A Fort Worth man will spend the next four decades behind federal bars after a reckless high-speed chase in late 2025 unraveled one of the largest methamphetamine seizures in the region’s recent history.
,Evaristo Hidrogo, 31, was sentenced June 26 by Chief U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor after pleading guilty to possessing with intent to distribute more than 244 kilograms of methamphetamine with a 100% purity level along with other controlled substances and three firearms.,
,The case traces back to November 18, 2025, when Hidrogo led law enforcement on a high-speed chase before crashing into another vehicle. Officers arrested him after a brief foot pursuit and recovered 56 grams of methamphetamine directly from his person.,
,A search of his vehicle turned up an additional 823 grams of methamphetamine, 301 grams of heroin, 55 grams of cocaine and two firearms., But what officers found on him and in his car was only the beginning.
,Investigators later searched a Fort Worth storage unit and a residence tied to Hidrogo, where they found another 244 kilograms of methamphetamine in the storage unit and about 10 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of heroin and another firearm at the residence.,
,The methamphetamine recovered at the Fort Worth storage facility registered at 100 percent purity,, a detail that underscored the scale and sophistication of the operation authorities say Hidrogo was running across North Texas.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould said the outcome of the case reflects a firm commitment from federal prosecutors. ,Raybould called the sentence a warning to anyone distributing narcotics in the Northern District of Texas and said his office will continue working with law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute drug traffickers.,
,DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Joseph B. Tucker stated that the 480-month sentence “sends an unmistakable message to those who flood North Texas communities with methamphetamine” and that those responsible “will be held accountable.”,
,Federal prosecutors and law enforcement officials believe Hidrogo’s 40-year sentence sends a broader message to others involved in drug trafficking across the region., The conviction comes as federal agencies continue to intensify efforts to dismantle narcotics networks operating throughout the DFW area.