Southern District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Three Guatemalan Human Smugglers Charged in U.S. for 2021 Mass Casualty Event in Chiapas, Mexico, Extradited from GuatemalaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that three Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the Dec. 9, 2021 mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico, have been extradited from Guatemala to the United States to face prosecution. The crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens – many of them Guatemalan – killed more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more.
Yesterday’s extraditions are the result of sustained coordination between the Justice Department and Guatemalan authorities following an international enforcement operation carried out on Dec. 9, 2024, the third anniversary of the tragedy. The extraditions mark yet another significant step in the Justice Department’s efforts to bring those responsible to justice.
“This DOJ is investigating and prosecuting human smuggling more aggressively than ever before, and Joint Task Force Alpha is the tip of the spear,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “We will not rest until those who profit from the suffering of vulnerable people — including many unaccompanied children — face severe, comprehensive justice.”
“Five Guatemalan smugglers charged in the Chiapas mass casualty incident are now in U.S. custody,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case demonstrates the ability of Joint Task Force Alpha and its domestic and international law enforcement partners to dismantle the most lethal human smuggling networks. Human smuggling organizations profit by exploiting the vulnerable, putting lives at grave risk for financial gain. Even those smugglers who try to hide beyond the reach of the U.S. will be brought to justice for the death and suffering they have caused.”
“Human smugglers do not care if the people they transport live or die,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas. “They do not care if unaccompanied children have food, water, or even air to breathe. They respect neither the law nor basic principles of decency. They care for only one thing — the blood money they make from the suffering of others. But these extraditions show that the United States will never tire in pursuing them. There is no border, no refuge that can shield these criminals from justice.”
Tomas Quino Canil, 37; Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino also known as Osvaldo ZQ, 25; and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 43, were arrested in Boquerón, Guatemala on Dec. 9, 2024, pursuant to U.S. extradition requests, and were surrendered to U.S. authorities on Sept. 3, 2025. A fourth Guatemalan national, Daniel Zavala Ramos also known as “Dany ZR,” 41, was arrested on Aug. 7, 2025 in Boquerón and is pending extradition.
Two additional defendants were also arrested during the coordinated operation. Alberto Marcario Chitic also known as Alberto De Jesus, 32, was also arrested in Boquerón on Dec. 9, 2024, and extradited to the United States in May 2025. Jorge Agapito Ventura also known as Jorge Ventura, George Ventura, and El Raitero, 33, was arrested at his residence in Cleveland, Texas.
All six defendants are each charged in the Southern District of Texas with conspiracy to bring undocumented aliens to the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury, and resulting in death. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
According to court documents, from Oct. 2021 to Feb. 2023, the defendants conspired with other smugglers to transport undocumented aliens from Guatemala though Mexico to the United States. They allegedly recruited Guatemalan aliens, collected payment, and arranged for the aliens to travel by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor-trailers. In some instances, including the smuggling of unaccompanied minors, the defendants provided scripts and instructions on what to say if apprehended. Some of the aliens recruited by the defendants died or suffered serious bodily injury as result of the Dec. 9, 2021, crash.
HSI’s Counter Proliferation Investigations Group in Washington D.C. investigated the case in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, Beaumont Division; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of the defendants. Guatemalan prosecutors and Mexican prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office also known as Fiscalía General de la República (FGR), with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall.
The indictment of these defendants is the result of the coordinated efforts of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Alpha. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA is currently comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along southern and northern borders. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 410 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 355 U.S. convictions; more than 305 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: A copy of the superseding indictment is here
Brownsville resident sentenced to 46 months for facilitating export of firearms to MexicoRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 19-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for attempting to illegally export firearms to Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Kenji Daniel Juarez pleaded guilty April 23 to receiving, concealing, buying, selling and facilitating the transportation, concealment and sale of firearms and ammunition magazines prior to exportation.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Juarez to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court reviewed additional evidence, including a photograph showing the weapons involved in the offense. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the weapons were highly dangerous and could have been used by the cartel for criminal purposes.
On Nov. 16, 2024, law enforcement observed Juarez receive multiple firearms from several people on two occasions at a gun show in McAllen. He later went to a residence in Brownsville, where authorities approached him.
A search of the home revealed seven handguns, eight semi-automatic rifles and 22 ammunition magazines in his bedroom. He admitted the firearms and magazines were intended for export to Mexico. He further acknowledged he had previously smuggled firearms and ammunition across the border.
Juarez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel Castro prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Final two defendants sentenced in multi-state conspiracy responsible for hundreds of firearms trafficked to MexicoRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two men have been sentenced following their convictions of conspiracy to traffic firearms and smuggling goods out of the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Esteban Rios Reyes, 35, a legal permanent resident of Silverhill, Alabama, pleaded guilty Jan. 28, while Alex Santos Lopez, 22, a U.S. citizen residing in Oaxaca, Mexico, admitted his guilt Feb. 16, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Lopez and Reyes to serve 90 and 87 months in federal prison, respectively. Lopez was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his prison term, while Reyes, who is not a U.S. citizen, could lose his status to reside in the United States. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about how frequently the organization exported weapons and coordinated across several states in the months before the smuggling attempt. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane emphasized Lopez’s and Reyes’ leadership roles in the organization and the lengths they went to conceal their behavior.
On Sept. 6, 2023, Lopez drove a truck towing a utility trailer and attempted to exit the United States. An outbound inspection led to the discovery of 270 firearms, 251 firearm magazines, nine sights and 1,541 rounds of ammunition. The weapons were a combination of assault rifles, shotguns, pistols and rifles, many of them disassembled. All the items were individually wrapped and hidden either behind a false wall that was built into the utility trailer or inside water heaters that Reyes had purchased to disguise the load.
The investigation revealed that this was not the first load of firearms that the organization had attempted to traffic into Mexico. The traffickers had been acquiring firearms since 2022 at various locations across the United States, including Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Tennessee. The weapons were then stored at stash houses in Texas, disassembled and wrapped, and ultimately concealed in trailers before being smuggled into Mexico.
This operation led to arrests in numerous districts across the United States, resulting in the disruption of several smuggling attempts and the seizure of nearly 1,000 firearms destined for Mexico.
Co-conspirators Felipe Garcia, 36, and Angel Carreno, 25, both of Dallas, and Jose Luis Pacheco, 25, a U.S. citizen living in Guadalajara, Mexico, previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the trafficking organization and were ordered to serve 57, 57 and 54 months in federal prison, respectively.
Lopez and Reyes have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee A. Fry prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, enacted in June 2022. It is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Final week of August brings another massive number – 356 – of new border security-related cases in SDTX, including nearly 70 as a result of ‘Operation Pick-Off’Read the Press Release
HOUSTON – Between Aug. 22-28, a total of 356 individuals have been charged in immigration and related matters as part of ongoing enforcement efforts along the South Texas border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
A total of 180 people face charges of illegally reentering the country after removal, most with prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. Another 153 people face charges of illegally entering the country, 13 other defendants are charged with human smuggling and the remaining 10 individuals have varying charges to include firearms offenses, assaulting federal officers and other related immigration crimes.
Some of those facing new criminal charges are a result of “Operation Pick-Off,” a new initiative that targets those illegally residing in the United States while serving terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault. The enforcement effort, announced Aug. 25, led to federal charges against 67 illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley area, 65 of whom had returned to the country after being previously removed, only to commit other crimes, according to the allegations.
“For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties. If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.”
Also, part of the new cases filed this week include charges against two Mexican nationals who had been removed in May but allegedly returned illegally shortly thereafter. The criminal complaints allege authorities found Jairo Neftali Velasco-Gomez and Luis Alberto Mejia-Bertrand near Fronton and Hidalgo, respectively. Velasco-Gomez has a prior conviction for being an alien in possession of a firearm, while Mejia-Bertrand had been sentenced for transporting/harboring illegal aliens prior to his removal, according to their charges.
This week law enforcement also found three other Mexican nationals who had previously been removed near Edinburg, according to the criminal complaints. Charges allege Edgar Omar Gallegos-Aboytes and Monico Espinoza-Martinez have both been sentenced previously for illegal reentry crimes, while Julio Cesar Martinez-Arjona has a prior conviction for assault of a family member.
Authorities also found Honduran national Jose Alberto Medina-Atunez near Escobares this week, he has been alleged to have been previously removed from the United States after being convicted of possessing cocaine. Others charged with illegally reentering the United States after being removed include three more Mexican nationals whose alleged prior convictions include transporting/harboring illegal aliens, firearms and drug offenses. These complaints allege Angel Alejandro Salazar-Cantu, Alberto Karr-Magana and Ramon Pena-Medina had each been previously removed but returned again unlawfully - all of them now face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted of illegal reentry into the United States.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Operator of illegal alien stash house at center of smuggling-for-ransom scheme sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Guatemalan national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to transport other illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Junior Morales-Chutan pleaded guilty April 24.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Morales-Chutan to serve 48 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
“As this office has pointed out several times before, the human smuggling business is ruthless, inhumane, and sometimes deadly,” said Ganjei. “This case shows how those who make their living smuggling and warehousing human beings have no respect for the safety or dignity of their fellow man. Don’t put your life, or the lives of your loved ones, in their hands. Stay home and stay safe.”
Morales-Chutan ran a stash house in Houston where illegal aliens were kept after being smuggled into the United States from various countries. There, associates used weapons and threats to keep them from leaving. Morales-Chutan was also in charge of picking up money paid in relation to the smuggling scheme.
In August 2023, the father of two illegal aliens had paid $25,000 for their transportation from Guatemala to the United States. Once they were in Houston, Morales-Chutan demanded an additional $32,500 in ransom for their release. He threatened that if he did not get the money by the end of the day, he would turn them over to the cartel.
The investigation led to a residence on Tanager Street in Houston, where authorities recovered firearms, cash and ledgers detailing human smuggling.
The smuggled individuals were later released and identified Morales-Chutan as the one in charge of the stash house and that there had been up to 20 other illegal aliens there at various times.
Morales-Chutan is also an illegal alien himself, having been previously removed from the United States and reentered unlawfully approximately 18 months prior to the smuggling offense. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for church parking lot methamphetamine dealRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old Mexican national has been ordered federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to distribute 116 kilograms of methamphetamine and for unlawfully possessing ammunition and multiple weapons, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Eustorgio Quiroz-Salto pleaded guilty July 11, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Quiroz-Salto to serve a total of 240 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described his prior convictions for cocaine trafficking in the Southern District of Florida in 2011. In addition, Judge Bennett ordered the forfeiture of all weapons and ammunition seized.
