Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON – A former attorney has entered a guilty plea for conspiring to commit mail fraud and filing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

Clyde J. Moore admitted to defrauding clients out of millions of dollars in personal injury settlement funds. Between 2012 and 2021, Moore and others at his firm, including Mark Broussard misled clients about medical expenses and diverted money for personal use. Moore ran the scheme through his firm, Clyde J. Moore Attorney at Law P.C.

To carry out the fraud, Moore and others inflated medical costs and falsely told injured clients the firm had paid certain providers more than it actually had. As a result, clients received a reduced share of their settlements.

Moore funneled the skimmed funds from the firm’s trust account into personal expenses. He used the money to buy two Ferrari sports cars, pay private school tuition for his children and fund an investment account. Moore also shared stolen funds with Broussard and other members of the firm who helped carry out the scheme.

Losses from the fraud totaled approximately $2.4 million.

As part of his plea, Moore will pay restitution to the IRS of over $500,000, representing taxes owed from years of false tax returns that intentionally understated his income. In addition, he has agreed to compensate his clients for the fraud in an amount the court will determine at a later date.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks will impose sentencing Sept. 8. At that time, Moore faces a maximum five-year possible prison term for the conspiracy and up to three years for tax fraud. Both convictions also carry a potential $250,000 fine.

Broussard had previously pleaded guilty to the same charges and is also pending sentencing.

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Johnson is prosecuting this case.

McALLEN, Texas – Two Cuban nationals have been taken into custody on charges related to the exportation of stolen motor vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Sadiel Noa-Aguila, 42, and Miguel Baez-Echevarria, 36, resided in Pharr and Las Vegas, Nevada, respectively. 

Noa-Aguila is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker in McAllen at 9 a.m., while Baez is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brenda Wexler in Las Vegas.  

According to the criminal complaint unsealed upon their arrests, authorities launched an investigation in 2024 that uncovered a large ring linked to numerous vehicle thefts nationwide. The charges allege the vehicles were primarily stolen from major metropolitan airports and surrounding areas, including Las Vegas; Phoenix, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; Denver, Colorado; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Texas cities including Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston.

As part of the scheme, co-conspirators allegedly used electronic devices to steal the vehicles and reprogram key fobs. They then equipped the vehicles with fraudulent license plates or altered vehicle identification numbers before reselling them, according to the charges. Several vehicles were also allegedly exported to Mexico through ports of entry in Hidalgo County and El Paso. 

Noa-Aguila allegedly attempted to export one of the vehicles, a 2022 GMC Sierra AT4 through a port of entry in Hidalgo County Oct. 1, 2024. It had been reported stolen in Denver the previous month, according to the allegations.

The charges allege Baez is linked to the theft of at least 15 additional vehicles and estimates the organization stole vehicles worth millions of dollars in total.

Both are charged with aiding and abetting the exportation of stolen motor vehicles which carries a maximum 10-year-prison term, upon conviction. Baez also faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering for which he could receive up to 20 years in federal prison.  

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are conducting the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Customs and Border Protection, ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Dallas Fort Worth Airport Department of Public Safety, Tarrant County District Attorneys’ Office and Tarrant County Regional Auto Crimes Task Force as well as sheriff’s offices in El Paso and Hidalgo Counties; Otero County, New Mexico; Broward County, Florida; and police departments in El Paso, Houston and Pharr; Las Vegas; Phoenix; Salt Lake City; and Denver.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. 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 OCDETF 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. 

LAREDO, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Laredo has been sentenced for unlawfully reentering the country and human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jesus Hernandez-Herrera pleaded guilty March 27.

U.S. District Judge John Kazen has now ordered Hernandez-Herrera to serve 66 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings again following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described Hernandez-Herrera’s criminal history, including an evading arrest incident in which he drove his car towards a federal agent, almost collided with a pedestrian and engaged in a dangerous vehicle pursuit. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Hernandez-Herrera did not seem remorseful for what he did.

Hernandez-Herrera also has five prior removals from the United States.

On Dec. 10, 2024, a Ford Expedition and Cadillac were driving in tandem and stopped at an intersection, where three suspected illegal aliens approached the two vehicles. Hernandez-Herrera had been driving the Expedition.

Authorities followed him to a residence on Green Street where they observed suspected illegal aliens leave the house and enter the vehicle. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, Hernandez-Herrera fled and lead them on a high-speed pursuit, weaving in and out of heavy traffic and speeds reaching 95 miles per hour.

The pursuit ended when Hernandez-Herrera crashed into two vehicles on Santa Maria Avenue. He and four illegal aliens fled on foot. Hernandez-Herrera ran into oncoming traffic, but law enforcement apprehended him before he could cross onto the southbound lanes of IH-35.

Hernandez-Herrera ultimately confessed, admitting there were additional aliens at the Green Street residence. Authorities discovered an additional four people illegally in the United States and approximately 50.8 kilograms of marijuana at the location.

“The human smuggling trade endangers our community in many ways, not the least of which is high-speed vehicular flights like the one in this case,” said Ganjei. “This defendant, with his five prior removals, should have never been in this country, but now he’ll have the opportunity to stay in federal custody for several more years before being removed for one last time.”

Hernandez-Herrera 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 Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch 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.

HOUSTON – Viking Life-Saving Equipment (America) Inc. has agreed to pay $3.86 million to resolve allegations it fraudulently obtained paycheck protection program (PPP) loans, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Viking is a marine equipment company headquartered in Miami, Florida, with operations in Pasadena. It is a subsidiary of Denmark-based Viking Life Savings Equipment A/S. The company provides maritime and offshore safety equipment and services, including lifeboats, life rafts, personal protective gear and safety training programs.

From April 24, 2020, to Nov. 11, 2021, Viking applied for two PPP loans and requested forgiveness for both. The PPP, created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, offered forgivable loans to small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic for employee payroll and certain other expenses. Eligible companies were required to have fewer than 500 employees or meet industry-specific size limits. Under the Small Business Administration (SBA) affiliation rules, businesses with shared ownership or control had to include all affiliated employees when calculating eligibility.

The settlement resolves allegations that Viking obtained two PPP loans by misrepresenting the total number of its own employees and those of its affiliates. Viking allegedly falsely certified eligibility on the dates of the relevant loan application materials to receive PPP funding and loan forgiveness. Viking fully responded to requests for information in this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Moore handled the matter in coordination with Attorney Amber Perez, SBA - Office of General Counsel.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

HOUSTON – A Houston couple have been sentenced for wire fraud and conspiracy for a romance scheme targeting citizens nationwide, many of whom were elderly, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Darlington Akporugo, 47, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud Feb 28. His wife, Jasmin Sood aka Jaslynn Washington, 37, entered her plea to the same charges Dec. 17, 2024.      

U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has imposed a 188-month-term of imprisonment for Akporugo, while Sood received 121 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences and pay full restitution of $3,123,073. 

At the hearing, four victims testified about the couple’s persistent lies and false promises, which led them to send large sums of money. One victim told the court how the pair coerced her into buying a luxury vehicle and renting a mansion for them. Authorities arrested the couple while they were driving the victim’s vehicle and living in her rented home. In handing down the sentence, the court described the scheme as heartless and far-reaching, noting Akporugo and Sood deliberately targeted older women, including several widows. Judge Eskridge highlighted the financial devastation left in their wake and commended the victims for their courage in coming forward. 

Akporugo admitted to being a central figure in a long-running romance scheme based in Houston that targeted victims from Chicago to Kentucky. He and others to lured victims through online romances and convinced them to send money to bank accounts he controlled. Sood created fake businesses and bank accounts under aliases and used disguises to deposit the funds.     

To carry out the scheme, Akporugo and his co-conspirators used fake names on social media to gain victims’ trust and persuade them to invest in non-existent businesses or provide funds for invented personal circumstances. Akporugo admitted to directing victims-mostly older individuals-to send money through platforms like Facebook. The funds were spent extravagantly or passed to co-defendants. 

He also admitted to having victims open lines of credit in his name and, in one case, purchase a luxury vehicle for his personal use. Authorities identified over 25 victims during the multi-year scheme.   

Losses from the fraud ring’s operation total more than $3 million.

“Investigating and prosecuting those that perpetuate romance scams—particularly those who target the lonely elderly—will always be a priority for the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “We applaud those victims courageous enough to notify authorities, and we encourage others who have been victimized to similarly come forward. Together, we may stop the next fraudster.”

“Romance scams and other financial schemes like this exploit our nation’s elderly and vulnerable populations out of their hard-earned retirement savings and other critical funding that they need to survive,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI). “As a result, they are often left emotionally devastated and financially ruined with limited options for recovery once the money has been laundered out of the U.S. Thanks to the courage of the victims in this case who came forward quickly to report it to law enforcement, we were able to successfully track down the two criminals responsible and hold them accountable before they could take advantage of additional victims.”

Both will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

ICE-HSI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 40-year-old Mexican national illegally in the United States has been ordered to prison for possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

Miguel Angel Reyes-Sanchez pleaded guilty Aug. 2, 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered him to serve 57 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 Reyes-Sanchez’s role in the drug trafficking organization and that he was involved in multiple transactions.

The investigation revealed that on April 2, 2024, Reyes-Sanchez placed a white cardboard box into a silver Buick that Cesar Gonzales was driving. Authorities conducted a traffic stop which lead to the discovery of 3.5 kilograms of cocaine inside the vehicle. Gonzales attempted to flee on foot, but law enforcement was able to apprehend him.

A month later, law enforcement observed Reyes-Sanchez in another drug transaction which resulted in the discovery of an additional 49.2 kilograms of cocaine.

He admitted he knew he was transporting the drugs on that date and to providing the cocaine to Gonzales.

The drugs from both instances had an estimated street value of $1.2 million.

Reyes-Sanchez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Gonzales, 24, McAllen, had also pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to 24 months in federal prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 49-year-old man from El Trapiche, Guerrero, Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Angel Zavaleta-Rodriguez was previously removed from the United States in August 2000 and had previously returned illegally. Authorities removed him Nov. 13, 2023, but encountered him again March 25 in Harlingen. Zavaleta-Rodriguez had been residing in Sebastian illegally. 

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing Sept. 7. At that time, Zavaleta-Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

Zavaleta-Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation along with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado 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.

