'Mule' sentenced for heroin trafficking

15th Circuit Court District Attorney Hal Kittrell announced that on September 18th, Gustavo Adolfo Lopez, age 48, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, pled guilty to trafficking more than 3 pounds of heroin. Lopez was sentenced to 30 years in prison by Circuit Court Judge Honorable Claiborne McDonald, IV.

This case stems from a traffic stop of Lopez (pictured)on Interstate 59 in Pearl River County by Pearl River County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel Quave. Deputy Quave located the 3 pounds of heroin inside a vehicle driven by Lopez. Lopez subsequently confessed that he was paid $5,000.00 to pick up the heroin in Texas and drive it to PennsylvanHia. e further stated that he had done this several times in the past.

D.A. Hal Kittrell stated, “The defendant was working as a 'mule' with the drug cartels in this case. His actions are evidence of what lengths these organizations will go to to traffic heroin across this state and country. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison and after his sentence he will be deported. I would like to commend the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department and the prosecution in this case led by Assistant District Attorney Clay Cranford for their efforts in battling the trafficking of illegal narcotics on the Interstate 59 corridor.”