“Public safety begins with taking the most dangerous recidivists off the street,” said Ganjei. “When a defendant, like the one here, illegally enters our country three times, engages in drug trafficking despite having prior drug convictions, and illegally possesses firearms, he better believe we’re going to come looking for him.”
“Not only was Quiroz-Salto in the country illegally, but when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents arrested him, they uncovered a substantial amount of methamphetamine destined for our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan C. Pullen of the DEA – Houston Division. “He was caught in the act, selling deadly drugs near a place of worship, and now he'll spend two decades behind bars paying the price for his reckless actions that threatened to destroy lives.”
On Dec 12, 2023, Quiroz-Salto arranged to deliver over 20 kilograms of methamphetamine aka “ice” in the parking lot of a church in Crosby. When he arrived with Manuel Varjas Corona, authorities arrested both men and seized multiple kilograms of narcotics from their vehicle.
A subsequent search of the home where Quiroz-Salto resided resulted in the seizure of an additional 93.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 firearms, a silencer, 351 rounds of live ammunition and multiple firearm parts.
Quiroz-Salto had been removed in 2007 and 2008 and returned illegally. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Corona, 51, a Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston, also pleaded guilty to his role and is set for sentencing at a later date. At that time, he faces up to life in prison.
DEA conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley J. Sullivan prosecuted the case.
Home health agency owner sentenced to more than six years in Medicare fraud and identity theft schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 64-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison after his conviction on all counts as charged for leading a Medicare fraud scheme involving the submission of falsified medical records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours following a three-day trial before finding Paul Njoku guilty May 21.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Njoku to serve 75 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his familiarity with the evidence and noted Njoku’s aggravating role in the fraud conspiracy.
Njoku owned and operated a home health care agency called Opnet Health Care Services Inc. doing business as P & P Health Care Services. Njoku was the owner and CEO.
The jury heard testimony from witnesses that Njoku, or others working at his direction, forged signatures of doctors and nurses. Specifically, Njoku and others cut out old signatures and taped them onto newly created doctors’ orders, nursing notes and nursing assessments. Medicare required home health agencies to maintain these documents to obtain payment for providing home health services. Njoku then submitted the falsified records in response to a request for records from Medicare.
The jury also heard about a registered nurse who had departed Opnet in 2017. Njoku continued using her signature on nursing notes and assessments—including records which had to be signed by a registered nurse—in 2018 and 2019 without her knowledge or consent.
A witness also testified that Njoku bribed a doctor in exchange for approving home health services.
From 2015 to 2019, Opnet billed Medicare over $400,000 in claims for home health services and received over $360,000. Opnet did not maintain the required documentation for many of them and later falsified records to support the claims.
During the trial, a representative testified that Medicare would not have paid these claims had Medicare known there was no documentation or that they were based on falsified records.
The defense attempted to blame another person for the fraud. The jury did not believe those claims and found Njoku guilty as charged.
Njoku was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Kathryn Olson are prosecuting the case.
“Operation Pick-Off” results in nearly 80 criminal alien arrests throughout the Rio Grande ValleyRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A total of 78 people have been taken into custody for various immigration-related violations following a major enforcement action throughout the Rio Grande Valley, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Several have begun to make their appearances before U.S. magistrate judges in McAllen and Brownsville.
Operation Pick-Off it is a multi-agency immigration/violent crime effort targeting criminals in the Rio Grande Valley. It began Aug. 22 and continued through the weekend in the counties of Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo and Starr.
“For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said Ganjei. “SDTX will not rest until we’ve brought Operation Pick-Off to each and every one of the Southern District’s 43 counties. If you’re here illegally and you commit crimes in our community, you can expect a visit from us, and that visit is going to come sooner rather than later. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.”
The overall effort involved the arrests of 65 people who are allegedly in the country illegally after having been previously removed. The charges allege they were serving varying terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary and assault. If convicted, most face up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to those charged with illegal reentry after removal, authorities arrested two others on misdemeanor warrants for avoidance of examination or inspection by immigration officers. They were also on state probation for other crimes.
Law enforcement also identified and arrested 11 others on similar immigration-related violations who are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
In support of Operation Pick-Off, the FBI, through its Summer Heat initiative, surged resources alongside its law enforcement partners to focus on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets.
“Today’s threats are too complex, too dangerous, and too widespread for any one agency to handle alone. That’s why the FBI joined forces with its law enforcement partners to launch a bold, coordinated strike,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI – San Antonio Field Office. “Operation Pick Off stands as proof of what that unity can achieve, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering dedication of the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protecting our southern border.”
“This operation reflects the strength of coordinated law enforcement at every level,” said Acting Chief Patrol Agent Jason E. Schneider of Border Patrol – Rio Grande Valley Sector. “Through close collaboration we successfully targeted and apprehended individuals who posed a threat to our communities and national security. This mission underscores our commitment to securing our borders and upholding the law through multi-agency operations.”
FBI and Border Patrol worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as the primary law enforcement agencies investigating this matter, with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Public Safety and IRS Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Brownsville and McAllen Divisions are prosecuting the cases.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Human smugglers head to federal prison after recruiting drivers on social mediaRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Houston residents have been sentenced following their convictions for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Richard Dell Carroll II, 26, and Josue Isaac Hernandez aka Dre, 23, pleaded guilty May 28 and April 3, respectively, admitting they worked together to recruit drivers from around the country to smuggle illegal aliens to Houston in exchange for money.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now imposed a 66-month term of imprisonment for both men to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard how Carroll lied about his background, falsely claiming Tesla employed him and that he was enrolled at Rice University. Evidence showed Carroll portrayed himself as an entrepreneur and financial adviser to those he recruited, offering to invest their illegal proceeds despite having no qualifications. In imposing the sentence, Judge Morales told Carroll he needed to focus on his integrity in the future and that he should not embellish things in person or online because when people believe it, it could lead to fraud.
Hernandez had used his illegal gains to fund a lavish lifestyle that included international trips and private jets.
Testimony also detailed the inhumane conditions the smuggled aliens faced. In one instance, a seven-year-old girl was sweating inside a plastic bin after being separated from her mother. In another, authorities discovered two young women hidden in a fake speaker box in a trunk which reached temperatures of 102.4 degrees.
The court heard that law enforcement had apprehended more than 100 aliens during at least 53 failed smuggling attempts that could be definitively linked to Carroll and Hernandez.
In December 2022, authorities began linking a series of smuggling attempts after repeatedly encountering illegal aliens hidden in fake speaker boxes inside car trunks and in large plastic totes concealed with sheets. The investigation revealed Hernandez and Carroll were the coordinators and had recruited drivers through Instagram and other social media platforms. Law enforcement also uncovered shopping lists Hernandez and Carroll sent to drivers and discovered they had arranged the installation of the fake speaker boxes. They also charged drivers $1,000 per alien to recover costs.
Hernandez and Carroll will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Pena prosecuted the case.
SDTX files a whopping 372 new cases this week as part of ongoing Operation Take Back America effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 376 people have been charged from Aug. 15-21 in continuing efforts to secure the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The filed cases include 18 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 206 more are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 150 face charges of felony reentry after removal. Most of those foreign nationals have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes.
One of those charged this week in Laredo includes Kenneth Gamboa. On Aug. 15, Gamboa allegedly drove a box truck hiding 40 illegal aliens to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Jim Hogg County. The investigation revealed a false wall in the storage area of the vehicle that had created a hidden compartment, according to the complaint. The charges allege it had multiple boards screwed shut to prevent the individuals from being able to get out on their own. A total of 26 of the illegal aliens are now also charged with illegal reentry after removal. Gamboa faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of human smuggling.
A McAllen criminal complaint charges four more people, two of whom are illegal aliens themselves, for their alleged involvement in an alien smuggling ring in Hidalgo County. Rio Grande Valley residents Enrique Gonzalez and Rigoberto Esteban Perez-Cruz and Mexican nationals Erick Vallejo-Zapata and Mirza Garcia-Zapata allegedly harbored illegal aliens at residences. Gonzalez, Vallejo-Zapata and Garcia-Zapata are also alleged to have transported the aliens, who were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and India, and who face their own immigration charges as a result of the investigation.
Another illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Carlos Alberto Garza-Garcia, who authorities allegedly discovered unlawfully in the United States near Hidalgo. According to court documents, he was previously removed just this year - May 29 - and has a prior conviction for illegal reentry.
Criminal complaints also allege Mexican nationals Magdaleno Valadez-Ortiz, Luis Gustavo Ramos-Ibarra and Esvan Gonzalez-Manzano had been previously removed from the country on various dates between 2018-2023. However, all were allegedly found in the Rio Grande Valley this week. Gonzalez-Manzano has a prior conviction for illegal reentry, while Valadez-Ortiz and Ramos-Ibarra both have prior convictions of drug-related crimes, according to their charges.
If convicted of felony illegal reentry after removal as charged, all four face up to 20 years in prison.
In addition to the new cases, Honduran national Elmer Leonel Ramos-Agurcia was sentenced to federal prison after assaulting law enforcement agents as he attempted to unlawfully enter the country. On April 15, he arrived at the Brownsville & Matamoros port of entry. He did not have any documentation and was denied entry. He tackled an agent and ran towards the bridge where he jumped over the fence towards the Rio Grande. Authorities conducted a foot pursuit. As they attempted to arrest him, Ramos-Agurcia bit one agent and reached for the other’s holster. The court ordered he serve 18 months in prison and warned him his sentence would increase if he reentered illegally and committed further crimes.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Gang member sentenced to 40 years for role in large-scale drug trafficking operationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 25-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine conspiracy and for possessing machine guns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Kendal Alejandro Monzon Jr. was a member of Partidos Revolucionarios Mexicanos (PRM) and pleaded guilty April 18.
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has now ordered Monzon to serve 480 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Monzon’s role in multi-kilogram drug seizures, including heroin and fentanyl at the Laredo port of entry, cocaine in Brownsville, heroin in Livingston and cash proceeds in Brownsville and Atlanta, Georgia. The court also noted seizures in Houston; Chicago, Illinois; and St. Louis, Missouri, all tied to the drug trafficking organization PRM.