LAREDO, Texas - A 42-year-old Mexican citizen with a B1/B2 visa has been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to enter the United States with child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Martin Alonso Diaz-Lopez pleaded guilty July 9, 2024, to transportation of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now sentenced Diaz-Lopez to 180 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court held him accountable for 66,489 images and noted that Diaz-Lopez wasn’t just possessing these images but sharing them online and bringing them into the United States. Diaz-Lopez was further ordered to pay $44,148 in restitution to the victims in the images he possessed and brought to the country. Not a U.S. citizen, Diaz-Lopez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. He will also have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet and will be ordered to register as a sex offender. The court noted that many of the images and videos he possessed were of very young children and toddlers being raped.

The investigation began when authorities identified his email as one of many internet users in Tijuana, Mexico, sharing child pornography online. Diaz-Lopez had applied for a visa in 2023 and listed the same email address uncovered during the investigation. Law enforcement then put an alert on his name.

On March 22, 2024, Diaz-Lopez arrived at the Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo and applied for admission into the United States. Authorities referred him to secondary inspection because of the alert.

At that time, Diaz-Lopez consented to a search of his phones which revealed approximately 20 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

A forensic examination ultimately uncovered a total of 1,484 child pornography files - 883 videos and 264 pictures.

Diaz-Lopez admitted he began viewing CSAM in 2022 while living and working in Pennsylvania and continued after returning to his home in Mexico. He also acknowledged belonging to group chats on various social media platforms where he and others exchanged CSAM. He further admitted he shared material in those chats to receive more in return.

“The defendant not only chose to break our country’s immigration laws, but also decided to bring in thousands of images of children being sexually abused. Neither defendant, nor his sick proclivities, are welcome in America,” said Ganjei. “Diaz-Lopez earned each and every day of his 180-month sentence, and an equally severe punishment awaits him if he ever tries to return.”

“Today's sentencing shows that anyone trying to exploit and harm children, no matter where they're from, will face serious consequences. This case, involving a Mexican citizen who tried to enter the U.S. with child pornography, highlights our dedication to protecting our homeland and our neighborhoods. HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, will keep working hard to bring those who exploit our children to justice and protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Laredo Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mauro Lopez from Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

ICE-HSI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens 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 link on that page.

HOUSTON - A five-count superseding indictment has been unsealed charging two Venezuelan nationals and alleged high-ranking members of the designated foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.   

Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano aka “El Viejo,” 37, and Jose Enrique Martinez Flores aka “Chuqui,” 24, are charged with conspiring to provide and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization as well as conspiracy and distribution of cocaine in Colombia intended for distribution in the United States. 

A federal grand jury in Houston returned a superseding indictment April 8, which has now been unsealed in its entirety.  

Colombian authorities arrested Martinez Flores March 31 in Colombia pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant the United States had requested. He remains in custody there pending further proceedings. 

Mosquera Serrano remains a fugitive and is now on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List.

“Transnational criminal gangs and cartels have preyed upon Americans for far too long,” said Ganjei. “That ends now. The Southern District of Texas is committed to smashing these criminal terror groups and will use every available legal tool to do so. It doesn’t matter if you are hiding a continent away; if you hurt U.S. citizens, we will find you and bring you to justice. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.” 

According to the allegations, Mosquera Serrano and Martinez Flores are charged with one count of conspiring to provide material support to TdA in the form of personnel (including themselves) and services and one count of providing material support to TdA. The indictment also alleges one count of international drug distribution conspiracy based on their involvement in the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more and two substantive counts of international drug distribution.

The Department of State designated TdA as a foreign terrorist organization and Specially Designated Global Terrorist Feb. 20. 

According to information presented to the court, Mosquera Serrano is a senior TdA leader who oversees TdA criminal operations across Colombia, Central America and the United States, and Martinez Flores is a high-ranking TdA leader in Bogota, Colombia.  

The charges allege Mosquera Serrano and Martinez Flores caused the delivery of approximately five kilograms or more of cocaine for international distribution, proceeds that were used to further TdA’s criminal goals.

If convicted, they face up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine. 

If you have any information concerning Mosquera Serrano, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp or Telegram at 281-787-9939. Those with information may also contact their local FBI office, nearest American Embassy or Consulate or can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

The Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $3 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Mosquera Serrano. 

The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Colombian National Police and the Colombian Attorney General’s Office (Fiscalía General de la Nación). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV). 

JTFV was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA and is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Northern District of Ohio; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada and Alaska; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Forearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners with JTFV.

This case is also a 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.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. 

VICTORIA, Texas - A 28-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for armed robbery and felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours following a three-day trial before finding Jordan Javon Ashton guilty Feb. 20.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now handed Ashton a total 84-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard from the robbery victim who described being afraid to work in public and to having nightmares, poor appetite and anxiety. The owner of the stolen truck used in the robbery also provided testimony about how his family is frightened as a result of the theft and that his son was sad because his toys were stolen.   

Oct. 31, 2023, Latrayveon McNeal and Jerrell Potts robbed the Morelos Supermercardos in Victoria using a stolen vehicle, gun and license plates. Wearing masks and armed with firearms, they entered the store, threatened employees at the Barri money services counter and stole U.S. currency and cashed checks.

The men fled in a stolen white truck and met up with Ashton, who was armed and waiting. Ashton drove them from the scene, leaving the truck idling in the middle of the road.

The jury saw numerous exhibits to include several photographs and surveillance video from the supermarket, the weapons used in the crime and heard excerpts of 911 calls made on that day.

They also heard that Ashton had previously been convicted of a felony and was on parole during the commission of this crime.

The defense attempted to convince the jury that he withdrew from the conspiracy. They did not believe those claims and found Ashton guilty as charged.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

McNeal, 27, and Potts, 25, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the crime. Both received 87 months in federal prison.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Victoria Police Department, Victoria County Sheriff’s Office and Victoria County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth prosecuted the case.

An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Houston charging a Texas man with offenses related to the alleged operation of illegal and unsafe trucking companies.

According to court documents, Shaquan Jelks, 48, of Houston, managed and controlled multiple commercial trucking companies after being ordered not to do so by a federal court and by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (“FMCSA”), the regulatory agency responsible for ensuring that commercial trucks and their drivers are equipped to operate safely on public roads and highways. The indictment against Jelks alleges that he repeatedly lied to and obstructed the FMCSA, including after a driver for his companies was killed in a single-vehicle crash in February 2022. The indictment also alleges that Jelks relied on fraud to finance his illegal trucking companies, including by diverting to his trucking companies money fraudulently obtained from the Paycheck Protection Program.

“Individuals who impair, impede, or obstruct the lawful functions of the FMCSA make our roads and highways less safe,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Transportation and our law enforcement partners to protect drivers on our roads and highways.”

“Motorists have a right to expect that the commercial trucks on their roadways—which weigh tens of thousands of pounds or more—are safely maintained and operated,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “By prosecuting those that undermine this expectation of safety, DOJ and DOT are simultaneously keeping our roadways safe and maintaining public confidence.”

“Keeping our highways safe is essential to protecting our families, our economy, and our way of life,” said Joseph Harris, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General’s Southern Region. “People have every right to expect that trucking companies follow the highest safety standards when using our public roads. Today’s announcement shows our continued commitment to holding commercial operators accountable—especially those who put profits ahead of public safety by disregarding key DOT regulations.”

The Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Ethan Carroll and Lindsey Marcus of the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day of the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

HOUSTON – A total of 204 new cases have been filed in the last week related to immigration, border security and related offenses from June 13-19, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

Among those are 65 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 125 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while five cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes and more, including assault on officers.

Two such charged include Adrian Alberto Castillo-Contador and Lorenzo Ramirez. Castillo-Contador, a Mexican national, allegedly attempted to make entry into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry. The charges allege he failed to comply with commands and attempted to evade a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer. Castillo-Contador allegedly pushed the officer and caused injury but was apprehended before able to exit.

In another case, authorities allegedly found Lorenzo Ramirez near an abandoned vehicle after a failed smuggling event near Weslaco. The criminal complaint alleges that as a Border Patrol (BP) agent approached him, Ramirez fled, and a foot chase ensued. Law enforcement caught him, but during the struggle, Ramirez punched and elbowed the agent in the thigh and head, respectively, according to the charges. Ramirez also allegedly kicked another agent in the leg. The charges further allege authorities had to taser him. Both men face up to eight years in federal prison if convicted for assaulting an officer.

Also part of the new cases are several complaints alleging previous felons had illegally reentered the United States. Mexican nationals Ivan Edgar Martinez, Carlos Bartolo Santiago-Hernandez and Hugo Jimenez-Castillo had all been previously removed from the country on various dates between 2017-2014, acceding to their respective charges. However, all were allegedly found in the Rio Grande Valley area this week. Martinez and Santiago-Hernandez have convictions for illegal reentry, while Jimenez-Castillo had been sentenced to two years in prison for his driving while intoxicated conviction, according to the allegations. If convicted, all face up to 20 years in prison.

Throughout the district, law enforcement partners made multiple arrests, including nearly two dozen charged in large drug and money laundering operation. Grand juries in Houston and McAllen returned the five separate, but related indictments in May. The charges allegedly involve cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine trafficking, firearms-related offenses and money laundering. The arrests are the culmination of multiple months-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations dubbed Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time and Resurrection. During the investigation and operations, law enforcement also seized over 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, over two thousand kilograms methamphetamine, more than 100 firearms and nearly $3 million as well as four properties valued at $1.2 million.

In Laredo, two cartel firearms traffickers have now been sent to federal prison. Mexican national Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo received a 41-month-term, while Homero Arteaga Jr. previously received 57 months. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that the firearms were going to be smuggled across the border and delivered to the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. On Sept. 18, 2024, they planned to purchase a Barrett .50 caliber rifle for $15,000 and a FN Herstal Belgium, 5.7 x 28 caliber pistol with a large capacity magazine for $850. They were both arrested as they tried to complete the transaction.

“The Department of Justice is looking to hit the cartels from every angle and at every opportunity, which includes vigorously prosecuting not just the members of these terror groups, but those that enable them as well,” said Ganjei. “Those that arm or otherwise empower the cartels are going to the meet the full force of the federal criminal justice system.”

In Corpus Christi, an Arkansas man was ordered to prison for 36 months for transporting illegal aliens in wheel well and fuel tank. The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling March 11. At the sentencing hearing, the court noted the egregious crime and said the smuggled individuals had been “treated like trash.” All the illegal aliens were from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States.

“As we continue our successful campaign to secure the border, human smugglers are going to get increasingly desperate,” said Ganjei. “No matter how creative they think they are in their methods, our law enforcement partners are always one step ahead.”

