A truck driver was sentenced Monday to nearly four years in federal prison for hauling more than 44 pounds of cocaine through Kansas.

U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said Erick Omar Rios, 37, San Ysidro, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In his plea, he admitted he was operating a tractor pulling a refrigerated trailer when he was stopped by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Troopers found 10 vacuum wrapped packages containing 44 pounds of cocaine hidden in a cooling unit on the trailer. They learned Rios had picked up the load in Los Angeles to deliver to Plainfield, Ind. He was expecting to be paid $4,000 when he returned to Los Angeles.

On Monday a U.S. Judge in Kansas City, Kansas sentenced Rios to 46 months in federal prison.