“The defendant was a key player in a nationwide drug trafficking operation, but now he’ll be spending the next four decades in federal prison. A similarly lengthy sentence awaits others that seek to make a quick buck by smuggling drugs into our country,” said Ganjei. “The message this sentence sends is clear: don’t spread your poison in our communities, because if you do, the Southern District of Texas will make sure that you pay the price.”
“Monzon, who is part of a violent prison gang, was using our southern Texas border to smuggle a significant amount of dangerous drugs throughout the country more than a decade ago,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan C. Pullen. “The Houston Division DEA agents halted his drug trafficking activities, which impacted the thriving operations of PRM within the U.S. Today's hefty sentence serves as a reminder of the punishment that awaits those who bring poison to our country.”
On Nov. 24, 2020, law enforcement attempted a traffic stop on Monzon after observing traffic violations near his home. He fled at speeds up to 90 mph through residential areas, ran multiple red lights and stop signs, and eventually crashed into a law enforcement vehicle. Authorities discovered 15 plastic-wrapped cylinders inside a plastic tub in the vehicle and ultimately seized approximately 17,234 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation led to other similar seizures linked to Monzon, some also including cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, large amounts of cash, several sealed prescription bottles of Promethazine with Codeine and various weapons as well as ledgers listing methamphetamine prices and weights.
Authorities later executed a search warrant at Monzon’s residence and recovered 47 kilograms of methamphetamine, 114.7 grams of heroin, 39.9 kilograms of marijuana and 13.7 kilograms of Promethazine with Codeine.
They also seized more than 20 firearms, one of which had been stolen from a member of law enforcement. Several of the weapons had silencers attached, and some had been altered to be fully automatic.
Monzon has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
DEA conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam Laurence Goldman and Christine Lu prosecuted the case.
23 in custody on immigration charges after bust of Hidalgo County alien smuggling ringRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Four people, two of whom are illegal aliens themselves, have been charged for their alleged involvement in an alien smuggling ring, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Enrique Gonzalez, 57, of Weslaco, and Mexican national Erick Vallejo-Zapata, 21, are set for their initial appearances Aug. 22 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis. Rigoberto Esteban Perez-Cruz, 37, of Edinburg, and Mexican national Mirza Garcia-Zapata, 37, have already made their appearances, remain in custody and are set for detention hearings Aug. 26 at 2 p.m.
The criminal complaint alleges all four harbored illegal aliens at residences throughout Hidalgo County. Gonzalez, Vallejo-Zapata and Garcia-Zapata are also alleged to have transported aliens.
On Aug. 20, Perez-Cruz left a residence in Edinburg and committed a traffic violation, according to the charges. During the subsequent traffic stop, authorities allegedly discovered an illegal alien in the passenger seat.
Shortly thereafter, law enforcement executed search warrants at that residence and another in Donna, and found an additional 24 illegal aliens, two of whom were unaccompanied minors, according to the charges. The complaint alleges Garcia-Zapata and Perez-Cruz were the caretakers of the stash houses.
According to the charges, the illegal aliens had been previously held at Gonzalez’s house, where Vallejo-Zapata had photographed them. Gonzalez also allegedly took their phones. Court documents indicate Gonzalez and Vallejo-Zapata then transported them to the various stash houses across Hidalgo County.
The illegal aliens discovered at the locations are from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and India, according to the charges.
As part of the investigation, nine of these aliens are now also charged with felony illegal reentry after removal and face up to 10 years in federal prison. Criminal complaints also charge 10 others with illegal entry into the United States.
If convicted, Gonzalez, Vallejo-Zapata, Garcia-Zapata and Perez-Cruz face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Livingston man indicted for impersonating FBI agent in nearly $100,000 schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old East Texas man has made his initial appearance in federal court on charges of attempting to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft and impersonating an officer or employee of the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Previously in custody on related charges, Daniel Ricardo Field was transferred to federal authorities and made his initial appearance bef0re U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray. He is set for a detention hearing at 2 p.m.
The three-count indictment, returned Aug. 13, alleges Field impersonated an FBI special agent in an attempt to defraud Ally Bank of $93,462.56. On or about April 22, he also allegedly used another individual’s personal information such as name, birthdate and Social Security number in an attempt to execute the scheme.
If convicted of bank fraud, Field faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine, while impersonating a federal officer carries a maximum three-year sentence and up to $250,000 as a potential fine. He also faces another two years if convicted of the identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Harris County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Corpus Christi man who distributed crack cocaine from apartment pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 37-year-old local resident has entered a guilty plea to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and distribution of crack cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Evaristo Coleman admitted he was selling cocaine and crack cocaine from his apartment in Corpus Christi.
The investigation began in January following multiple reports of alleged drug sales from the apartment. Authorities conducted surveillance and observed regular customers who came to buy cocaine and crack cocaine.
In February, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence where they discovered more than 100 grams of crack cocaine, nearly 300 grams of powder cocaine. They also found two 9mm pistols that Coleman possessed while selling the drugs.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Nov. 20. At that time, Coleman faces up to 40 years for the drug charge and a minimum of five years and up to life for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Both convictions also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Coleman has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.
Corpus Christi man imprisoned for 27 years after recording sexual video of himself with minor relativeRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) otherwise known as sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Valentine Cancino pleaded guilty Feb. 20.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now sentenced Cancino to 324 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard that Cancino was actually sexually abusing the minor as authorities knocked on the door to serve the search warrant in the case. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the serious facts and circumstances which supported the sentence imposed. Cancino will also serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designated to restrict his access to children and the internet. Cancino will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
The investigation into Cancino began when authorities received multiple cyber-tips indicating CSAM been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Cancino as the source of the content.
On Jan. 30, 2024, authorities obtained a search warrant for Cancino’s residence in Corpus Christi. They located and seized two electronic devices.
One of those devices was a Samsung Galaxy cell phone. Upon inspection, authorities discovered a video recording Cancino made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor relative.
Cancino has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“There is hardly a sentence available that can fully account for the depravity of the defendant’s conduct, but the 27-year sentence he received here will have to do,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District is working tirelessly to identify and apprehend predators like Mr. Cancino before they can exploit others.”
“Despite overseeing criminal investigations for thousands of child exploitation-related cases in my 30-year career, they never get easier, but Homeland Security Investigations’ efforts to expose these heinous predators and prevent them from harming any more innocent children have expanded greatly since I first started,” said HSI - Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “It’s thanks to those partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies like the Corpus Christi Police Department and groups like the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that we are able to quickly identify dangerous predators like Mr. Cancino who are hiding in plain sight in the local community and hold them accountable.”
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – HSI and CCPD conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Houston man arrested for smuggling 40 illegal aliens locked behind false compartment in box truckRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 25-year-old Houston resident has been charged with smuggling more than three dozen people in truck discovered near Hebbronville with no means of escape, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Kenneth Gamboa is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Bajew at 9:30 a.m. Several others facing illegal reentry charges are also set to appear in federal court in relation to the smuggling event.
The criminal complaint alleges that on the very early morning hours of Aug. 15, Gamboa arrived at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on Farm to Market Road 1017 in Jim Hogg County. He was allegedly driving a box truck with paper plates.
At primary inspection, a K-9 alerted to presence of humans or narcotics in the cargo area of the box truck, according to the charges. A subsequent x-ray scan allegedly revealed what appeared to be humans standing next to each other in the storage area of the box truck.
The investigation revealed a false wall in the storage area of the truck towards the front of the cargo area that had created a hidden compartment, according to the complaint. The charges allege it had multiple boards screwed shut to prevent the individuals from being able to get out on their own. Authorities allegedly had to remove the screws sealing the hidden compartment, at which time they discovered 40 people behind the false wall.
Law enforcement was able to determine that 26 of them had allegedly been previously removed from the United States. They now face charges of illegal reentry into the United States and possible prison terms of up to 20 years.
If convicted, Gamboa faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston conducted the investigation with the substantial assistance of Border Patrol and ICE-HSI San Antonio. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory Sailer is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Small business owners charged in fraudulent pandemic loan application schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Five Rio Grande Valley residents have been indicted for wire fraud in a scheme involving the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Authorities have now arrested the final two - Sandra Pope Solis, 60, Rancho Viejo, and Lesley Chavez, 42, Edinburg - who are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 10 a.m. Rolando Santiago Benitez, 51, Harlingen, is set for a detention hearing at 1:30 p.m., while Bernardo Gomez Jr., 46, Edinburg, and Edgar De La Garza, 45, Brownsville, had previously made their appearances in federal court.
According to the eight-count indictment returned Aug. 5, all five individuals submitted fraudulent loan applications to obtain EIDL and/or PPP loans through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The charges allege these loan programs were intended to alleviate economic injury the COVID-19 pandemic caused, allowing small businesses to continue to make payroll and other business-related payments. However, these local business owners allegedly took advantage of these programs and misused the funds.
From June 2020 through November 2021, Benitez, Pope, Chavez, Gomez and De La Garza each submitted application(s) for loans the SBA sponsored, according to the charges. As part of the scheme, they allegedly helped alter or create falsified tax and related business documents to inflate the approvable loan amount. The indictment alleges these documents were then submitted with the applications. Once the loans were approved, each then allegedly used the fraudulently obtained proceeds for personal expenses and enrichment.
The scheme resulted in a total loss of $685,800, according to the charges.
If convicted, all five each face up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI and SBA - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Insurance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Fry is prosecuting the case.
The COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force was established to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The task force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department's response to the pandemic, please visit Justice.gov/Coronavirus and Justice.gov/Coronavirus/CombatingFraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice's National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
SDTX charges another 262 people with immigration and related crimes in support of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 262 new cases have been filed related to immigration and border security from Aug. 8-14, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 109 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crimes, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 132 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while 15 people were allegedly engaged in human smuggling. The remaining cases involve other immigration crimes and firearms offenses.
One of those charged is Osvaldo Martin Acevedo-Rodriguez for allegedly being an alien illegally in possession of a firearm. During a traffic stop in Edinburg, authorities found a .40 caliber pistol as well as a THC cartridge and methamphetamine in his possession, according to the complaint. The charges further allege he had been removed from the country on at least one prior occasion. He faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
In another case filed this week, a crash and rollover resulted in hospitalization and human smuggling charges for a 22-year-old Laredo resident, according to court records. Mario Alberto Mercado allegedly failed to yield to law enforcement, turned off his headlights and accelerated in an attempt to flee. Mercado crashed the black Cadillac he had been driving into a tree, according to the charges. The four passengers in the vehicle were allegedly treated for minor injuries and determined to all be in the United States illegally. Mercado faces up to 10 years in prison, upon conviction.