A Laredo felon was also sentenced for transporting illegal aliens. Braulio Ivan Rueda was ordered to serve 21 months after he had engaged in a high-speed chase. Rueda picked up several people running from the Rio Grande River into his SUV. When authorities tried to block the vehicle, four Guatemalan nationals fled towards the river. Rueda sped away and led authorities on a three-mile chase before stopping in a commercial parking lot and attempted to escape on foot. He admitted he needed money and agreed to smuggle the aliens for “easy money.”

Also in Laredo, Anthony Jacob Garza was suspiciously driving a Ford Expedition about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border in April. He admitted he stopped at a gas station, where authorities ultimately found three illegal aliens hiding under a blanket in the SUV’s cargo area. He had picked them up near a county road. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

Two Mexican nationals and convicted felons, one who had previously assaulted public servant, are on their way back to prison for illegal reentry into the country. Abelino Hernandez-Torres was ordered to serve 60 months. He has prior convictions for illegal reentry as well as evading arrest with a motor vehicle and assault on a public servant. He was first ordered removed from the United States in 2015 and again in 2019 and 2020, and returned illegally.

Authorities had encountered Hector Ruben Cardenas-Morales in jail following charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful restraint. He has other convictions, including burglary, evading arrest with a motor vehicle and illegal reentry and was last removed in 2023. At the sentencing hearing, the court noted how this was his fifth time coming back and was not serving himself by returning to the country or learning from his mistakes, stating “Sir, you have no future in the United States.” He was sentenced to 63 months in federal 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, BP, CBP, 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 OCDTF 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Guadalupe Antonio-Arredondo pleaded guilty April 3.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Antonio-Arredondo to serve 30 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

Antonio-Arredondo admitted to assisting in the smuggling of an illegal alien July 12, 2024, by acting as a river guide. He led the illegal alien and a brush guide across the river to the border wall, then returned to Mexico.

After crossing, the illegal alien had trouble breathing and collapsed. The brush guide fled to a nearby house to hide from law enforcement. Authorities found the alien and took him to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased July 17, 2024.

He 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 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.

HOUSTON – A total of 23 people are now in custody for various drug trafficking, firearms and money laundering charges following major law enforcement operations in Houston/Galveston and Rio Grande Valley areas of Texas this week, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Some of those arrested have already begun to make their appearances U.S. Magistrate Judges Christina Bryan in Houston, Andrew Edison in Galveston and Nadia Medrano in McAllen. Others are in state custody on related charges and expected in federal court in the near future. 

Grand juries in Houston and McAllen returned the five separate, but related indictments in May. The charges allege crimes that occurred as early as January 2023 for some and between May 2024 and December 2024 for others and involve cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine trafficking, firearms-related offenses and money laundering.

The charges allege some of the individuals were truck drivers delivering drugs north. According to information presented to the court, 10 kilograms of cocaine had been taken to Georgia and money returned to pay drivers and other expenses.

The arrests are the culmination of multiple months-long Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations dubbed Operation Red Ranger, Borrowed Time and Resurrection. During the investigation and operations, law enforcement also seized over 170 kilograms of cocaine and heroin, over two thousand kilograms methamphetamine, more than 100 firearms and nearly $3 million as well as four properties valued at $1.2 million.

If convicted, many charged with drug trafficking offenses face up to life in federal prison and could pay millions in fines. Those charged with money laundering offenses face up to 20 years, while the firearms convictions carry up to 10 or 15 years in federal prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the OCDETF operations with the assistance of U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Department of Public Safety; sheriff’s offices in Fort Bend, Galveston, Chambers, Hidalgo, Harris and Kleberg counties; Texas Attorney General’s Office - Money Laundering Unit; West Tennessee Drug Task Force and police departments in Houston, Katy and Galveston as well as Houston and South Texas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area programs. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Leo III, Patricia Cook Profit, Michael Day and Roberto Lopez are prosecuting the cases.

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 OCDETF and 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. 

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 26-year-old convicted felon who is a Mexican national has been sentenced for unlawfully reentering the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Abelino Hernandez-Torres pleaded guilty Nov. 26, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Hernandez-Torres to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. 

Hernandez-Torres has prior convictions for illegal reentry as well as evading arrest with a motor vehicle and assault on a public servant. He was first ordered removed from the United States in 2015 and again in 2019 and May 2, 2020, and returned illegally. He was found in Olmito following his arrest for evading arrest with a motor vehicle Jan. 20, 2021.

Hernandez-Torres will remain in custody transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano 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.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 55-year-old Mexican national illegally residing in Raymondville has been ordered to prison for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Reynaldo Galvan-Rico pleaded guilty April 4, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered him to serve 72 months in federal prison. Galvan-Rico is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

Beginning in March 2019, authorities identified Galvan-Rico as a coordinator in Mexico. The investigation revealed he acted as the point of contact for the drug supplier in Mexico and the drivers transporting narcotics in the United States.

Galvan-Rico was allowed to remain on bond and surrender at a later date.

“A major component of Operation Take Back America is the pursuit and punishment of drug traffickers,” said Ganjei. “Those that seek a quick buck by poisoning our communities through the drug trade should be looking over their shoulder because we are coming for them.”

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.

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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Watt prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old Laredo man has been sentenced to federal prison for transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Braulio Ivan Rueda pleaded guilty Feb. 27.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Rueda to serve a total of 21 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

On Nov. 25, 2024, several people ran from the Rio Grande River into an SUV with fictitious plates. Rueda was driving. When authorities tried to block the vehicle, four Guatemalan nationals fled towards the river.

Rueda sped away and led authorities on a three-mile chase before stopping in a commercial parking lot and attempting to escape on foot.

Authorities soon took him into custody and located the four illegal aliens.

He admitted he needed money and agreed to smuggle the aliens for “easy money.” One had said he arranged in Guatemala to be smuggled into the United States and picked up near Laredo.

Rueda 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 assistance from Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Office and Webb County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez 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.

LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been sentenced for attempting to traffic firearms into Mexico on behalf of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Mexican national Jorge Alberto Morales-Calvo, 25, pleaded guilty Jan. 8, while Homero Arteaga Jr., 45, Mission, entered his plea Nov. 21, 2024.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed a 41-month-term of imprisonment for Morales-Calvo. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. At the hearing, the court heard Morales-Calvo and Arteaga knew the firearms were going to be smuggled across the border and delivered to CJNG. In handing down the sentence, Judge Kazen noted that selling firearms to the cartel in Mexico leads to the destabilization of that country. Arteaga previously received 57 months in prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

The investigation revealed Arteaga and Morales-Calvo were purchasing firearms on behalf of a broker for CJNG. On Sept. 18, 2024, they planned to purchase a Barrett .50 caliber rifle for $15,000 and a FN Herstal Belgium, 5.7 x 28 caliber pistol with a large capacity magazine for $850.

Arteaga and Morales-Calvo were given $16,000 in counterfeit U.S. currency to pay for the firearms.

When they arrived in Zapata to complete the transaction, Morales-Calvo stayed in the vehicle while Arteaga inspected the firearms. Arteaga then retrieved the fake U.S. currency and took possession of the firearms. Law enforcement immediately arrested Arteaga. Morales-Calvo attempted to flee but authorities stopped him before making it out of the parking lot.

“The Department of Justice is looking to hit the cartels from every angle and at every opportunity, which includes vigorously prosecuting not just the members of these terror groups, but those that enable them as well,” said Ganjei. “Those that arm or otherwise empower the cartels are going to the meet the full force of the federal criminal justice system.”

“Trafficking firearms on behalf of violent cartels is not just illegal, it fuels deadly cycle of violence on both sides of the border,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “This case demonstrates how seriously we take these crimes and how we are using every tool and resource available to disrupt the illegal flow of weapons, dismantle cartel networks, and protect our communities.” The success of this investigation reflects the critical partnerships between all levels of law enforcement working together to stop this violence at its source.”

Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The ATF conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch 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.

LAREDO, Texas – A 24-year-old Laredo man has admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

On April 13, authorities observed Anthony Jacob Garza suspiciously driving a Ford Expedition about 20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. He continued along Texas Highway 44 towards Encinal where he eventually stopped at a gas station.

Upon law enforcement questioning, Garza claimed he was travelling alone. As authorities approached the rear of the vehicle, he admitted he had “picked up some guys” near a county road and didn’t know who they were. Law enforcement conducted a consensual search of the SUV and found three illegal aliens hiding under a blanket in the cargo area.

One told authorities he had agreed to pay $8,500 to smugglers in Mexico for transport into the United States and onto San Antonio. After crossing the Rio Grande River, the group traveled through the brush to the intersection of a county road and U.S. Highway 83, where Garza picked them up.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Garza faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Garza has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez 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.

HOUSTON – The former president of a local pipe and tubing company has pleaded guilty to tax evasion and bankruptcy fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.  

John Philip Tharp served as president of Bendco, a Pasadena-based company that specialized in bending pipes, tubes and other metal materials for oil and structural applications. The company filed for bankruptcy in February 2018.

Tharp admitted to embezzling funds by diverting and cashing customer payments at local businesses. He also directed Bendco to issue fraudulent checks payable to cash, fictitious vendors or companies with no legitimate business ties. To conceal the theft, Tharp altered the company’s financial records, including by deleting invoices.

“Bankruptcy exists to shield those that find themselves in dire financial straits, and to give people fresh starts,” said Ganjei. “When somebody commits bankruptcy fraud, they’re abusing this legal protection, and cheating those that lent them money, goods, or services. Here, through his duplicitous acts, the defendant unfortunately turned a messy financial situation into a criminal matter.”

“When you cash checks intended for your business, put it in your personal account and hide the evidence, it’s fraud. When you declare bankruptcy and fail to report the checks, it’s bankruptcy fraud. When you fail to file your tax returns and try to conceal how much you would owe, it’s tax evasion,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “These financial laws are pretty simple to understand, which makes it easier for our special agents to prove your criminal intent. You know you’re breaking the law and we know we’ll catch you.”

According to court documents, Tharp carried out the scheme while Bendco was in bankruptcy proceedings. As part of that process, the company was required to deposit all incoming funds into a Debtor in Possession (DIP) account. Tharp admitted he caused Bendco to file false monthly operating reports to the bankruptcy court, falsely stating that all funds had been deposited into the DIP account.

He acknowledged his embezzlement resulted in a loss of $413,480.

