Southern District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Registered sex offender sentenced to 70 years for sexually exploiting minorsRead the Press Release
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.
Illegal alien sentenced for stealing U.S. citizen’s identityRead the Press Release
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.
Illegal alien sent to federal prison for trafficking over $1 million in cocaineRead the Press Release
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 doctor pays six figures to settle False Claims Act liability involving neurostimulator devicesRead the Press Release
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.
DACA recipient and another sentenced for scheme involving firearms destined for MexicoRead the Press Release
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.
Rio Grande Valley drug dealer admits to methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
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.
Home builder admits to $770,000 real estate fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mario Alberto Rodriguez admitted he participated in a scheme that used false warranty deeds to mislead lenders and real estate clients.
Rodriguez would defraud homebuyers and short-term lenders by selling a lot with proposed townhome construction without filing the warranty deed. This left no record of the sale and allowed him to sell the same property multiple times. Rodriguez would then instruct co-conspirators to take out new loans on the previously sold properties in order to use the cash for other purposes.
Rodriguez defrauded victims out of more than $770,000 as a result of the scheme. Construction was never completed and victims were unable to take possession of the properties.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
FBI, Texas Department of Insurance, McAllen Police Department, and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.
Fentanyl distributor linked to three fatal overdoses imprisoned for 27 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Fredrick Douglass Shelton pleaded guilty Feb. 13.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Shelton to serve 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court recognized the families of the deceased and commented on the disturbing fact that after the deaths, Shelton continued to sell fentanyl with a verbal warning to customers that the drugs are strong. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hoyt noted Shelton’s history of drug dealing and conduct during this offense which made him question whether there is anywhere Shelton could be safely housed.
“The defendant’s conduct in this case vividly illustrates his utter disregard for human life and the safety of others,” said Ganjei. “Not only was his fentanyl trafficking linked to three overdose deaths, but he also left a 10-month-old baby alone, surrounded by guns and drugs (including fentanyl), while he was out dealing. With today’s sentencing—made possible by collaboration with our partners—this dangerous individual is now off the street for decades to come, and Houstonians are safer for it.”
The investigation began following evidence linking three fatal fentanyl overdoses to Shelton. He had sold large quantities of highly potent fentanyl to numerous individuals in the Houston area.
As Shelton left his residence to conduct yet another drug transaction, law enforcement conducted a search at his residence. They found large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, narcotics packaging equipment and firearms strewn throughout the residence in a disorderly fashion, including on counters, scales and the floor.
Authorities also discovered Shelton had left his 10-month-old child in the residence alone and exposed to the narcotics.
Shelton will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI Houston Field Office and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team and sheriff’s offices in Montgomery and Harris Counties. 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 Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.
Father and son indicted for providing material support to Mexican cartel engaged in terrorismRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Two family members with ties to South Texas have been charged with allegedly conspiring to materially support a Mexican cartel previously designated as a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to commit money laundering and related smuggling charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The superseding indictment, returned May 22, alleges Maxwell Sterling Jensen, 25, Draper, Utah, and James Lael Jensen, 68, Sandy, Utah, conspired to provide material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in the form of U.S. currency. The Secretary of State designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization Feb. 20.
“This case underscores the more aggressive and innovative approach the Southern District of Texas is taking towards combatting the scourge of drug cartels,” said Ganjei. “This strategy focuses not just on the traffickers and trigger-pullers directly employed by the cartels, but also targeting their confederates and enablers. Whether you are handing the cartel a gun, providing a car or safehouse for smugglers, or putting money in the cartel’s pocket, you will be held to account.”
The Jensens allegedly operated Arroyo Terminals, an enterprise based in Rio Hondo.
Both are also charged with allegedly conspiring to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the proceeds of illegally smuggled goods, crude oil. They also aided and abetted the fraudulent entry of approximately 2,881 shipments of the oil in violation of the Tariff Act, according to the charges.
“Cases like this highlight the often-dangerous relationships between alleged unscrupulous U.S. businesses and terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “Through strong collaborations and relentless investigative work, we and our partners exposed a possible large-scale operation that allegedly attempted to move millions in illicit crude oil and launder the proceeds. HSI remains committed to protecting our economy and holding offenders accountable.”
“What began as a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) drug trafficking investigation evolved into a multifaceted case involving an alleged complex criminal operation generating millions of dollars from crude oil – the largest funding source for Mexican drug cartels,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of DEA - Houston. “Given the charges have profound implications for both the United States and Mexico, we will continue to explore all leads and identify any believed to be involved. The collaboration with federal law enforcement, prosecutors, and state agencies proved critical to unraveling these alleged crimes and will continue until such operations are destroyed.”
“It is a top priority of the FBI to eliminate foreign terrorist organizations by depriving them of the funding they need to operate and by seizing their most valued assets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the San Antonio Field Office. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will use every resource and capability at our disposal to ensure violent cartels and anyone who corruptly facilitates their operations are held accountable to the American people and unable to establish a foothold in our communities."
“Our commitment to taking down drug cartels and organized crime leverages IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) specialty in forensic accounting that identifies the alleged money trail and shuts down the flow of cash, just like we did in this case,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Some of our best special agents are using their law enforcement expertise to build unshakeable cases to ensure criminals are taken off the streets and their ill-gotten gains are returned to the American people.”
At the time of the initial arrests, authorities seized four tank barges containing crude oil, three commercial tanker trucks, an Arroyo Terminal pickup truck and one personal vehicle. The Arroyo Terminal property in Rio Hondo, crude oil contained Arroyo Terminal storage tanks and additional real properties are also sought for forfeiture. The superseding indictment also contains notice that the United States will seek a $300 million money judgment upon conviction.