Criminal complaints also allege three individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country after they had already been removed this year. Honduran nationals Mauricio Misael Martinez-Martinez and Irma Alcerro-Catano were previously removed Feb. 19 and May 17, respectively, according to court records, while authorities removed Mexican national Domingo Martinez-Vasquez May 7. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions, including illegal reentry, possession of a controlled substance or assault of a family member. All three were allegedly found in the United States without legal authorization and now face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, a Brownsville federal jury returned a guilty verdict against the owners of Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Café in Los Fresnos for employing and housing illegal aliens within their restaurant. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Leonardo Baez-Lara and Alicia Avila-Guel guilty as charged following a two-day trial. Testimony revealed they hired and harbored workers who were in the United States illegally or on B1/B2 visas without having the right to work. The jury heard that employees were living in a storage area with only one exit, sleeping on mattresses and rarely had hot water.
“The jury’s verdict vindicates the American people’s mandate that our immigration laws be fully enforced,” said Ganjei. “Business owners who put profits over their fellow citizens by harboring illegal aliens should be advised that the Southern District of Texas will not look the other way.”
One notable case announced out of the McAllen office was Cesar Rafael Leon, who was taken into federal custody following a crash during an alleged smuggling attempt through the Rio Grande Valley. According to the charges, Leon picked up five illegal aliens, ignored orders to stop, fled after the deployment of a vehicle immobilization device and eventually struck a law enforcement vehicle. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
In Victoria, a federal jury deliberated for only 23 minutes before finding a Guatemalan man guilty of felony reentry after removal. Miguel Angel Puac-Ramirez was a passenger during a traffic stop and provided a Guatemalan identification card listing a College Station address. Authorities determined he had no legal documentation to be in the United States. The defense attempted to convince the jury the case lacked the foundation for a conviction by literally piling up bricks on the jury box. The illustration was ineffective. The jury did not believe those claims and found Puac-Ramirez guilty as charged. He also faces up to 20 years in prison.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.nvicted through due process of law.
- Admitted gang member and felon imprisoned for possessing rifles
Mexican national sentenced to 96 months despite claim minor victim was his wifeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 22-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to prison for transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Edi Quinones pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Quinones to serve a total of 96 months in prison. The court enhanced the sentence after finding Quinones produced child pornography found on his phone. The court also issued a finding that a sexual act occurred while the minor victim was in his custody and control. The defense attempted to argue that his sentence should be mitigated because he was married to the minor victim in Mexico. The court heard evidence to rebut this claim and found no legal marriage could exist because the minor victim was under the age of 18.
Quinones will also be ordered to register as a sex offender and is expected to face removal proceedings following completion of his sentence.
On Sept. 11, 2024, Quinones attempted to enter the United States through the Hidalgo Port of Entry with his family. When questioned, authorities were notified his “wife” was 16 years of age.
During a review of his electronic device, authorities recovered numerous CSAM files depicting Quinones and the minor victim. Quinones admitted the minor victim was 15 years old at the time of the video production. Authorities discovered approximately 20 videos on the phone Quinones had filmed. The videos depicted two minor victims engaged in various illegal sexual acts.
Quinones has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Jury finds Abby’s Bakery owners guilty of harboring illegal aliensRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Two owners of Abby’s Bakery, located in Los Fresnos, have been convicted following the discovery of illegal aliens at their business, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours following a three-day trial before finding Leonardo Baez-Lara, 56, and Alicia Avila-Guel, 46, guilty on two counts of harboring aliens and conspiracy to do so.
The married couple are both legal permanent residents who resided in Los Fresnos and owned and operated Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Café in Los Fresnos since 2012. The investigation began after authorities discovered the pair were potentially employing and housing illegal aliens within their restaurant.
At trial, the jury heard about an enforcement action that occurred Feb. 12 at that location. Authorities had identified several employees and others who were in the United States illegally or in the country under B1/B2 visas without having the right to work.
Testimony revealed Baez-Lara and Avila-Guel illegally hired these individuals to work in their restaurant while harboring them.
The jury heard about a room the pair had provided for employees in the same shopping plaza as the restaurant. It was a rectangular room with mattresses on the floor and housed two employees at the time of inspection who were unauthorized to work in the United States. Testimony revealed the room was originally an insurance office which became repurposed as a storage area for kitchen equipment. Authorities also found electrical wires which, coupled with the absence of a fire extinguisher and only one entrance, resulted in a safety risk for the inhabitants.
As more workers became employed, the couple provided this area for several individuals who did not have the right to work legally in the United States. Testimony showed that between five to six adults were residing in the room with the head baker living there for more than two years.
The jury also heard that for the prior four months before the arrests, the workers had hot water on only two occasions.
Evidence showed that the worksite enforcement action also resulted in the discovery of two illegal aliens unlawfully present in the country and six B1/B2 Visa holders who did not have the right to work in the United States.
Testimony also revealed that the business failed to file proper paperwork declaring its workers, paid its workers in cash and failed to follow their accountant’s advice to stop paying employees in cash.
One worker had arrived at the bakery upon a referral from a friend in Mexico. After entering the United States illegally, he had a brief interview regarding his abilities as a baker and was immediately offered a job and a place to stay.
Further testimony revealed another worker had been working at the bakery despite not having the right to do so before being removed during Covid. Upon reentering the country illegally, he was able to have Baez-Lara contacted and was then given a ride back to Los Fresnos where he was able to continue his work and continue to live there.
The defense attempted to convince the jury the owners only offered shelter to the aliens and that testimony did not reveal harboring took place. The jury did not believe those claims and found them guilty as charged.
“The jury’s verdict vindicates the American people’s mandate that our immigration laws be fully enforced,” said Ganjei. “Business owners who put profits over their fellow citizens by harboring illegal aliens should be advised that the Southern District of Texas will not look the other way.”
“The jury’s verdict affirms that the defendants knowingly conspired to harbor individuals in the country illegally, committed two separate acts of harboring, and did so for personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “These actions not only violate federal immigration laws but also exploit vulnerable individuals for profit. This conviction sends a clear message: those who engage in human smuggling and harboring for financial benefit will be investigated, prosecuted and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 18. At that time, Baez-Lara and Avila-Guel face up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The two are also facing the potential loss of their residency status.
ICE-HSI conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Former city council member guilty of facilitating bribe paymentsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas –A 47-year-old Edinburg resident has pleaded guilty to his role in a “pay-to-play” bribery scheme involving the Edinburg City Council, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jorge “Coach” Salinas admitted that between June 2019 and March 2020, he participated in a scheme involving businesses seeking contracts with the city of Edinburg. Salinas, then a councilman, attended meetings where a business owner sought to reinstate a long-term contract that had expired and converted to month-to-month terms.
The business operated in Edinburg and the surrounding area. The owner had sought both to secure new work agreements and maintain existing ones with the city.
The owner spoke with Miguel Garza who outlined what would be needed to persuade the council to approve the deal. Garza claimed to know several council members, to include Salinas. He said that for a payment, he could deliver Salinas’ vote in favor of the contract and ensure a majority of council members supported it. Part of the money would go to certain members of the council who made up the majority.
On July 23, 2019, Salinas met with Garza and the business owner to discuss the pending contract. The business owner gave Garza $3,000 at that time, because Garza had represented they had an agreement to secure the Edinburg City Council vote on behalf of the business owner’s company.
By attending this meeting, Salinas aided and abetted Garza’s criminal scheme to have council members take official acts in exchange for monetary payment.
“The public has a right to expect honesty and integrity from government officials,” said Ganjei. “If you participate in a pay-to-play scheme in the Southern District of Texas, you will definitely pay—the cost will be a federal indictment and prison term.”
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Nov. 5. At that time, Salinas faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Garza, 54, Edinburg, pleaded guilty May 2, 2023, and is also set for sentencing in November.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arthur R. Jones and Robert L. Guerra are prosecuting the case.
Cartel-linked fugitive wanted for serious crimes returned to the United States from MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 37-year-old Mexican national is set to appear in federal court for a large-scale international marijuana and cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Juan Carlos Sanchez Gaytan has now landed on American soil and made his initial appearance in Arizona. He is expected to be transferred to the Southern District of Texas where he will appear in the near future. He is one of 26 people transferred to U.S authorities Aug. 12, pursuant to Mexico’s National Security Law, who were fugitives from Mexico facing a range of federal and state criminal charges from around the country.
“The Southern District of Texas has been waiting 15 long years for Mr. Sanchez Gaytan to accept our invitation to come pay us a visit in Laredo. That day, at long last, has finally arrived,” said Ganjei. “We look forward to laying out the evidence of Mr. Sanchez Gaytan’s alleged criminal activities to 12 men and women of South Texas, who will decide whether or not to extend his stay.”
A federal grand jury returned the 47-count superseding indictment in February 2010, charging Sanchez Gaytan and others with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances including marijuana and cocaine.
Sanchez Gaytan is one of 34 individuals named in the indictment spanning from 2001 through 2008. At that time, Miguel Angel Trevino Morales aka Z40 was a leader in the Gulf Cartel and its enforcement arm, the Zetas, according to the charges. The Gulf Cartel was allegedly in conflict and competition with the Sinaloa Cartel for control of the United States-Mexico border in and around Laredo known as the “Nuevo Laredo Plaza.”
The charges allege members and associates of the Zetas would transport firearms for use in this conflict with the Sinaloa Cartel, among other acts.
On Feb. 27, Mexican authorities transferred Trevino Morales, 52, and others to the United States. He is in U.S. custody on related charges of allegedly engaging in a continuing criminal enterprise that involved multiple murder conspiracies, conspiring to manufacture and distribute large quantities of cocaine and marijuana destined for the United States, using firearms - including a machinegun - during and in relation to drug trafficking crimes and conspiring to launder monetary instruments.
If convicted, Sanchez Gaytan and Trevino Morales both face up to life in federal prison.