Tharp also admitted he failed to file a 2018 tax return and willfully evaded payment of $126,430 owed to the IRS. 

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen will impose sentencing Sept. 22. Both counts of bankruptcy fraud and tax evasion carry a sentence of up to five years in prison. Tharp also agreed to pay $413,480 in restitution to Bendco and $126,430 to the IRS.   

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case.   

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old man from Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been ordered to federal prison for unlawfully transporting four illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes following a less than two-day trial before finding Noel Mercado guilty on two counts of alien smuggling March 11.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Mercado to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered evidence showing that two individuals had been bolted inside a pickup truck’s wheel well. In handing down the sentence, the court called the offense circumstance egregious and said the smuggled individuals had been “treated like trash.”

On the evening of Jan. 5, Mercado approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint in a Ford F-350 and nearly drove past it. Authorities noticed his jaw shaking and a stuttered response to questions. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle which prompted a referral to secondary inspection, where an x-ray scan revealed two individuals hidden in bolted wheel well compartments and two more inside the auxiliary fuel tank.

All four were illegal aliens from the countries of Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala with no authority to be in the United States.

At trial, Mercado claimed he had travelled to the Rio Grande Valley to trade baseball cards and other collectibles. He testified he had no idea any of the four individuals were concealed inside the truck he was driving. The jury did not believe his claims and found him guilty as charged.

“As we continue our successful campaign to secure the border, human smugglers are going to get increasingly desperate,” said Ganjei. “No matter how creative they think they are in their methods, our law enforcement partners are always one step ahead.”

Mercado will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Ashley Pruitt 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.

HOUSTON – Two men have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with violating U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela, illegally smuggling goods from the United States and money laundering.

Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, 56, a Venezuelan national and lawful permanent resident of Huntsville, and Thomas Michael Fortinberry, 51, Decatur, Alabama, have made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan.

According to the criminal complaint, unsealed upon their appearances in court, Cairo and Fortinberry conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry’s scheme allegedly involved the use of U.S. and overseas front companies that served as intermediaries on shipping documents, foreign bank accounts that moved money into and out of the United States and other activities designed to conceal the fact that the goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.

The charges allege that from at least 2022 through the present, Cairo and Fortinberry — at times acting through companies they owned or controlled — sold millions of dollars’ worth of catalysts, industrial equipment and related services to the Venezuelan steel company Complejo Siderurgico de Guayana S.A. (COMSIGUA), which the Venezuelan government owns and is subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry allegedly used Chinese suppliers to ship the catalysts or industrial equipment directly from China to Venezuela, and in at least one instance, shipped the goods from the United States to Venezuela.

As part of their scheme, Cairo and Fortinberry also transferred millions of dollars between bank accounts in the United States, Spain and China — in transactions involving companies based in China, Germany and Spain — all for the purpose of continuing their sanctions evasion scheme and to conceal the true parties involved, according to the charges.

If convicted, both Cairo and Fortinberry face a maximum of 20 years in prison for the sanctions and money laundering violations and 10 years for smuggling.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Defense Criminal Investigative Service are conducting the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry, Yifei Zheng and Christopher Magnani of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Note: View the criminal complaint.

Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron, 56, of Huntsville, Texas, and Thomas Michael Fortinberry, 51, of Decatur, Alabama, were arrested on June 13, 2025 on a federal criminal complaint charging them with violating U.S. sanctions related to Venezuela, illegally smuggling goods from the United States, and money laundering. The defendants will make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Texas today.

According to the complaint, Cairo, a Venezuelan national and U.S. lawful permanent resident, and Fortinberry, a U.S. citizen, conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment, and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry’s scheme involved the use of U.S. and overseas front companies that served as intermediaries on shipping documents, foreign bank accounts that moved money into and out of the United States, and other activities designed to conceal the fact that the goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.

As alleged, from at least 2022 through the present, Cairo and Fortinberry — at times acting through companies that they owned or controlled such as DRI Reformers and Reformer Technologies — sold millions of dollars’ worth of catalysts, industrial equipment, and related services to the Venezuelan steel company Complejo Siderurgico de Guayana S.A. (COMSIGUA), which is owned by the Venezuelan government and is subject to U.S. sanctions. Cairo and Fortinberry used Chinese suppliers to ship the catalysts or industrial equipment directly from China to Venezuela, and in at least one instance, they shipped the goods from the United States to Venezuela. As part of their scheme, Cario and Fortinberry also transferred millions of dollars between bank accounts in the United States, Spain, and China — in transactions involving companies based in China, Germany, and Spain — all for the purpose of continuing their sanctions evasion scheme, and to conceal the true parties involved.

If convicted, both Cairo and Fortinberry face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the sanctions and money laundering violations, and 10 years in prison for the smuggling violation. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service are investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorney Christopher Magnani provided substantial assistance.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

LAREDO, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national has pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

On March 12, Raul Velasco-Leon was traveling from Tennessee and approached the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge attempting to enter Mexico. While on the primary lane, authorities selected Velasco-Leon for further inspection and referred him to secondary.

They conducted a search of his belongings and found what appeared to be a piece of youth-sized clothing with the words “Girl Power” tucked inside a jean pocket. Law enforcement also discovered multiple electronic devices, including 10 USB flash drives, two cell phones and a laptop. On one of the devices, they discovered six files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of minor victims approximately 10 years of age.

The files contained approximately five photographs and one video that contained CSAM. The five images, displayed via video chat, depicted female minor victims showing their genital areas. The video had a split screen with the adult male, later determined to be Velasco-Leon, masturbating while the top of the screen displayed a montage of CSAM including a female minor victim being forced to perform oral sex on an adult male.

Velasco-Leon admitted he had been engaged in a video chat and when he saw the CSAM, he would watch and screen record it.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Velasco-Leon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

“This case is about protecting kids both north and south of the border from the defendant’s predatory behavior,” said Ganjei. “Although Velasco-Leon was about to depart the United States for Mexico, given his conduct, his stay in the U.S. is about to become much, much longer.”

“This guilty plea is a critical step in holding Velasco-Leon accountable for the disturbing crimes he committed,” said Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mauro Lopez of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Laredo. “HSI remains committed to identifying, investigating and bringing to justice those who exploit children. We will continue working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure predators face the full consequences of their actions and that victims are not forgotten.”

ICE-HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez 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. 

Note: View a copy of the White Deer declination letter, Unicat non-prosecution agreement, and Mani Erfan's plea agreement.

The Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) today announced that they declined the prosecution of private equity firm White Deer Management LLC (White Deer) and its affiliates after the firm discovered and voluntarily self-disclosed criminal violations of U.S. sanctions and export laws committed by a company it acquired, Texas-based Unicat Catalyst Technologies LLC (Unicat).

NSD and SDTX also announced that the Justice Department entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Unicat, and that, on Aug. 19, 2024, the former chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of Unicat, Mani Erfan, pleaded guilty to conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran and other countries and foreign governments, as well as concealment and international promotional money laundering. As part of his plea, Erfan also agreed to pay a money judgment in the amount of $1,600,000.

“After acquiring a company with a hidden history of sanctions violations, this private equity firm uncovered the misconduct, stopped it, and quickly reported it to the government, leading to the successful prosecution of a senior executive,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Our decision to decline prosecution of the acquiror and extend a non-prosecution agreement to the acquired entity in this case reflects the National Security Division’s strong commitment to rewarding responsible corporate leadership.”

“Illegally exporting sensitive items to Venezuela and Iran to help them evade sanctions directly undermines U.S. foreign policy and threatens our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston. “HSI will not sit by idly while businesses or individuals operating in the U.S. blatantly help our nation’s adversaries procure sensitive technologies or weapons and today’s announcement of a $3 million fine and the imposition of criminal charges is just another example of that enduring commitment.”

As detailed in court documents and in the Department’s agreements with White Deer and Unicat, from approximately 2014 through 2021, Mani Erfan, Unicat’s former CEO, conspired with others, including at least one other Unicat employee, to cause Unicat to submit bids and make sales to customers in Iran, Venezuela, Syria, and Cuba in violation of U.S. economic sanctions. In total, Erfan caused Unicat to make a total of 23 unlawful sales of chemical catalysts used in oil refining and steel production to customers in Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba. Some of the sales were effected through exports of catalysts from the United States and further violated U.S. export control laws.

To further the conspiracy, the conspirators made false statements in export documents and financial records about the true identities and locations of Unicat’s customers and falsely assured some Unicat employees that the company’s business with customers subject to U.S. economic sanctions was lawful. Unicat obtained approximately $3.33 million in revenue from its unlawful sales.

Erfan and Unicat employees additionally falsified invoices to reduce the tariffs assessed on catalysts that Unicat imported from China. By undervaluing these imports, Unicat caused a loss of revenue of approximately $1.66 million in duties, taxes, and fees. Further, during negotiations to sell Unicat to White Deer, Unicat’s prior owners provided representations and warranties to White Deer attesting to Unicat’s compliance with U.S. sanctions and export control laws.

The scheme came to light in June 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, after White Deer acquired Unicat and a second company based in the United Kingdom, and Unicat’s new CEO was able to travel to the United States to visit Unicat and begin to integrate the operations of the company. During his visit, the new CEO learned that Unicat had a pending transaction with an Iranian customer and immediately ordered the deal’s cancellation. Over the next month, White Deer and Unicat’s new CEO retained counsel to investigate, and learned that Unicat had engaged in a series of transactions with counterparties subject to different U.S. sanctions programs. Before the investigation was complete, but after determining that Unicat employees had engaged in potentially criminal violations of U.S. sanctions laws, White Deer and Unicat’s new management submitted a voluntary self-disclosure to NSD.

Pursuant to the NPA, Unicat agreed to pay forfeiture totaling $3,325,052.10, representing the proceeds of its violations of U.S. sanctions and export control laws. In parallel resolutions coordinated between the Justice Department, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Export Enforcement (OEE), Unicat agreed to pay $3,882,797 to OFAC for its apparent violations of U.S. sanctions laws, and agreed with OEE to pay a penalty of $391,183 for its violation of U.S. export control laws. OFAC agreed to credit Unicat’s payment of forfeiture pursuant to the NPA against the OFAC penalty, and OEE has agreed to credit Unicat’s payment to OFAC against the OEE penalty. In a separate administrative resolution with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Unicat agreed to pay $1,655,189.57, in underpaid duties, taxes, and fees.

