Bakersfield trucker sentenced to prison in heroin smuggling

A Bakersfield man was sentenced Monday to five years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute heroin and cocaine while working as a truck driver, U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott announced.

Darrell Leon Jennings, 51, pleaded guilty Nov. 7.

According to court documents, Jennings committed the crimes while operating as Jennings Transportation while working with co-defendant Mario Alvarez-Muniz, 50, of Taft.

Alvarez-Muniz arranged for the shipment of the drugs from Mexico to Mira Loma. The drugs were destined for Chicago.

A police dog located the drugs in a custom compartment in Jennings’ truck.

Alvarez-Muniz previously entered a guilty plea and was sentenced in 2018 to a 10-year prison term.

This story was originally published January 28, 2019 at 12:03 PM.