Mexican national gets life sentence in drug case

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) - A Mexican national has been sentenced to life in federal prison on charges of running a large-scale smuggling operation that moved methamphetamine and other drugs from Mexico to Houston.

The U.S. attorney's office in Houston says 38-year-old Rigoberto Munoz-Vargas was sentenced Tuesday after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being an illegal immigrant with a firearm.

Prosecutors say Munoz-Vargas admitted in court that he arranged for a shipment of 1.3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine to his girlfriend's house in the Houston area. Authorities say he also admitted buying a handgun and keeping it at the apartment with the drugs were found.

Munoz-Vargas and his nephew, Edgar Munoz-Munoz, were arrested last December. Munoz-Munoz was sentenced to nine years in prison on drug charges in May.