NSD and SDTX declined White Deer’s prosecution and entered into the NPA with Unicat after considering the factors set forth in the Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations, the National Security Division Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations (NSD Enforcement Policy), and pursuant to the provisions of the NSD Enforcement Policy that apply to Voluntary Self-Disclosures in Connection with Acquisitions (the NSD M&A Policy).

The NSD M&A Policy provides that when a company (1) completes a lawful bona fide acquisition of another entity, (2) voluntarily and timely self-discloses to NSD potentially criminal violations of laws affecting U.S. national security committed by the acquired entity, (3) fully cooperates with NSD’s investigation, and (4) timely and appropriately remediates the misconduct, NSD generally will not seek a guilty plea from the acquiror, and there is a presumption that NSD will decline to prosecute the acquiror. The NSD M&A Policy further provides that while a presumption of declination is not available to the acquired entity, NSD will credit the acquiror’s timely voluntary self-disclosure to the acquired entity and will consider whether the acquired entity otherwise satisfies the NSD Enforcement Policy’s requirements to obtain the benefits of the Policy.

NSD and SDTX determined that White Deer’s acquisition of Unicat was a lawful bona fide acquisition, and that White Deer’s self-disclosure was timely under all of the relevant circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic and in the context of White Deer’s acquisition of Unicat and efforts to integrate the company’s operations into another acquired entity. White Deer and Unicat fully cooperated with the government’s subsequent investigation by proactively identifying, collecting, and disclosing relevant evidence to investigators, including foreign language evidence and evidence located overseas, and providing detailed and timely responses to the government’s requests for information and evidence. White Deer’s and Unicat’s cooperation materially assisted the government’s investigation, leading to the successful prosecution of Unicat’s former CEO. Unicat remediated the root cause of the misconduct in less than one year from the date of its discovery by terminating culpable employees, disciplining other employees involved in the misconduct, seeking reimbursement from Unicat’s sellers, and designing and implementing a comprehensive and robust internal controls and compliance program that has proven effective in practice at identifying and preventing similar potential misconduct.

This resolution marks the first time since the creation of the Justice Department’s Mergers and Acquisitions Policy in March 2024 that the Department has declined the prosecution of an acquiror for self-disclosing criminal conduct discovered at an acquired entity.

Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry and Yifei Zheng of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case. 

ICE-HSI, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and BIS investigated the case.

HOUSTON - The Justice Department’s National Security Division (NSD) and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) announced they have declined prosecution of private equity firm White Deer Management LLC and its affiliated acquisition entities. The decision follows the firm’s discovery and voluntary self-disclosure to NSD of criminal violations of U.S. sanctions laws, export controls and related offenses that Unicat Catalyst Technologies LLC, a Texas-based company it acquired, had committed.

NSD and SDTX also announced that the Department of Justice (DOJ) entered into a non-prosecution agreement (NPA) with Unicat. Additionally, on Aug. 19, 2024, Unicat’s former co-founder and CEO Mani Erfan pleaded guilty in SDTX to conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions against Iran and other countries and foreign governments, as well as to concealment and international promotional money laundering. As part of his plea, Erfan also agreed to pay a money judgement in the amount of $1.6 million.

“After acquiring a company with a hidden history of sanctions violations, this private equity firm uncovered the misconduct, stopped it and quickly reported it to the government, leading to the successful prosecution of a senior executive,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Our decision to decline prosecution of the acquiror and extend a non-prosecution agreement to the acquired entity in this case reflects the NSD’s strong commitment to rewarding responsible corporate leadership.”

“Illegally exporting sensitive items to Venezuela and Iran to help them evade sanctions directly undermines U.S. foreign policy and threatens our national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston. “HSI will not sit by idly while businesses or individuals operating in the U.S. blatantly help our nation’s adversaries procure sensitive technologies or weapons and today’s announcement of a $3 million fine and the imposition of criminal charges is just another example of that enduring commitment.”

According to court documents and DOJ agreements from approximately 2014 to 2021, Mani Erfan conspired with others, including a Unicat employee, to illegally sell products to customers in Iran, Venezuela, Syria and Cuba in violation of U.S. sanctions. Erfan directed Unicat to make 23 unlawful sales of chemical catalysts used in oil refining and steel production, generating about $3.33 million in revenue.

Several sales involved exports from the United States and also violated U.S. export control laws. To cover up the scheme, the conspirators falsified export documents and financial records, misrepresenting the identities and locations of customers. They also assured some Unicat employees the company’s business dealings were lawful.

Efran and Unicat employees submitted falsified invoices to understate tariffs on catalysts imported from China, causing an estimated $1.66 million loss in duties, taxes and fees. During negotiations to sell Unicat, its prior owners falsely certified the company complied with U.S. sanctions and export control laws.

The scheme surfaced in June 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic after White Deer acquired Unicat and a second U.K.-based firm. Once travel restrictions eased, Unicat’s new CEO visited the United States to begin integrating operations. During the visit, the CEO discovered Unicat had a pending transaction with an Iranian customer and immediately canceled the deal.

Over the following month, White Deer and the new CEO hired outside counsel and launched an internal investigation. They discovered Unicat had engaged in multiple transactions with customers subject to various U.S. sanctions programs. Before the investigation concluded, White Deer and Unicat’s new leadership voluntarily disclosed the conduct to the NSD.

The Justice Department determined that White Deer lawfully acquired Unicat and submitted a timely disclosure based on the circumstances, including pandemic-related delays. Both companies fully cooperated with the government’s investigation by identifying key evidence, including foreign-language materials and documents stored overseas and by responding promptly to information requests.

Their cooperation led to the successful prosecution of Unicat’s former CEO. Within a year of discovering the misconduct, Unicat terminated responsible employees, sought reimbursement from the company’s prior owners and implemented a comprehensive compliance program that has proven effective in detecting and preventing similar violations.

Under the terms of the NPA, Unicat agreed to forfeit $3,325,052.10, representing proceeds from violations of U.S. sanctions and export control laws.

In parallel resolutions, Unicat has agreed to pay $3,882,797 to the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for violating U.S. sanctions laws and $391,183 to the Commerce Department’s Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) for violating export control regulations. Customs and Border Protection separately required Unicat to pay $1,655,189.57 in underpaid duties, taxes and fees. Both OFAC and OEE agreed to credit Unicat’s forfeiture payment to the Justice Department toward their respective penalties.

The NSD and SDTX declined to prosecute White Deer after considering the Justice Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution of Business Organizations and the NSD Enforcement Policy for Business Organizations. The NSD Enforcement policy presumes the division will decline prosecution when a company lawfully acquires another business, voluntarily and promptly discloses potential criminal conduct, fully cooperates with the investigation and remediates the misconduct in a timely and appropriate manner.

The NSD M&A Policy states that when a company lawfully acquires another business, voluntarily and promptly discloses potential criminal conduct, fully cooperates with the investigation and appropriately remediates the misconduct, NSD generally will not seek a guilty plea from the acquiring company and will presume declination of prosecution.

While this presumption does not apply to the acquired entity itself, NSD will consider whether the acquired company meets the enforcement policy’s standards and will credit the acquiror’s timely self-disclosure accordingly.

This case marks the first time since the Justice Department adopted its Mergers and Acquisitions Policy in March 2024 that it has declined prosecution of an acquiring company that self-disclosed misconduct at an acquired entity.

ICE-HSI, Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and John Marck are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Adam P. Barry and Yifei Zheng of the NSD’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

Note: View a copy of the White Deer declination letter, Unicat non-prosecution agreement, and Mani Erfan's plea agreement.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 37-year-old Mexican woman living in San Benito has been charged with assaulting an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Maria Isabel Cruz-Salas is expected for her next hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt June 18 at 11:15. She is currently in custody.

The criminal complaint filed June 10 alleges Cruz-Salas assaulted a federal officer during a worksite immigration inspection in San Benito.

According to the charges, authorities were conducting a lawful enforcement operation June 9 at Taqueria El Mante, where they discovered Cruz-Salas. As an HSI agent attempted to detain her, she allegedly kicked him in the face.

If convicted, she faces a maximum of eight years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

ICE-HSI and FBI are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado 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.

HOUSTON – A total of 332 individuals have been charged in cases filed from June 6-12 in border-security related matters, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

The cases include 10 that involve human smuggling. A total of 205 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 109 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases include those involving other immigration crimes as well as an assault and threat to federal officers.

One of those is Maria Isabel Cruz-Salas, a Mexican national who lives in San Benito. The criminal complaint alleges that while authorities were conducting a lawful immigration enforcement action at a local establishment, they encountered Cruz-Salas. When they attempted to detain Cruz-Salas, she allegedly kicked a federal agent in the face. If convicted, she faces up to eight years in prison.

Another woman facing charges this week is Michelle Lee Varela, who allegedly threatened to shoot a federal agent in the course of his duties. Law enforcement had been requesting information regarding the status of her husband in the United States. She used profanity and threatened to shoot if they tried to take him into custody. The charges allege law enforcement advised her to consider her remarks as she had just threatened a federal agent, but she continued in an elevated voice and a threatening tone.  

“The Southern District of Texas takes allegations of threatened violence against law enforcement very seriously,” said Ganjei. “Immigration authorities must be able to carry out their lawful duties free from violence or threats, and those that attempt to obstruct or harm such agents will be held accountable.”

Among those also charged this week are Paulina Lopez-Bello and Juan Eliud Calva-Lopez, both Mexican nationals. According to court documents, authorities discovered fraudulent lawful permanent resident cards and Social Security documents at their residence in South Texas. According to the charges, both individuals used the counterfeit materials to secure employment in the United States. They allegedly paid $300 for the fake identification. If convicted of fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents, they face up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Roberto Carlos Moncada-Pena, a Mexican national living in Mission, faces charges of human smuggling. The criminal complaint alleges authorities encountered Moncada-Pena during a traffic stop where they discovered three illegal aliens in the vehicle. Upon searching his apartment, law enforcement discovered 10 additional illegal aliens. If convicted, Moncada-Pena faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.

In addition to the new cases, also announced this week was the sentencing of four Mexican nationals, all of whom have been previously convicted of illegal reentry into the United States, among other crimes. Josue Rodriguez-Rodriguez has been removed 10 times. He now faces another 69-month federal prison sentence.  

Jose Manuel Cruz-Diaz, Adrian Villa-Morales and Jose De Jesus Soto-Gonzalez have been removed at least twice before and have various felony convictions such as evading arrest with a motor vehicle, methamphetamine distribution, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and aggravated assault family violence. Sentences in federal court this week ranged from 21-57 months. 