Several others have already been convicted in the case and have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms, including Wenslaco Tovar aka Wency, Ivan Caballero-Velasquez aka Talivan, Jaime Miguel Diaz DeLeon aka Michael and Eduardo Carreon Ibarra aka Negro who received 340 months and 30, 40 and 45 years, respectively. Gabriel Cardona Ramirez aka Pelon was ordered to serve the rest of his life in federal prison in March 2009.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation dubbed Operation Prophecy with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Marshals Service, Webb County District Attorney's Office and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs has also provided assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Jensen is prosecuting the case.
The effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s OCDETFand Project Safe Neighborhood.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
30-year sentence imposed for producing sexual abuse material of seven-year-old childRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A South Texas man and woman have been ordered to federal prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Luis Alberto Huerta, 44, Weslaco, and Jessica Gutierrez, 47, Donna, pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Huerta and Gutierrez to serve 360 and 336 months in prison, respectively. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing how Huerta and Gutierrez created a living hell for the victim and forced her to participate in a “game” that resulted in the continuous sexual abuse and production of child pornography of an innocent child. Huerta and Gutierrez will also serve the rest of their lives on supervised release following completion of their prison terms. During that time, they will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict their access to children and the internet. They will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
The investigation began in 2023. It revealed Huerta and Gutierrez had perpetuated the sexual abuse of a child beginning when she only seven years old. It continued for three years.
Huerta and Gutierrez admitted to participating in the sexual assault of the minor victim and to recording it. A search of their electronic devices revealed photos and videos of the assaults.
“Huerta and Gutierrez committed an unspeakable offense and thus have earned every day of the multi-decade sentences,” said Ganjei. “No sentence can undo the damage done to the victim in this case, but hopefully the defendants’ prosecution and sentences will deter others from engaging in the same vile conduct.”
"For years, these two defendants inflicted unimaginable harm on one of the most vulnerable members of our community," said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. "We commend the Edinburg Police Department (EPD) for their outstanding work and critical partnership in this joint investigation. Together, we ensured these child predators were stopped and held accountable for their heinous crimes."
Huerta and Gutierrez have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, to include EPD, conducted the joint investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Traffic stop results in conviction for Guatemalan national illegally in U.S.Read the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 32-year-old Guatemalan man who illegally resided in College Station has been convicted of felony reentry after removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The federal jury sitting in Victoria returned the guilty verdict against Miguel Angel Puac-Ramirez following a one-day trial and approximately 23 minutes of deliberation.
The jury heard that Osvaldo Vasquez-Vasquez was driving a 2015 Jeep near Yoakum May 9 when he disregarded traffic signals. Puac-Ramirez was the passenger. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop and requested Vasquez-Vasquez’s driver’s license as well as identification from Puac-Ramirez. Both men provided Guatemalan identification cards which indicated an address in College Station.
Authorities determined both men were Guatemalan citizens with no legal documentation to be in the United States.
Testimony revealed Puac-Ramirez told Vasquez-Vasquez he had been deported. He replied by saying he should not have said he had identification or shown it to authorities and that doing so caused their “problem.”
The defense attempted to convince the jury the case against Puac-Ramirez lacked the foundation for a conviction by literally piling bricks at the jury box. The illustration was ineffective. They did not believe those claims and found Puac-Ramirez guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and has set sentencing for Nov. 21. At that time, Puac-Ramirez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Vasquez-Vasquez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest.
Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Rio Grande Valley man sentenced to 108 months after downloading and uploading child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Donna resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Miguel Angel Del Valle pleaded guilty Feb. 28.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 108-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that this type of offense is one of the most serious federal crimes that can be committed. Judge Crane told Del Valle that if people like him didn’t download child pornography, then there wouldn’t be production of it and the victimization of children. Del Valle was ordered to serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Del Valle will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began in July 2022 when Del Valle uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his Google account. The images included minors between the ages of eight and 12 engaging in sexual activity with adults and/or other minors.
He admitted to downloading and distributing hundreds of files of CSAM using his Google account as well as WhatsApp and Telegram over an 18-month period beginning during COVID.
A forensic examination of Del Valle’s cellphone and laptop revealed 124 videos and 31 images of CSAM. One of the videos depicted an adult male sexually abusing a toddler.
“There is no place in our community for people like Mr. Del Valle,” said Ganjei. “This conviction and sentence is the latest example of how the Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
Del Valle will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Michigan resident sentenced for cross-country narcotics dealRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 61-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 14 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Walter Lee Houze pleaded guilty March 31.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Houze to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Houze possessing a firearm in connection with a narcotics offense.
On May 9, 2023, Houze drove his Volkswagen Tiguan to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint in Sarita. Jose Taurus Burks was in the passenger seat. Authorities referred them to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the rear cargo area of the vehicle. There, law enforcement discovered 14.26 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a black suitcase intermingled with clothing and laundry detergent beads belonging to Houze.
Burks admitted he was to be paid for traveling from Michigan to assist Houze in the purchase and transportation of cocaine from Hidalgo County.
Previously released on bond, Houze was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Burks, 52, Harrison Township, Michigan, pleaded guilty March 31. He also remains in custody pending his sentencing Sept. 9.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.
Mexican citizen sentenced to 10 years following discovery of child-sized dolls and sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican man who resided in McAllen has been sent to prison for receipt of child pornography involving infants and toddlers, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Julian Garcia Garza pleaded guilty April 2.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Garza to serve a 120-month prison term. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing Garza’s use of a virtual private network to hide his illegal activity and the likelihood that he used child sex dolls to recreate videos he was downloading. Garza was further ordered to pay a total of $104,500 in restitution to 14 victims and will be on supervised release for 10 years following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Not a U.S. citizen, Garza is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
In July 2024, law enforcement discovered Garza was using a peer-to-peer file sharing program to download and upload files of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The files included videos of infants and toddlers engaged in sexual conduct.
Authorities conducted a search of Garza’s bedroom and discovered the bottom portion of an infant-sized doll as well as two child-sized, lifelike sex dolls and various sex toys. A forensic examination of his custom hard drive revealed a total of 997 images and videos of CSAM.
“The facts underlying this investigation are as telling as they are disturbing,” said Ganjei. “By all accounts, Garza appears to be the kind of person who would not be satisfied by only passively viewing CSAM. Fortunately, law enforcement was able to locate and arrest Garza before he could start physically preying on children.”
Garza has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Human smuggler in custody after flight from police and crashRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old man has been taken into federal custody following a crash into a law enforcement vehicle during an alleged smuggling attempt through the Rio Grande Valley, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Previously in custody on related charges, Cesar Rafael Leon, Pharr, is expected to make his initial appearance in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker at 9:45.
According to the charges, Leon picked up five illegal aliens who had just crossed the Rio Grande River by raft in Mercedes. He allegedly failed to yield to law enforcement when they attempted to stop his vehicle, prompting them to successfully deploy a vehicle immobilization device. However, he continued to flee and eventually struck a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) unit and drove the wrong way down the highway, according to the complaint.
The complaint further alleges the pursuit lasted approximately 15 minutes and ended in a shopping plaza in Weslaco. Law enforcement allegedly apprehended Leon after a short foot pursuit and also took the five illegal aliens into custody, according to the charges.
“As this office has stated on numerous prior occasions, human smugglers do not care about the lives or safety of those they transport. The people being smuggled are nothing more than cargo to these predators,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas urges all those who would consider placing themselves or their loved ones into the hands of these criminals to think twice. Stay home, stay safe.”
The smuggling charges include an enhancement for placing the lives of the aliens in jeopardy. If convicted, Leon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas DPS, Hidalgo County Constables Office and Hidalgo County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Hidalgo man receives 9 years for distributing child sexual abuse material to a minorRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Rio Grande Valley resident has been sentenced for distributing videos of sexual activity to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Rogelio Pruneda III pleaded guilty June 2.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Pruneda to serve 108 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from the victim’s parent asking for Pruneda to be held accountable and receive the appropriate treatment. The court also heard about Pruneda engaging in similar conduct with a minor relative and that he used that relationship to locate and recruit the victim into exchanging goods for sex. In handing down the prison term, the court found Pruneda attempted to obstruct justice by attempting to contact witnesses in the investigation. The court noted the age gap between Pruneda and the victim.
Pruneda was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Pruneda will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation revealed Pruneda used a minor relative to find the female victim. The family member told the victim he would treat her like a “sugar daddy.”
From approximately July through October 2022, Pruneda utilized Facebook Messenger to contact the minor female victim. He offered her money and THC vape cartridges in exchange for sexual acts which he subsequently recorded. Pruneda later sent two of the videos to her.
The victim’s parent discovered the relationship and reported it to authorities.
The minor female confirmed the videos depicted sex acts between herself and Pruneda in his vehicle.
“Here, Pruneda sought out a victim online and plied her with offers of money and other goods. This methodical plan demonstrates just how dangerous and calculating he is,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect the innocence of the children of our community and punish—to the maximum extent the law allows—those who take that innocence away.”
Pruneda has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Hidalgo Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Chinese national sent to federal prison after bringing child sexual abuse material into the U.S.Read the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 19-year-old woman from China caught illegally entering the United States has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jinyi Zheng pleaded guilty June 2.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Zheng to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her prison term. If not immediately removed from the United States after her imprisonment, she must also serve an additional 24 months on home confinement. Zheng will also be on supervised release for five years following the completion of her imprisonment, during which time she will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict her access to children and the internet. Zheng will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Feb. 12, authorities encountered Zheng near Hidalgo after she illegally enter the United States from Mexico. At that time, they located an Apple iPhone 14 belonging to her. A forensic examination of the phone revealed six videos of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
“This case shows why border security is so imperative,” said Ganjei. “Zheng is not the kind of person who we want walking around free in American communities, with the ability to prey on children. Fortunately, swift action by our law enforcement partners prevented this would-be predator from ever gaining access to our nation’s interior.”
Zheng has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Houston doctor agrees to pay over $2 million to settle allegations of fraudulent billing of federal programsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 63-year-old Houston man has agreed to pay $2,053,515 to resolve allegations he submitted false claims to federally funded health care programs for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Dr. Ajay Aggarwal is an anesthesiologist and pain medicine doctor who practices in Bellaire and Lake Jackson as well as Van Vleck. Ajay Aggarwal, a sole proprietorship, and PRWCSWTX LLC are entities Aggarwal used to conduct his medical practice known as The Pain Relief & Wellness Center.
From Nov. 16, 2021, to March 28, 2023, Aggarwal billed federally funded health care programs, such as Medicare and the Department of Labor’s Workers’ Compensation Programs, for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. These are invasive procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. As a result, Medicare and other federally funded health care programs pay thousands of dollars per procedure.
