Love, Lies, And Meth: Woman Sentenced In Texas Prison Drug Smuggling Scheme

A second conspirator involved in a methamphetamine smuggling ring that brought drugs into a Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) prison facility has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison.

Veronica Wertz, 49, of Amarillo, received a 57-month sentence on July 9 for her role in funneling methamphetamine into the William P. Clements Unit, a high-security prison located in Potter County, according to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Wertz first pleaded guilty in March to “conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.”

According to court records, Wertz was romantically involved with an inmate at the Clements Unit who was secretly working with former prison guard Ricky Eugene Hall to smuggle drugs into the facility. Wertz admitted to receiving drugs through the mail, which were then given to Hall so that he could sell the meth to inmates inside the prison walls.

The smuggling operation allegedly used a network of burner phones, coordinated “drops,” and secret handoffs in areas such as the prison laundry rooms and kitchen. Hall would hide the contraband in his corrections officer uniform, and used a storage unit in Amarillo to stockpile the meth and other illegal items he intended to sell or distribute to the inmates.

According to the U.S Attorney’s Office, law enforcement agents uncovered more than 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, a stash of cell phones, and a collection of other contraband during a search of the former CO’s storage unit.

Hall, 33, pled guilty in January and was sentenced in June to 97 months in federal prison by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, the same judge who handed down Wertz’s sentence.

“This case highlights the stellar work of numerous law enforcement agencies working together to halt a stealthy contraband smuggling conspiracy shamefully led by a corrections officer occupying a position of trust. We are proud of the investigative work in this case and that we brought those involved to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Nancy Larson.