Also of note was the sentencing of a Nigerian man who had illegally resided in Houston. Omokehinde Muyiwa Oyegoke-Tewogbade and co-conspirators schemed to steal U.S. mail containing new credit cards and bank statements intended for account holders. They contacted financial institutions to activate the stolen cards, increased credit limits and altered account information. They then used the cards to purchase goods, services, gift cards, cash and merchandise at retail stores. In total, they fraudulently activated at least 120 stolen credit cards, causing an estimated $1 million in losses to Chase Bank. He is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment

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.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 42-year-old Texas woman has been taken into custody for threatening an Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) agent in the performance of his duties, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The criminal complaint has now been unsealed as Michelle Lee Varela made her initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in San Antonio. She is expected to be in Corpus Christi federal court in the near future. 

The charges allege that on June 4, Verela influenced, impeded or retaliated against a federal officer by threat and used interstate communications to transmit a threat to injure another. Specifically, Verela allegedly made threats via cell phone to an agent with ICE-HSI.

According to the complaint, authorities were conducting a lawful immigration action and had requested information from Varela regarding her husband’s status in the United States. She allegedly used profanity and said if her husband was taken into custody, she would shoot them. The charges allege law enforcement advised her to consider her remarks as she had just threatened a federal agent, but she continued in an elevated voice and a threatening tone. She eventually hung up the phone, according to the complaint.  

If convicted, she faces up to 10 and five years in federal prison for the threat and interstate communications allegations, respectively. Both charges also carry a possible $250,000 fine, upon conviction.

“The Southern District of Texas takes allegations of threatened violence against law enforcement very seriously,” said Ganjei. “Immigration authorities must be able to carry out their lawful duties free from violence or threats, and those that attempt to obstruct or harm such agents will be held accountable.”

ICE-HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Goliad County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patti Hubert Booth is prosecuting the case. 

A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

HOUSTON – A 47-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced to federal prison again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Josue Rodriguez-Rodriguez pleaded guilty on March 14. 

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now ordered Rodriguez-Rodriguez to serve 69 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Rodriguez-Rodriguez’s previous 41-month sentence for illegal reentry failed to deter him.

Rodriguez-Rodriguez has felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as two convictions for aggravated assault-family violence and possession with intent to deliver or manufacture a controlled substance. He was first removed in 2000.

On May 5, 2014, authorities discovered Rodriguez-Rodriguez near Carrizo Springs for a 10th time. Rodriguez-Rodriguez was later sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and removed again. Authorities found him once more on Feb. 23, 2021, in Houston.

“Our nation’s immigration laws are not mere suggestions, they are backed by criminal penalties,” said Ganjei. “The defendant could have easily avoided further prison time by simply remaining in Mexico, but he instead chose to break the law…again…and again…and again. Perhaps with today’s sentence, Mr. Rodriguez-Rodriguez will finally understand the lesson he should have learned long ago.”

Rodriguez-Rodriguez will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn 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 (TCOs) 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.

HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Mission man has been sentenced for his role in a long-running and violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency (TFA) industry in the Los Indios border region, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Carlos Martinez, who pleaded guilty Feb. 6, and his co-conspirators controlled the transmigrate industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Martinez to serve 132 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay a $2 million fine. 

Martinez and others used fear to control pricing, eliminate competition and keep the transmigrante industry profitable through “pool” allocations and piso payments.

Transmigrantes transport used vehicles and goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America. Only a few U.S. border crossings, including the Los Indios Bridge, allow transmigrantes to enter Mexico.

Transmigrante forwarding agencies are U.S.-based businesses that help clients complete customs paperwork to export vehicles into Mexico. Martinez and his co-conspirators fixed prices for forwarding services and created a centralized entity, known as the “pool,” to collect and divide revenue among conspirators. They used the pool to eliminate competition and raise prices.

“Price fixing is not a victimless crime; it harms customers in the form of artificially high prices. Consumers need to have faith that the prices they pay are fairly determined by the market, rather than the product of illegal collusion,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “The 11-year sentence Mr. Martinez received reflects the size and scope of his criminal operation, as well as his leadership role in organizing and facilitating the unlawful scheme.”

“The defendants extorted victims trying to make an honest living in the freight forwarding business, and by fixing prices illegally drove up the cost of moving goods,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The lead defendant’s sentence of 11 years in prison reflects the harm caused to the business community along the Southern border. The Department of Justice’s Criminal Division will continue to work to ensure that competition is fairly preserved.”

“Today’s sentence reflects the significant danger and harm the American people face from violent and extortive actions aimed at fixing prices and monopolizing the market for essential services in the Texas border region,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will continue to aggressively pursue violent criminals who aim to corrupt America’s free markets and advocate for their incarceration.”

“This case underscores the serious threat posed by transnational criminal networks operating at our borders,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “Carlos Martinez and his co-conspirators orchestrated a violent scheme that extorted small businesses, fixed prices, and laundered millions of dollars — all while threatening the safety and integrity of lawful commerce. HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who exploit legitimate industries through corruption and intimidation, and we remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities and our economy.”

“The FBI will remain laser focused on transnational criminal organizations, including organizations that use violence, threats or extortion to fix prices and eliminate competition,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The American people deserve access to fair markets, free from threats of violence or the corrosive impact of illegal market interference, manipulation, or collusion. Together with our partners, we are committed to protecting our borders and dismantling every component of transnational criminal organizations.”

Martinez, the son-in-law of a former Gulf Cartel leader in Mexico, ran a violent criminal syndicate operating at the U.S.-Mexico border. He seized control of the Los Indios bridge near Harlingen and Brownsville and hired workers to monitor transmigrante forwarding agencies and calculate the piso each owned.

Workers collected piso payments in cash and submitted them to Martinez’s organization. He enforced compliance by ordering disciplinary action against agencies that operated without permission, violated pool rules, failed to charge fixed prices or refused to make extortionate payments.

Forwarders not involved in the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into the pool. Martinez and other pool members monitored whether agencies followed pricing rules and made required payments. Martinez and his co-conspirators also demanded additional extortion fees, including a piso for each processed transaction and a fine for operating outside the pool. They used threats, intimidation and violence to enforce compliance and further their antitrust and extortion conspiracies.

Clients who didn’t comply faced consequences ranging from being denied access to the Los Indios Bridge to having their cars stolen. In more severe cases, they were kidnapped, beaten, firebombed, shot or killed.

Martinez personally collected at least $9.5 million in extortion payments. He and his family laundered the money through bank accounts they controlled, disguising the deposits to hide the true source, nature and ownership of the illicit funds.

To date, seven others have been convicted, three of whom have already been sentenced in the case.

ICE-HSI and FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Christina Taylor of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section; Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis and Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis and Michael G. Lepage, all of the of the Antitrust Division.

HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the United States after three previous removals, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Manuel Cruz-Diaz, who had illegally resided in Houston, pleaded guilty March 28.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Cruz-Diaz to serve 57 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Cruz-Diaz had been removed four times previously and was a drug dealer. 

He has three prior felony convictions for illegal reentry as well as evading arrest with a motor vehicle. He was also convicted of delivery of black tar heroine and methamphetamines and sentenced to 10 years in state prison. He was first removed from the United States in 2011 and most recently in 2016. However, authorities discovered him in Houston in January 2020 upon his arrest for distribution of controlled substances.

Cruz-Diaz 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 the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman 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.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old citizen of Mexico with a felony record has been sentenced for illegal reentry into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose De Jesus Soto-Gonzalez pleaded guilty March 5. 

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Soto-Gonzalez to serve 21 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. 

In handing down the sentence, the court noted Soto-Gonzalez had a felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute over 100 kilograms of marijuana and served approximately four years in prison before his removal in 2022. He illegally returned and was removed again in 2023. Authorities had also previously removed him in 2008 and 2014. 

On Dec. 20, 2024, authorities encountered Soto-Gonzalez at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias. They discovered he was a citizen of Mexico without any permission to be back in the United States. The investigation revealed he had illegally reentered the country in July 2024 near Laredo after his 2023 removal.  

Soto-Gonzalez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case. 

HOUSTON – A 64-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for his role in a large-scale mail theft and credit card fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Omokehinde Muyiwa Oyegoke-Tewogbade pleaded guilty Feb. 19.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered him to serve 24 months in federal prison and to pay restitution in the amount of $839,555.75. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment as Oyegoke-Tewogbade had overstayed his visa and was unlawfully present in the United States.

Over a six-month period between November 2022 and May 2023, Oyegoke-Tewogbade and co-conspirators schemed to steal U.S. mail containing new credit cards and bank statements intended for account holders. They contacted financial institutions to activate the stolen cards, increased credit limits and altered account information. They then used the cards to purchase goods, services, gift cards, cash and merchandise at retail stores.

In total, they fraudulently activated at least 120 stolen credit cards, causing an estimated $1 million in losses to Chase Bank.

Four others had also previously pleaded guilty to the same charges - Christopher McGee, 43, Daniel Sanchez, 37, Bradley Kane Zarco, 39, and Travis Castaneda Qawasmeh, 28, all of Houston. Sanchez has already been sentenced to 41 months, while the others are pending their hearings.  

Oyegoke-Tewogbade will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Lansden prosecuted the case.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Four members of a Mexican fishing crew have admitted they unlawfully transported fish taken from the Gulf of America, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Daniel Santiago-Mendoza, 22, has now pleaded guilty, while Miguel Angel Ramirez-Vidal, 32, Jesus David Luna-Marquez, 20, and Jesus Roberto Morales-Amador, 27, all citizens of Mexico, previously entered their pleas. All have admitted to knowingly transporting approximately 315 kilograms of illegally taken red snapper.

On April 16, the four-man crew left Playa Bagdad, Mexico, at night in a 25-foot open fishing vessel without running lights. They then traveled into the Exclusive Economic Zone in U.S. waters, ultimately deploying about four miles of longline containing approximately 1,200 hooks. The gear was set approximately 18 miles north of the Maritime Boundary Line with Mexico and about 25 miles east of South Padre Island (SPI).

When authorities apprehended the crew, they were in possession of approximately 693 pounds of red snapper and four sharks. The men knew the catch would be seized if they were caught in U.S. waters but chose to take the risk due to the limited supply of red snapper in Mexican waters.

They intended to sell the catch once they returned to Mexico. The snapper they unlawfully took from U.S. waters have an estimated retail value of over $9 thousand.

