A St. Clair County woman has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for drug trafficking offenses, as announced by U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Court Judge Corey L. Maze sentenced Claudia Montano Gonzalez, 43, a native and citizen of Mexico, to 39 months in prison. In October 2024, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The plea agreement revealed that in October 2023, Gonzalez sold fentanyl at the Buc-ees travel center in Leeds, Alabama. Her husband and co-defendant, David Angel Alejandres, facilitated the transaction from Mexico while Gonzalez delivered the fentanyl. A search warrant executed at Gonzalez’s residence in Pell City led agents to recover approximately one kilogram of fentanyl.
In June 2024, David Alejandres was charged with similar offenses: conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. However, Alejandres remains at large.
The Drug Enforcement Agency is leading the investigation with support from the Pell City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany T. Byrd is handling the prosecution.
It is important to note that an indictment contains only charges and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