However, neither Aggarwal nor his staff performed these surgical procedures, according to the allegations.
Instead, patients allegedly received devices used for electro-acupuncture, which only involved inserting monofilament wire a few millimeters into patients’ ears and taping the neurostimulator behind the ear with an adhesive. All device placements took place in Aggarwal’s clinic, not a hospital or surgical center, and no incision was made on a patient, according to the allegations.
“A doctor who uses simple medical devices on his patients, yet bills Medicare for a sophisticated spinal surgery, is bilking the American taxpayer, plain and simple,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will ensure that losses to federally funded healthcare programs from fraudulent billing, like what happened here, are recouped and that wrongdoers are held accountable.”
“The civil penalties imposed today strongly serve as a clear deterrent to those engaging in fraud against federal benefit programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service - Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG). “USPS-OIG, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue these investigations and exhaust all efforts to protect the Postal Service from fraud, waste and abuse.”
“Investigating alleged false claims involving the programs administered by the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) is an important part of our mission. That is particularly true when a medical provider is involved,” said Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard, DOL-OIG, Central Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and OWCP to protect the integrity of DOL’s worker compensation programs.”
“This settlement underscores our agency’s steadfast commitment to enforcing the False Claims Act,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)-OIG. “Working with our law enforcement partners, DHHS-OIG remains dedicated to safeguarding the integrity of federal health care programs and protecting the individuals who depend on them by investigating schemes that compromise the proper use of medical devices.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with significant assistance from OIG offices of USPS, DOL and DHHS. OIG offices of Office of Personnel Management and Department of Veterans Affairs also contributed to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura E. Collins handled the matter.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Southern District of Texas charges 288 people in first week of August in relation to border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 287 new cases have been filed in the last week related to immigration, border security and related offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The filed cases include 14 involving human smuggling. A total of 142 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 127 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felony convictions for offenses involving narcotics, domestic violence and other violent crime, immigration violations and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to fraud and other immigration crimes.
Criminal complaints allege four individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country within six months of their most recent removals. Mexican nationals Adolfo Omar Maldonado-Ortiz and Aureliano Baeza-Martinez were previously removed July 9 and July 12, respectively, according to court records. Authorities removed Colombian national Luis Fernando Diaz-Caicedo March 12, while Honduran national Yermin Bardales-Castro was removed April 6. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions, including burglary of habitation, robbery with a deadly weapon, criminal sexual conduct with a minor or possession of a controlled substance. All four were allegedly found in the United States without legal authorization and now face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
Charges also allege Carlos Guadalupe Salazar-Gonzalez and Walfre Patricio Hernandez-Mazariegos committed illegal reentry after having been previously removed in 2020 and 2024, respectively. Law enforcement allegedly encountered both in Edinburg.
In addition to the new cases, a notable sentencing occurred in Laredo when 25-year-old Laredo resident Salma Galilea Veliz was ordered to serve 36 months for attempting to smuggle a three-year-old Mexican child into the United States using her own son’s birth certificate. Authorities encountered Veliz at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge with the child, whom she falsely claimed was her son. She later admitted to picking up the boy in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, and planning to pass him off as her biological son in exchange for $2,500. Evidence presented at trial confirmed the child was a Mexican citizen with no legal claim to enter the United States. A federal jury found Veliz guilty following a two-day trial earlier this year.
“We may never know who or what awaited that three-year-old boy had he been successfully smuggled across the border. What is certain, however, is that no child’s safety or well-being has a price tag. The Southern District of Texas will not hesitate to prosecute those who illegally bring children into the United States by falsely claiming family ties,” said Ganjei. “Also, a word of warning - if you put a child, even if it’s your own, into the hands of smugglers, you will be prosecuted. Return home to them; don’t endanger your children by placing their lives in the hands of people you don’t know.”
Also of note were the sentencings of three known felons who had illegally reentered the country. Ivan Lopez-Sonora and Gregorio Mendoza-Martinez received their respective 57- and 30-month sentences in Brownsville. Lopez-Sonora has a criminal history including convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct discharging a firearm and numerous convictions for immigration violations, while Mendoza-Martinez has a burglary conviction in addition to a previous illegal reentry charge. In Houston, Jose Maldonado-Vasquez was ordered to serve an 84-month sentence. He has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2008 with convictions for possession of a controlled substance, burglary, assault and evading arrest in addition to other immigration violations and three previous removals.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Would-be smuggler of three-year-old child sentenced to 36 months in federal prisonRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 25-year-old Laredo woman has been sentenced for conspiracy to transport, attempting to transport and bringing in and attempting to bring a minor alien to the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes before finding Salma Galilea Veliz guilty April 15 after a two-day trial.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Veliz to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.
“We may never know who or what awaited that three-year-old boy had he been successfully smuggled across the border. What is certain, however, is that no child’s safety or well-being has a price tag. The Southern District of Texas will not hesitate to prosecute those who illegally bring children into the United States by falsely claiming family ties,” said Ganjei. “Also, a word of warning - if you put a child, even if it’s your own, into the hands of smugglers, you will be prosecuted. Return home to them; don’t endanger your children by placing their lives in the hands of people you don’t know.”
Law enforcement first encountered Veliz at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo Nov. 14, 2024, with a three-year-old male. She presented a Texas birth certificate and claimed the minor was her son, later admitting he was not and that she had picked him up in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico.
Veliz claimed she did not know the boy’s name or where she was taking him, just that a person known as “Malandro” was bringing him to her. Veliz planned to have the boy assume her biological son’s identity to smuggle him into the United States in exchange for $2,500.
During trial, the jury heard testimony and evidence regarding his true identity, which included the minor child’s original birth certificate indicating Mexico as his place of birth. Testimony also revealed there was no record in existence pertaining to the minor child that would indicate he had ever been authorized to enter the United States.
The defense attempted to convince the jury the boy had claims to citizenship through an unidentified father. However, evidence revealed the minor is a Mexican citizen and had no claim to enter the county. The jury ultimately found Veliz guilty as charged.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of State and Department of Health and Humans Services - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa A. Lopez and Tory Sailer prosecuted the case.
Irish citizen indicted for sadistic exploitation of a childRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 36-year-old Irish national has been charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and four counts of coercion and enticement of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The charges allege in September 2022, Matthew Liam Johnstone coerced a minor into filming and photographing herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct including acts of sadism.
If convicted, Johnstone faces up to life in prison. All charges also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit - Criminal Investigative Division conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman and Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's CEOS leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Grand Jury Charges Irishman for Sadistic Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
A grand jury in the Southern District of Texas returned an indictment today charging Matthew Liam Johnstone, 36, of Ireland, with numerous offenses stemming from his sadistic online exploitation of a child.
According to court documents, in September 2022, Johnstone sexually exploited a minor in the Southern District of Texas by coercing her into filming and photographing herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including acts of sadism. Johnstone is charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of a child and four counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. If convicted, Johnstone faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. All charges also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas, and Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of FBI Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit, Criminal Investigative Division, is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Laredo man indicted for possession of child sexual abuse material and enticement of three separate minor femalesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 30-year-old Laredo resident has been charged with enticing a 14-year-old minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Originally charged by criminal complaint July 16, Emanuel Valdez remains in custody pending further criminal proceedings.
A federal grand jury has now returned the four-count indictment.
The charges allege that Valdez had been communicating with a 14-year-old minor female for approximately two years after “meeting” her while playing video games online. In January, the conversations became sexual in nature, according to the allegations. Valdez allegedly started sending sexually explicit texts to the minor and asking her to send pictures of herself. The charges allege the conduct escalated with Valdez attempting several times to make plans to meet with the minor at a hotel and pay her to have sex with him. Valdez also allegedly provided her with digital gift cards in exchange for pictures of herself posing in a sexual manner.
The investigation linked him to a second victim he tried to arrange meetings with for sex, according to the indictment. He had allegedly talked with another 14-year-old girl about taking her virginity. The charges allege Valdez acknowledged that meeting her for sex would be illegal and suggested she lie to her parents and come up with an excuse to leave the house.
He also talked with another person he believed was also only 14, according to the indictment. In those conversations, he allegedly expressed a sexual interest in the girl and attempted to make plans to meet up and have sex with her, suggesting they do so when her parents were not home. Valdez also sent a chart of the various sexual positions he wanted to engage in with her, according to the allegations.
Authorities executed a search warrant July 17 which resulted in the discovery of thousands of photos and videos of child sexual abuse material.
“Protecting minors from the depraved schemes of online sexual predators is a top priority for the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “If somebody takes to the internet to prey on children, they are going to find their world turned upside down by this office. SDTX will pursue these online predators to the ends of the internet and to all four corners of the globe.”
“This indictment represents a critical step toward holding accountable those who target our most vulnerable population-our children,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We will continue to pursue these child predators tirelessly through the work of our FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.”
If convicted, Valdez faces up to life in prison. All charges also carry a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Charlotte-Mecklenburg, North Carolina, Police Department. If you have any information about other possible victims or believe you have been victimized, please contact the FBI at 210-225-6741.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Business owner pleads guilty to filing false tax returns and intentionally under-reporting incomeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Friendswood businessman has admitted he only reported a small amount of income in order to keep other federal benefits, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
William Christopher Womack was the sole owner of Intents Services LLC, a company that leased industrial and special event tents, trailers and specialty vehicles to customers in the Houston area.
He concealed income by cashing business receipts at check-cashing businesses and writing fraudulent checks to fictitious employees and vendors. Womack spent the money on personal expenses, including boats, luxury vehicles, RVs and tickets to sporting events.
Womack admitted he reported only a small portion of his income on tax returns. Specifically, in 2019, 2020 and 2021, he reported wages of $12,000 annually while collecting Social Security (SS) benefits ranging from $15,672 to $16,121. This was far less than he actually earned. For example, Womack admitted that his 2020 tax return failed to include $260,895 in income he earned from Intents Services.
As part of his plea, he admitted he kept his reported wages low to avoid earning more than $1,000 per month in order to maintain his SS benefits. He must also pay restitution to the IRS of $219,599 in tax loss resulting from the returns he filed for the 2019 through 2021 tax years.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown will impose sentence Oct. 14. At that time, Womack faces up to three years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray is prosecuting the case.