Ramirez-Vidal, the captain of the boat, had been arrested on 28 prior occasions for illegal fishing. The others also have similar previous arrests.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing for Ramirez-Vidal Aug. 13. Santiago-Mendoza, Luna-Marquez and Morales-Amador pleaded guilty and are also pending sentencing. At their respective hearings, each faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

They have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Coast Guard Investigative Services, Coast Guard Station SPI, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Texas Parks and Wildlife and South Padre Island Police Department conducted the joint investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney William Hagen is prosecuting the case.

The arrest and prosecution of Mexican commercial fisherman marks a change in policy concerning the protection of U.S. marine resources. In past instances, authorities would seize the catch and destroy the vessel but release violators back to Mexico. Any commercial fisherman now apprehended in U.S. waters caught violating the Lacey Act face potential fines and imprisonment.

HOUSTON - A total of 202 cases have been filed from May 30-June 5 in immigration and border security matters, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

The filed cases include seven involving human smuggling. A total of 129 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 63 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. Other relevant cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes.

One such person charged this week is Luis Humberto Gonzalez-Sanchez who was arrested for allegedly harboring 16 illegal aliens in his home in Mercedes. The criminal complaint alleges he harbored over 100 aliens in the last six months for whom he was paid $150 each. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison.

Also facing new criminal charges are six Mexican nationals, all of whom had been previously convicted of illegal reentry into the United States and sentenced to terms ranging from 15-46 months in federal prison. However, their charges allege authorities had found them in the Rio Grande Valley after once again unlawfully returning without any permission to do so. Oscar Vicente Perez-Lopez, Juan Manuel De La Cruz-Mejia, Jose Luis Tostado-Flores, Jesus Morales-Vargas, Jose Patricio Rios-Rojas and Juan Manuel Alvarado-Gonzalez had allegedly been previously removed on varying dates between 2015-2023 and now face up to 20 years in prison, upon this conviction.

In addition to the new cases, an illegal alien from El Salvador was sentenced for assaulting law enforcement. Authorities conducted a traffic stop in November 2024 in Rio Grande City when Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As a Border Patrol (BP) agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest, punched the agent in the face and caused an additional injury that required surgery. He will now serve 36 months in prison.

“The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”

Also announced was the sentencing in Houston of an illegal alien for stealing a U.S. citizen’s identity. In imposing the 40-month sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the offense and that Carlos Bedolla Sanchez’s previous penalties did not do enough good or make him repentant. The investigation revealed Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in approximately March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other U.S. identification, including a passport.

Following a two-day jury trial in Corpus Christi, a Houston trucker was convicted of transporting illegal aliens. A lawful permanent resident since 1989, Armando Balladares-Prado had pulled up to the BP checkpoint south of Falfurrias and seemed nervous. His vehicle was completely empty but had a seal and lock on it as if there was a full transport load in the back. Authorities soon found two individuals hidden underneath the bed of the sleeper compartment. Both were determined to be citizens of Guatemala illegally present in the United States. Balladares-Prado told the aliens to get under the bed and instructed them on what to say if law enforcement discovered them. He now faces a federal prison sentence and possible loss of his status in the United States.

In Laredo, two men also learned their fate for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy and operating stash houses in Laredo and Poteet. Manuel Capetillo and Michael Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas. Capetillo received an 85-month-term of imprisonment, while Diaz was ordered to serve 70 months. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said.

Another sentencing in McAllen saw an illegal alien heading to prison for 37 months for trafficking over $1 million in cocaine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Rolando Banda-Lucero did not have status to be in the country and got involved in narcotics trafficking for money.

Also finalized this week was an adult male pretending to be a minor as he illegally entered the country. On Feb. 2, Elger Fabricio Cotto-Navarro claimed to be an unaccompanied minor so he could be housed in a special facility. The investigation revealed Cotto-Navarro was actually an adult posing as a minor. He was sentenced and now expected to face removal proceedings. 

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.

HOUSTON – A former Social Security employee has admitted to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

David Lam, 45, Pearland, was an operations supervisor and claims specialist for the Social Security Administration (SSA) office in Houston.

As part of his plea, Lam admitted to stealing the personally identifying information (PII) of recently deceased men and then using that PII to facilitate fraudulent benefits applications. 

Lam admitted to working with various coconspirators—typically, women with children—to file fraudulent survivor benefits applications listing the deceased men as the children’s fathers or stepfathers. If true, this would have entitled the women to receive benefits while raising their children as widows. However, the women had no connection to the men listed on the applications and the deceased men did not father the children. To facilitate his scheme, Lam would utilize the deceased men’s names, dates of birth and death and Social Security numbers. 

He would also instruct the coconspirators to split the stolen funds with him. The women would transfer funds via applications like Zelle, CashApp or Chime. Lam agreed to take responsibility for causing $3,346,280 in loss to the SSA and has agreed to pay that amount in restitution.   

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake will impose sentencing Sept. 12. At that time, Lam faces up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States on the conspiracy charge and a $250,000 maximum fine. He will also face two years for aggravated identity theft which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed.   

The SSA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray is prosecuting the case.   

LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been ordered to federal prison for their roles in an extensive human smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Manuel Capetillo, 27, Poteet, and Michael Diaz, 31, Laredo, pleaded guilty Feb. 4 and March 4, respectively.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed an 85-month-term of imprisonment for Capetillo, while Diaz received 70 months. Both men were also ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. Diaz was further ordered to pay a $10,000 special assessment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the inhumane conditions in which the aliens were transported and that Capetillo and Diaz had made a business out of smuggling aliens. “You thought of these people as cattle,” he said. Judge Kazen also commented on Capetillo’s leadership role and that he was one of the highest-level players in the region he had seen. 

Capetillo and Diaz are attributed with smuggling over 65 aliens, including adults and children as young as six, who came from multiple countries as far south as Guatemala and as close as Mexico. Both had received cash payments in excess of $50,000 during their operations.

The investigation revealed both men operated stash houses in Laredo and that Capetillo also operated one in Poteet. Over several months, Capetillo recruited drivers, scouts and caretakers to bring aliens in from countries in Central America and transport them throughout the southern and central areas of Texas.

Capetillo negotiated prices with Mexican smugglers on how much and to whom would be paid for aliens illegally crossing into the United States. He also negotiated with Mexican nationals to provide weapons for the wars taking place in Monterrey, Mexico, and importing drugs into the United States.  

Diaz worked in close connection with Capetillo to rent a yard in Laredo and load aliens into inoperable vehicles, place them on top of tow trucks and smuggle them to Capetillo’s Poteet stash house in the Southern Texas heat. Capetillo paid Diaz for his role in the conspiracy.

Previously released on bond, Capetillo 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. Diaz has been and will remain in custody.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Laredo and Poteet. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory Sailer 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.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 66-year-old Houston resident who has been a lawful permanent resident in the United States since 1989 has been convicted of smuggling aliens further into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before returning the guilty verdict against Armando Balladares-Prado following a two-day trial.

On May 5, 2024, Balladares-Prado pulled up to the Border Patrol checkpoint south of Falfurrias for primary immigration inspection. The jury heard that he seemed nervous but provided consent for an x-ray examination of his tractor-trailer. The vehicle was completely empty but had a seal and lock on it as if there was a full transport load in the back.

Authorities soon found two individuals hidden underneath the bed of the sleeper compartment. Both were determined to be citizens of Guatemala illegally present in the United States.

Testimony revealed Balladares-Prado told the aliens to get under the bed and instructed them on what to say if law enforcement discovered them.

The defense attempted to convince the jury the aliens had gotten into the tractor and pulled the bed down on top of themselves. Contradictory evidence showed that to be virtually impossible. The jury was not convinced of defense claims and found Balladares-Prado guilty as charged.   

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over trial and set sentencing for Sept. 3. At that time, Balladares-Prado faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Previously released on bond, he was taken into custody following the conviction where he will remain pending sentencing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith 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.

LAREDO, Texas – Two Texas residents have been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Hernan Cortez, 40, Houston, and Daniel Elizondo, 37, Laredo, pleaded guilty Jan. 8.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed a 63-month-term of imprisonment for Elizondo. Cortez previously received 66 months. Both must also serve four years of supervised release following completion of their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Cortez brought the fentanyl to Laredo and how Elizondo decided to hide the drugs after he learned law enforcement was watching the house. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Kazen noted that fentanyl is lethal and kills many people.

Cortez transported approximately a half of a kilogram of fentanyl from Houston to Laredo Aug. 28, 2024. He intended to sell the drugs there with Elizondo’s assistance.

The following day, Cortez brought the fentanyl to a stash house where Elizondo was located. Authorities conducting surveillance observed Elizondo exit the house wearing a black satchel bag and walk into an alleyway connected to an adjoining property. Shortly after, he returned without the bag.

Authorities executed a search warrant and found 274 grams of fentanyl hidden in a tire wheel in the covered alleyway between the two properties.

Cortez initially believed the narcotics were cocaine or heroin and tried selling them in Houston but couldn’t find any buyers because it was actually fentanyl.

Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 20-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced for attempting to coerce and entice the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a Finnish minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Brandon Roy Alvarez pleaded guilty Oct. 9, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton has now sentenced Alvarez to 210 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including that Alvarez would collect child pornography and store it on multiple devices. He would then pose as a minor and utilize the CSAM he collected to entice his victims to produce more. Alvarez will serve 10 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. Alvarez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began after authorities discovered a 10-year-old minor victim residing in Finland had received sexually explicit messages and CSAM videos from an English-speaking individual through various social media and other applications. They identified Alvarez as that person.

He had attempted to entice the minor victim into sending him a nude photo and/or a video of the victim masturbating from on or about Sept. 17-20, 2023.

Alvarez admitted he used his accounts to meet underage children online. He said he would pretend to be a minor female child to gain the other user’s trust and then use child pornography he collected to lure minors into sending sexually explicit photographs and videos.

FBI conducted the investigation.

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. 

McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old El Salvadorian national has been sentenced for assaulting a Border Patrol (BP) agent, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Oscar Adilio Sanchez-Rivera pleaded guilty March 4.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Sanchez-Rivera to serve 36 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

“The defendant here managed to turn a simple removal case to a multi-year federal sentence,” said Ganjei. “Let this case be an example to others who may wish harm on police or federal agents; assaulting law enforcement will not be tolerated.”

