20 grams of methamphetamine concealed within a condom to the facility. Upon entering the visitation area, she placed the condom inside a soap dispenser in the restroom. FCI personnel later recovered the methamphetamine and handed it over to federal authorities. Gamez has also pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge and is presently awaiting her sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Texarkana Field Office, and the prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Noble.
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