Armed robber sentenced for targeting Vape City storesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 23-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for armed robbery followed by a high-speed chase, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Rodriguez pleaded guilty April 22.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now imposed a 12-month term of imprisonment for aggravated robbery. He also received an additional 84 months for brandishing a firearm which must be served consecutively. The total 96-month sentence will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered the dangerousness of Rodriguez’s conduct, noting that he not only robbed store employees at gunpoint but also led officers on a reckless high-speed chase through residential neighborhoods.
On July 9, 2024, Rodriguez and Alex Espinosa entered a Vape City store on Ayers Street in Corpus Christi and demanded money from the registers. Rodriguez also pointed a firearm at employees while demanding cash and their cell phones before departing.
Later that night, both men then visited a second Vape City location in Calallen. They entered the store in the same manner and robbed the employees.
Law enforcement identified Rodriguez’s vehicle leaving the scene of the second robbery and attempted to stop him, but he quickly fled. He continued driving recklessly through the city at speeds over 100 mph, even turning off his headlights to avoid detection. The pursuit lasted approximately 25 minutes and covered 20 miles. Rodriguez eventually drove to his residence, where both Rodriguez and Espinosa exited the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot, but authorities soon took them into custody.
Espinosa, 25, Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to his role in the robberies and was previously sentenced to 36 months to be followed by two years of supervised release.
Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.
Texas resident pleads guilty in crypto-Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Houston man has admitted to running a fraudulent investment scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
From July through November 2017, Samuel Ayala-Ibarra operated JASTBITME, a Houston-based company that falsely promised high returns through cryptocurrency investments. Ayala-Ibarra told clients their money would be invested in cryptocurrency, but he instead used the funds for personal gain and to repay earlier investors. He also paid others to recruit new clients.
Once clients invested, JASTBITME created fake documents to show fabricated growth and returns. Ayala-Ibarra used these false reports to persuade clients to reinvest.
The scheme resulted in numerous victims who never received their original investments or promised returns.
Senior U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt will impose sentencing Nov. 3. At that time, Ayala-Ibarra faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each of three counts of wire fraud.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Rodolfo Ramirez is prosecuting the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling seizure and forfeiture matters.
Final week of July sees Southern District of Texas charge 247 defendants in continuing effort to secure Southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 245 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from July 25-31, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those cases are 21 defendants charged with human smuggling, 119 charged with illegally entering the country, and another 107 charged with felony reentry to the United States after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felony convictions, including offenses related to narcotics, violent crime, immigration violations, and more. Additional cases filed this week involve other immigration-related crimes.
Of the new illegal reentry cases, four involve Mexican nationals who were removed after prior felony convictions, according to court documents. Juan Carlos De Alejandro-Rosales was previously convicted of possessing more than 50 pounds but less than 2,000 pounds of marijuana before he was removed from the United States on Oct. 22, 2018.
Mario Alberto Almazan-Mata, Bertoldo Lopez-Varillas and Luciano Martinez-Rios, also charged with illegal reentry, are alleged to have prior felony convictions before being removed, to include possession of a controlled substance and evading arrest, as well as multiple convictions for driving while intoxicated. Despite their prior removals from the United States between 2005 and 2025, in the last week, authorities allegedly found all four men in the McAllen area without legal authorization to be in the United States. If convicted, each illegal alien faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Another person charged with illegal reentry after removal this week is Jose Santos Diaz-Valenzuela, a Honduran national. According to the charges, he has a prior conviction for assault on a federal officer and was previously removed from the United States on Dec. 4, 2018. Authorities allegedly encountered him again near La Grulla. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
Criminal complaints further allege Hugo Armando Esquivel-Castro and Jose Armando Wong-Lopez with illegally reentering the United States after they were previously removed from the United States in 2022 and 2025, respectively, after each was convicted for harboring illegal aliens. Authorities allegedly encountered and arrested the men near Mission this week.
In addition to the new cases, Jonathan Ray Balderas, of San Antonio, Texas, was sentenced this week in Laredo to 41 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for attempting to smuggle 10 illegal aliens. Authorities stopped his truck near the 29-mile marker checkpoint on Interstate 35 and found eight individuals hidden under a tarp in the bed and two more inside. The court cited the risk of serious harm, a loaded pistol on Balderas’s waistband, and his alleged involvement in other smuggling events as factors in the sentence.
Also this week, a repeat felon and illegal alien was sentenced to serve over three years in federal prison for unlawfully reentering the United States for the fourth time. Rafael Cortez-Gonzalez, of San Luis Potosí, Mexico, had two previous felony convictions for illegal reentry, as well as a conviction for transporting an illegal alien within the United States. He was first removed from the United States in November 2000 and subsequently illegally returned three times. Authorities encountered him again on Feb. 12, 2025, in Kenedy County. In handing down the 39-month sentence, the court noted the punishment was intended to serve to deter him from continuing to commit these crimes.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from numerous state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
“Free Money” gang members indicted for committing murder at local shopping centerRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - Two alleged members of a violent Houston-based street gang have been charged for their alleged roles in the murder of one individual and attempted murder of another during a gang-related ambush.
According to court documents, members and associates of the gang known as Free Money engage in robbery, home invasions, drug distribution and murder. Terry Ardoin, 24, and Travonte Ardoin, 27, both of Houston, allegedly committed the murder in connection with an ongoing gang war with a rival group.
On June 24, 2022, in broad daylight, the Ardoins allegedly following a Chevrolet Equinox into a shopping center parking lot in a Black Nissan Altima. As alleged in court documents, the driver of the Equinox entered a nearby store while the passenger remained in the vehicle. When the driver returned, the Ardoins allegedly exited the Altima wearing masks and opened fired on both individuals.
Multiple rounds struck the vehicle’s passenger compartment. Law enforcement responded within minutes and found one victim deceased.
Terry and Travonte Ardoin are charged with murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm. If convicted, they face up to life in prison or the possibility of a death sentence.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Brown is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes gang members and associates have committed through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute violent offenders and prevent further violence.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
“Free Money” Gang Members Indicted for Committing Murder at Local Shopping CenterRead the Press Release
Two alleged members of Free Money, a violent Houston-based street gang, were indicted yesterday in the Southern District of Texas for their alleged roles in the murder of one individual and attempted murder of another during a gang-related ambush.
According to court documents, Free Money members and associates engage in robbery, home invasions, drug distribution, and murder. The defendants, Terry Ardoin, 24, and Travonte Ardoin, 27, both of Houston, allegedly committed the murder in connection with an ongoing gang war with a rival group.
On June 24, 2022, in broad daylight, surveillance footage captured the Ardoins following a Chevrolet Equinox into a shopping center parking lot in a Black Nissan Altima. As alleged in court documents, the driver of the Equinox entered a nearby store while the passenger remained in the vehicle. When the driver returned, the Ardoins allegedly exited the Altima wearing masks and opened fire on both individuals.
Witnesses reported hearing numerous gunshots and described the distinct sound of a fully automatic weapon, believed to have been modified with a machine gun conversion device commonly referred to as a “switch.”
Multiple rounds struck the vehicle’s passenger compartment. Houston Police Department officers responded within minutes and found one victim deceased.
Terry and Travonte Ardoin are charged with murder in aid of racketeering, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, use of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and causing death through the use of a firearm. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison or a death sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department.
Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Brown for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Antonio man sentenced to 41 months for transporting illegal aliens in open truck bedRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 37-year-old San Antonio resident has been ordered to federal prison for transporting 10 illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jonathan Ray Balderas pleaded guilty Feb. 6.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Balderas to serve 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered images showing the substantial risk of death or bodily injury Balderas created by transporting eight of the 10 aliens in the open bed of his truck, covered only by a thin tarp. The court also considered the loaded pistol found on Balderas’s waistband and communications indicating his involvement in other smuggling events.
“Placing human beings in the back of a truck under a tarp while carrying a loaded firearm shows a blatant disregard for life and the law. All it would have taken is a single driver error to cause multiple people to lose their lives,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will bring to justice anybody who seeks to make a quick buck through unlawful and dangerous and smuggling operations.”
“Human smuggling is a serious federal crime that endangers lives and threatens the security of our communities,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig S. Larrabee. “HSI in close coordination with our partners at U.S. Border Patrol, is committed to dismantling smuggling networks and holding individuals accountable for their actions. The arrest of Jonathan Balderas and the recovery of 10 smuggled aliens underscores the importance of our continued efforts to combat this dangerous criminal activity and bring offenders to justice.”
On Nov. 18, 2024, law enforcement observed Balderas’s truck attempting to circumvent the U.S. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint at the 29-mile marker of Interstate Highway 35. Authorities noticed the outline of people inside the vehicle and initiated a traffic stop. As they approached, they observed shoes protruding out from under the tarp.
Authorities discovered eight illegal aliens in the truck’s open bed and two more hiding inside. The aliens were citizens of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
Balderas will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
ICE-HSI and BP conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Game Wardens. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tae W. Chon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Repeat felon illegal alien sentenced to 39 months for unlawful entry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 53-year-old man from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for unlawfully reentering the country for the 4th time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Rafael Cortez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty May 1.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered him to serve 39 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard about Cortez-Gonzalez’s prior criminal record, including three prior felony convictions. In handing down the sentence, the court noted this sentence will hopefully serve as a deterrence.
Cortez-Gonzalez had two previous felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as for transporting an illegal alien within the United States.
He was first removed in November 2000 and illegally returned three times. Authorities discovered him again Feb. 12 in Kenedy County with no authorization to be there.
Cortez-Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine K. Tucker prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Southern District of Texas charges 204 this week alone in relation to border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 201 new cases have been filed related to immigration and border security from July 18-24, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 87 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 98 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while 11 cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes and assault of officers.