On Nov. 1, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop in Rio Grande City when Sanchez-Rivera notified them of his alien status. As the BP agent attempted to place him in a vehicle, Sanchez-Rivera attempted to evade arrest. He punched the agent in the face and grabbed the agent’s finger, causing a fracture that required surgery.

Sanchez-Rivera fled on foot but was soon apprehended.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

BP and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican citizen has been sentenced for his role in possessing with intent to distribute nearly $3 million in methamphetamine concealed inside cabbages, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Angel Ibarra-Rojas pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2024.

District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Ibarra-Rojas to serve 132 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 how the narcotics were packaged in a sophisticated manner. The heads of the cabbages were removed, and balls of methamphetamine were then inserted into the leaves in order to conceal them.

On June 18, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a tractor trailer in Pharr. Ibarra-Rojas was the passenger. A search of the vehicle revealed 1,154 plastic-wrapped packages containing a crystal-like substance concealed within cabbages in the cargo area.

Authorities determined the substance was methamphetamine and had a total weight of approximately 1,356 kilograms. The drugs had an estimated street value of over $2.8 million.

Ibarra-Rojas admitted he knew the trailer contained narcotics and was aware it had recently entered the United States. He claimed he expected to be paid $1,000 to arrange the transport of the trailer and its narcotics farther north into the United States. Ibarra-Rojas also said he had arranged similar transports several times in the past.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Hidalgo County Constable’s Office.

“The amount of drugs smuggled in this case is staggering, but fortunately authorities were able to seize it before it hit our streets,” said Ganjei. “ICE-HSI, CBP, and the Hidalgo County Constable’s Office should be commended for their excellent work in keeping this meth out of our community.”

Ibarra-Rojas will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced for unlawful possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Rogelio Rodriguez Jr. pleaded guilty July 10, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now handed Rodriguez an enhanced sentence of 96 months after determining he possessed numerous firearms in connection with another felony offense of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His sentence will be immediately followed by a two-year-term of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard Rodriguez had a pattern of illegally possessing firearms in connection with drug trafficking.

On Jan. 12, 2024, authorities responded to a call regarding an aggravated assault at Rodriguez’s residence. Law enforcement had information that Rodriguez had refused to leave the property and brandished a firearm after being confronted about carrying firearms.

They conducted a search and discovered three firearms in the residence including a Glock .40 caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson .38 special revolver and a North American Arms .22 caliber revolver.

The investigation revealed Rodriguez had two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law.

Rodriguez 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 the assistance of the McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker 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. 

GALVESTON, Texas - A 44-year-old Manvel resident has been ordered to federal prison after his multiple convictions involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), coercion and enticement of minors and being a registered sex offender while committing the crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Brian Jones pleaded guilty March 12 to two counts each of sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor and penalties for registered sex offenders as well as one count of possession of CSAM.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now sentenced him to 600 months on each of the sexual exploitation charges and the coercion and enticement counts and 240 months for possessing child pornography to run concurrently. He also received 120 months for each of the penalties for registered sex offenders which will be served consecutively to each other and as to the other counts for a total of 840 months.

At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding two victims whom he began talking to when they were just 11 and six years of age. Their guardian prepared a victim impact statement which described how the children were seeing a therapist on a weekly basis for the trauma they endured and how they had to leave the only school and friends they had ever known. The statement also references a comment from the therapist who noted that when she thinks of these children, she just wants to cry.

Jones was further ordered to pay restitution to the victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to the internet. He will also again be required to register as a sex offender.

“Mr. Jones’ criminal history, which includes a prior sexual offense involving a minor, demonstrates that he is beyond any hope of rehabilitation, and thus only a life sentence or the equivalent, like the one he received today, can adequately safeguard the community from his future predatory behavior,” said Ganjei. “Although we may not ever fully heal the scars that the defendant inflicted on the victims in this case, we can ensure that Mr. Jones can never harm another child again.”

“Another great investigation through our partnership with Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force,” said Chief Johnny Spires of Pearland Police Department (PPD). “Our detective has been investigating these horrible crimes for more than 17 years and is considered an expert in his field. We are very proud of his work here at the PPD and his continued assistance working with other agencies throughout our area. We ask the public to please help protect our children, if you see something say something.”

“With today’s sentencing we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who preyed on children as young as six years old and has shown absolutely no remorse for his heinous actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston. “The success of this investigation is a direct result of the unwavering support we continue to receive from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and the tireless efforts of our partners at PPD, who worked closely with our special agents to ensure this individual is no longer free to victimize innocent children.”

A total of 24 cybertips from the NCMEC prompted the investigation in 2023. An individual, later identified as Jones, had uploaded over 1,000 CSAM files from April 5 - May 8, 2023. The investigation revealed he was a registered sex offender.

Authorities conducted a residential search warrant and seized his electronic devices. A forensic examination revealed he had over 11,000 images and over 850 videos which depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including anal and vaginal penetration, masturbation, sadistic and masochistic conduct and the lewd and lascivious exhibition of genitals. 

Law enforcement also found images and screenshots of an adult female filming two naked children for Jones during several live chats. In some of the images, Jones’ face or genitals are included as he recorded himself watching them. Some images also included the adult female touching the minor victims.

Jones had initially talked to the adult female who had a connection to the children. He first requested naked pictures of her and then of the minors.   

Text messages between Jones and the minor victims also revealed he had asked them to send him images of their vaginas. The abuse lasted for over three years.   

The investigation also identified the adult female who had also pleaded guilty to two counts of the sexual exploitation of children and is serving a 50-year federal prison sentence.

This was also not the first time Jones had requested children to take pornographic pictures of themselves for him. He was sentenced in 2016 for indecency with a child by exposure in which he had requested his then girlfriend’s minor daughter to send him naked pictures of herself.

PPD, ICE-HSI Galveston and the Houston Metro ICAC task force conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Kimberly Ann Leo and former AUSA Brian Hrach 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 – A 42-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for fraudulently using a passport and identification belonging to a U.S. citizen, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Carlos Bedolla Sanchez pleaded guilty March 18.

U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Sanchez to serve 16 months for fraudulently using a passport and 24 months for using the identification of a U.S. citizen. The sentences will run consecutively. At the hearing, the court heard additional information that Sanchez was previously convicted for two felony drug charges under the U.S. citizen’s identity and received 12 months for violating his term of supervised release to be served concurrently. Not a U.S. citizen, Sanchez is expected to face removal proceedings following his 40-month-term of imprisonment.

In imposing the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the offense and that his previous penalties did not do enough good or make him repentant.

On May 19, 2022, Sanchez attempted to renew a passport he received in 2009 using the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico. As part of the scheme, he submitted passport applications using the victim’s name, Social Security number, date of birth and birthplace, and falsely certified that he was a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national.

The investigation revealed Sanchez began using the victim’s identity in approximately March 2009 to obtain state driver’s licenses and other U.S. identification, including a passport.

He later admitted to making a false statement in the application and use of passport and aggravated identity theft.

He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old Mexican national illegally in the United States has been ordered to prison for possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

Rolando Banda-Lucero pleaded guilty Oct. 31, 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Banda-Lucero to serve 37 months in federal prison. 

At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Banda-Lucero did not have status to be in the country and got involved in narcotics trafficking for money. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted the straightforward facts of the case and Banda-Lucero’s clear role as a courier. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.

On Oct. 25, 2023, Banda-Lucero was to deliver narcotics in Pharr. Authorities conducted surveillance within a shopping center and observed a white work van pull into a parking spot.

Banda-Lucero exited the passenger side of the van and provided a duffel bag over to who he thought was the purchaser. The bag contained 20 bundles which had an approximate weight of 22.5 kilograms and tested positive for cocaine.

The drugs had an estimated street value of $1.2 million.  

Banda-Lucero will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 68-year-old Houston man has agreed to pay $390,082 to resolve allegations he submitted false claims to Medicare for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Dr. Benjamin Tiongson is a pain management doctor who practices in Houston, Sugar Land and Katy. Pain Reduction Center P.A. is an entity Tiongson used to conduct his medical practice. 

From Dec. 7, 2021, to Dec. 14, 2022, Tiongson billed Medicare for the surgical implantation of neurostimulator electrodes. These are invasive procedures usually requiring use of an operating room. As a result, Medicare pays thousands of dollars per procedure.

However, neither Tiongson 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 Tiongson’s clinic, not a hospital or surgical center, and no incision was made on a patient, according to the allegations.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General. 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.

McALLEN, Texas – Two men residing in Edinburg have been sentenced for their roles in the straw purchasing of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Mario Elier Leal, 22, and Rodolfo Benitez-Garza, 24, pleaded guilty in 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Leal to serve a total of 97 months in federal prison, while Benitez-Garza received 18 months. Benitez-Garza must serve three years of supervised release following the completion of his sentence. Lacking status in the United States, Leal is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his prison term.

At the hearings, the court heard additional evidence that described how Benitez-Garza and Jesus Cristo Lopez purchased the firearms on behalf of Leal. Leal would provide the money and advise which firearms he wanted. The court noted Leal was aware the firearms were to be transported into Mexico, that he played a significant role in recruiting others to purchase firearms on his behalf and could be described as a coordinator.

On July 12, 2024, authorities discovered a suspected straw purchasing attempt involving Benitez-Garza and Lopez who attempted to obtain three AK-47 variant rifles. Leal was circling the parking lot at that time and had previously visited the same location with Lopez.

The investigation revealed Leal provided the money for the purchases and offered Benitez-Garza and Lopez approximately $300 for their assistance. Both falsely claimed the rifles were for personal use when they were actually intended for Leal.

Evidence revealed Leal had recruited Lopez and directed him to find another individual. Surveillance captured Leal at multiple stores with others suspected of purchasing firearms on his behalf.

Authorities have identified 13 other firearms suspected of being purchased for Leal. As a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipient, Leal is prohibited from owning a firearm per federal law.

Benitez-Garza was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future while Leal will remain in custody.

Lopez, 21, is set for sentencing in August.

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Mission Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old McAllen man has pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The investigation revealed Michael Luera was selling methamphetamine in the Rio Grande Valley area.

On Dec. 12, 2024, authorities stopped him for a traffic violation shortly after he sold approximately 252 grams of the drug.  

A K-9 unit alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, leading authorities to find an additional approximately 1,000 grams of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed multiple bags containing a large amount of U.S. currency and a loaded firearm.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 14. At that time, Luera faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million fine.

Luera has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan is prosecuting the case.