HOUSTON (Covering Katy News) - A 49-year-old former Harris County Deputy Constable will serve nearly 18 years in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Alexsander S. Reyes was working in the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's office when he committed his crimes. He pleaded guilty on January 6, 2022. Reyes is a Huffman resident.
In December of 2020, Reyes escorted a tractor-trailer in a marked constable vehicle through Houston with his then-girlfriend, Priscilla Yvette Cervantes, 46, of Huffman. They both believed it contained 10 kilograms of cocaine.
For their assistance, Reyes received $6,000 in cash.
However, the drug load was part of an undercover operation and included fake cocaine. Before the escort, Reyes and Cervantes traveled twice to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to transport $350,000 they believed was from drug sales.
When arrested, police used Reyes' own handcuffs to take him into custody.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced him to 210 months in federal prison, immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
In handing down the sentence, Hittner noted Reyes committed a "gross abuse of public trust" and committed these crimes while on duty, further mentioning how he used his patrol vehicle while possessing his service firearm. Judge Hittner also deemed Reyes a leader/organizer because he recruited others to assist in the crimes.
"Reyes was a cop who wanted to help criminals by becoming one himself," said Hamdani. "While the vast majority of police serve with courage and character, there are sadly a few that choose to dishonor their badges. Ferreting out those bad apples is something we in the Southern District of Texas take seriously so as to ensure the integrity of our criminal justice system."
Reyes will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons Facility to be determined soon.
A federal jury convicted Cervantes in October 2022. She received a 121-month sentence in Federal prison.
The FBI investigated with the assistance of the Harris County Precinct 1 Constable's Office, the Houston Police Department, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter prosecuted the case.
Former Harris County Precinct 1 Deputy Constable Alexsander S. Reyes