Some of those facing new criminal charges are five Mexican nationals, all of whom have previous felony convictions, according to their charges. One is Cristian Jesus Rodriguez-Cuarenta who allegedly has a prior conviction for conspiracy to transport an illegal alien and had just been removed in January. Four others – Juan Manuel Perez-Tamez, Ramiro Rodriguez-Esquivel, Jose Martinez-Lemus and Hector Esael Gonzalez-Garcia – are also alleged to be convicted felons of crimes including drug trafficking, multiple driving while intoxicated instances or illegal reentry. Despite their previous removals on varying dates between 2019 - 2022, authorities allegedly discovered all five men in the Edinburg area without any authorization to be in the United States. They face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
Also in the McAllen area this week, a suspicious vehicle led to the arrest of three, two of whom are Mexican nationals, and the discovery of nearly three dozen illegal aliens. They are now charged with human smuggling after authorities discovered 24 illegal aliens hidden in a tractor trailer at a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint, which included defendant Elbis Lisandro Moreno Uruqia. Joe Michael Cruz and Uruqia allegedly transported the aliens from Mission to Hebbronville. According to the charges, Uruqia and Cruz smuggled 18 aliens two weeks earlier. A related search at a Mission residence led to the arrest of Jesus Felipe Hernandez Rangel and the discovery of 10 additional illegal aliens, according to the complaint. If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
In addition to the new cases, Laredo resident Juan Francisco Reyna was ordered to federal prison. He led a multi-year human smuggling operation that used social media, inclement weather and the Covid-19 pandemic to transport over 100 illegal aliens, including minors, across the United States. Reyna coordinated the scheme through Facebook, paid drivers to monitor checkpoints and scheduled crossings during storms to avoid detection. Authorities linked him to stash houses in Laredo and San Antonio where they seized over $56,000 in U.S. currency and ammunition. He received a sentence of 63 months.
“Over the past six months, the Department of Justice has made securing our national border the number one priority, and the Southern District is putting that promise into action,” said Ganjei. “Human smugglers may have had an easy time over the past few years, but those days are over. If you engage in these crimes, if you break our nation’s immigration laws, you will be caught and you will be punished. Simple as that.”
An armed cartel carjacker was also sentenced this week. Mexican national Johnathan Mata-Espinoza received 108 months for two counts of armed carjacking. On July 27, 2023, he threatened two adults and a child, stealing their vehicle after they refused to give him a ride to the bus station, saying, “You better take me because if not, I will kill you all.” Authorities later linked him to a second armed encounter that same night, during which he threatened another victim and displayed a concealed firearm.
In Corpus Christi, a 40-year-old Mexican national illegally living in Houston pleaded guilty to leading a human smuggling organization and unlawfully reentering the United States. Edgar-Ruiz-Briones coordinated transportation of illegal aliens crossing the southern border, recruited drivers from as far as Kansas and managing over 100 smuggling trips into the United States over an 18-month period. He handled payments from aliens and paid drivers to move them from stash houses to destinations across the country. Ruiz-Briones, who had previously been removed multiple times, now faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
Jose Pascual Soliz received a sentence of 240 months in federal prison after admitting to recruiting Clara Miranda Aleman and others as well as coordinating the transportation of methamphetamine hidden in a vehicle’s gas tank. Aleman helped smuggle the drugs into the United States as part of a Laredo-based trafficking operation tied to Cartel De Noreste. Authorities seized more than 11.85 kilograms of methamphetamine from the pair, noting it was part of a larger shipment. The court also found Soliz had multiple felony convictions, including one for narcotics trafficking. Aleman previously received a 41-month sentence.
A Corpus Christi jury also convicted a former Texas National Guard soldier of smuggling illegal aliens. Mario Sandoval coordinated smuggling trips in the Rio Grande Valley and sent text messages to a co-conspirator about law enforcement activity. The defense attempted to convince the jury no conspiracy existed, and his text messages were out of context. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
In Houston, a 32-year-old Mexican national was ordered to serve 42 months after again illegally reentering the country. Juan Medina-Garcia has felony convictions for possession, aggravated assault and illegal reentry. He also has two prior removals from the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the sentence should serve as a significant deterrence to prevent any future illegal reentries.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, BP, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Laredo narcotics smuggler tied to cartel sentenced to 20 yearsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 38-year-old Laredo resident has been sentenced for smuggling methamphetamine into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Pascual Soliz pleaded guilty May 16.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Soliz to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered how Soliz worked for Cartel De Noreste to smuggle methamphetamine into the country and recruited others such as Carla Miranda Aleman to carry out the crime. He admitted doing so on at least six to eight occasions. This was his third felony conviction and second for narcotics trafficking.
The court also heard Soliz was known to recruit young woman such as Aleman to transport drugs and had used his minor daughter to recruit Aleman in this case.
Aleman, 20, was previously sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for role to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
On April 19, 2023, authorities seized more than 11.85 kilograms of methamphetamine from Soliz and Aleman. The drugs represented what remained of a larger amount Soliz had removed from a vehicle’s gas tank after the drugs had already been smuggled into the United States. The rest had already been distributed.
Authorities located the methamphetamine after the vehicle was undergoing repairs due to damage concealing the drugs had caused. The investigation revealed Aleman and Soliz used this vehicle to smuggle the methamphetamine into the United States.
Soliz will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Former mayor sentenced to nearly four years for cocaine conspiracy that involved use of school buildingRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The former mayor of Progreso has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Gerardo Alanis pleaded guilty Feb. 25.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Alanis to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Alanis was also ordered to pay a $15,000 fine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the use of a school building to store and re-package cocaine. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that dangerous drugs destroy lives on both sides of the border and that the use of school district property was an aggravating factor when determining the appropriate sentence.
“It is unthinkable that a public official would allow a school of all places to be used as a storehouse for cocaine. The facts of this case demonstrate how the drug trade affects all facets of a community, not just law enforcement,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is committed to ensuring safe schools and safe streets, and part of that goal is the total elimination of drug trafficking organizations operating within our area of operations.”
The investigation determined that from 2020 to 2022, conspirators would smuggle kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Mexico. The drug trafficking organization would then re-package and conceal the cocaine in hidden compartments built into 18-wheelers. Other involved in the conspiracy would transport it to other states, specifically Illinois, Tennessee and North Carolina.
Several others have already been sentenced for their roles in the scheme. Francisco Alanis, 42, Weslaco, received 150 months in federal prison. Eulalio Sierra, 51, Los Indios, was ordered to serve 120 months, while Jose Salas, 43, Weslaco, was sentenced to 47 months, and Ralph Lozano, 39, Houston, received time served. David Gomez-Ramos, 36, Mercedes, will serve a 139-month-term of imprisonment, while Juan Pablo Serrata, 50, Santa Rosa, and Gregorio Salinas, 54, Mercedes, received prison terms of 70 and 37 months, respectively. Gomez-Ramos, Serrata and Salinas are not U.S. citizens and are expected to face removal proceedings following the completion of their sentence.
Alanis was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Drug Enforcement Administration, High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Lance Watt and former AUSA Alejandra Andrade prosecuted the case.
The investigation is part of the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Forces which identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Armed cartel carjacker handed 108-month sentenceRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 22-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Johnathan Mata-Espinoza pleaded guilty to two counts of armed carjacking July 27, 2023.
U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now imposed a term of 108 months. Not a U.S. citizen, Mata-Espinoza is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court considered a victim impact statement as well as additional evidence regarding Mata-Espinoza’s involvement in Cartel Del Noreste.
“People have the right to raise their families and live their lives without some criminal shoving a gun in their face and threatening their families,” said Ganjei. “Cases like this demonstrate the corrosive effects the cartels have on our border communities. SDTX is working hard not only to secure the border to prevent future criminals from sneaking over, but also finding those criminals, like Mr. Mata-Espinoza, who are already here, preying on American citizens.”
On July 27, 2023, Mata-Espinoza had approached two adults and a child entering their vehicle and requested a ride to the bus station. When they refused, he lifted his shirt and threatened them, saying, “You better take me because if not, I will kill you all.” A young child was already inside the vehicle during the encounter.
One of the victim’s gave Mata-Espinoza the keys, and all three victims were eventually able to escape safely.
Shortly afterward, authorities located the stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. Mata-Espinoza briefly halted but fled after ignoring verbal commands.
Later that night, law enforcement discovered the first stolen vehicle abandoned and learned Mata-Espinoza had blocked another vehicle with his own, opened the door and ordered the victim to exit. When they refused, he said,“Bajate a la verga si no te voy a quebrar” (get down or I am going to kill you) and displayed a concealed firearm in his waistband. The victim fled and contacted authorities.
Authorities later discovered the second stolen vehicle abandoned near a home on Peach Tree Lane. Mata-Espinoza took off on foot and law enforcement was unable to apprehend him.
Authorities finally arrested him Sept. 15, 2023, when Mata-Espinoza exited the bus in Laredo.
Mata-Espinoza remains in custody until transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Polce Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch and Brandon S. Bowling prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal alien sent to prison for role in nationwide scheme to sell fake Texas paper vehicle tagsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The final man in a large-scale conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to the sale of hundreds of thousands of fraudulent Texas paper license plates has been ordered to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Emmanuel Padilla Reyes, 35, pleaded guilty May 13.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Reyes to serve 60 months in federal prison and to pay $22 million in restitution to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from the family of a victim killed by a truck bearing a fraudulent paper license plate that one of Reyes’ dealerships had issued. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that there were many more victims just like this one whose lives Reyes harmed and changed, and that this was not a victimless crime.
“The defendant’s criminal scheme was not only illegal in itself, but also facilitated scores of other crimes, such as armed robberies and drive-by shootings,” said Ganjei. “Texas motorists deserve to know vehicles on the roadways alongside them and their families are genuinely licensed, rather than the instruments of crime.”
“This case led not only to arrests and prison sentences for those behind a national multimillion-dollar scheme, but it also led to changes in the way temporary tags are issued in Texas. Changes that just went into effect July 1,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “That’s impactful, and I’m so proud of our law enforcement partners and the FBI Houston case team who made it all happen.”
Reyes and co-conspirators sold over 550,000 tags using the internet and messaging apps, without selling any vehicles. He used aliases, including a stolen identity, to obtain car dealer licenses for the scheme. The fake tags allowed buyers to evade registration, insurance and law enforcement detection, enabling crimes such as robberies and drive-by shootings.
In Texas, used car dealers must obtain an independent General Distinguishing Number to access the state’s eTag portal and issue temporary buyer tags. At the time of the indictment, the system lacked data entry restrictions. Reyes used fake identities and documents to obtain licenses for two fictitious dealerships, “King’s Ranch Autoland” and “Texas Motor Company,” then advertised Texas buyer tags for sale on Facebook and Instagram.
Reyes will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Co-defendants Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez, 45, Octavian Ocasio, 53, and Daniel Christine-Tani, 36, were also charged and convicted in the scheme and were sentenced to prison. Lopez, also in the United States illegally, failed to report to prison. A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 20 charging her with failure to surrender. Lopez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for her arrest. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Travis County Constable Office - Precinct 3, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the case.