The conspiracies to provide material support and to commit money laundering both carry a possible prison term of up to 20 years. If convicted of aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods into the United States and doing so by means of false statements, both men could also face up to 10 and five years, respectively. James Jensen also faces one count of money laundering spending which carries an additional 10 years in prison, upon conviction.
With the exception of the money laundering charge which has the possibility of up to a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved, the remaining counts carry a maximum $250,000 potential fine.
The investigation was a joint effort among many law enforcement partners to include FBI, ICE-HSI and DEA with substantial assistance of IRS CI along with Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service and Texas Department of Public Safety.
Operation Liquid Death involved the combined efforts of DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI and IRS CI and others and 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) James Sturgis and Laura Garcia are prosecuting the case. AUSAs Mary Ellen Smyth and Tyler Foster are handling seizure and forfeiture matters.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
282 charged in new cases related to SDTX’s continuing efforts to secure southern borderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – In support of Operation Take Back America, the Southern District of Texas has filed another 281 cases in immigration and border security-related matters from May 23-29, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Among those are 105 people who face charges of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 163 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration crimes, child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and firearms.
One such person charged this week is Carlos Enrique Gonzalez-Pena, an alien present in the United States with a work visa who was allegedly found in possession of CSAM. The charges allege he had visited the darknet where he viewed child pornography sites. A forensic examination of his computer allegedly resulted in the discovery of two video files involving a female child approximately four to six years of age, one of which showed her being sexually assaulted. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Another one of the cases involves Humberto Vasquez - a Mexican male who allegedly attempted to exit the United States via the Donna Port of Entry. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered four pistols belonging to him as well as 870 rounds of assorted ammunition, according to the charges. The complaint alleges he did not possess an export license that would authorize him to transport such items into Mexico and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of illegal exportation of firearms.
Authorities also found three Mexican nationals near Mission this week with no legal permission to be in the United States, according to the complaints against them. Victor Manuel Ornelas-Ochoa, Alfredo Samuel Gallegos-Esquivel and Exequiel Solano had allegedly been previously removed from the country and have felonies to include possession with intent to deliver marijuana, human smuggling and aggravated sexual assault of a child, respectively. They are all charged with illegal reentry and could receive up to 20 years in prison. Another man who faces the same charges and penalty is Julio Sanchez-Lorenzo. He is a Mexican male who had just been removed from the United States via Brownsville May 21 with no permission to return, according to the charges. However, authorities allegedly found him just six days later near Roma.
In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Houston convicted a Mexican citizen for illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity. On June 11, 2024, authorities found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. At that time, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Testimony revealed Valdez-Galvan originally stole the person’s identity to avoid previous charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had been previously removed but returned to the United States without permission. He had assumed the other person’s identity in 2015 after his second removal. He faces up to a 20-year prison sentence.
“Both public safety and basic common sense require us to know who is entering and residing in our country. Those that adopt false or stolen personas to hide their identities pose an increased criminal risk to our community,” said Ganjei. “Theft of an American citizen’s identity by a foreign national will not be tolerated, and those that engage in such criminality will be charged, punished, and, if appropriate, deported.”
In Corpus Christi, an intoxicated driver admitted he was an alien illegally in possession of firearm. Honduran national Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18. Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found him pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. He had red bloodshot eyes, appeared unsteady on his feet and had a strong odor of alcohol. A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket and a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car.
Two men from Brownfield admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens in Laredo federal court this week. On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard was driving, and De Richardson Miller was in the front passenger seat providing directions. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and found three illegal aliens hidden in the back seat. Miller and Howard admitted they had travelled to Laredo for the sole purpose of picking up the aliens and transporting them to San Antonio for payment.
Also announced was the sentencing of a Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals for illegally reentering the country again. Juan Humberto Lara Molina’s has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois and was previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions, most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias BP checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer. He was ordered to serve 24 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, 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.
Woman guilty of bank fraud conspiracy involving millionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 71-year-old woman has admitted to acting as a loan borrower on millions of dollars in fraudulent loans as part of a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jennifer Williams admitted that from 2016 to 2021, she conspired with others in a bank fraud scheme involving dozens of loans totaling at least $10 million in fraudulent proceeds.
As part of the plea, Williams acknowledged submitting loan applications with false income information along with fraudulent tax returns and financial statements. She also admitted using proceeds from the scheme to buy a home in the Houston area.
Williams and others accomplished the bank fraud by preparing loan applications that contained false and fraudulent information and documents, including fake equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.
U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison will impose sentencing Aug. 14. At that time, Williams faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction.
She was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Another Houston resident charged in the case - Hugo Villanueva, 70, - is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.
Websites selling hacking tools to cybercriminals seizedRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A coordinated effort involving an international disruption of an online software crypting syndicate which provides services to cybercriminals to assist them with keeping their malicious software (malware) from being detected has resulted in the seizure of four domains and their associated server, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Crypting is the process of using software to make malware difficult for antivirus programs to detect. The seized domains offered services to cybercriminals, including counter-antivirus (CAV) tools. When used together, CAV and crypting services allow criminals to obfuscate malware, making it undetectable and enabling unauthorized access to computer systems.
According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, authorities made undercover purchases from seized websites and analyzed the services, confirming they were designed for cybercrime. Court documents also allege authorities reviewed linked email addresses and other data connecting the services to known ransomware groups that have targeted victims both in the United States and abroad, including in the Houston area.
“Modern criminal threats require modern law enforcement solutions,” said Ganjei. “As cybercriminals have become more sophisticated in their schemes, they have likewise become more advanced in their efforts to avoid detection. As such, our law enforcement efforts must involve striking not just at the individual fraudster or hacker, but the enablers of these cybercriminals as well. This investigation did exactly that. With this syndicate shut down, there is one less provider of malicious tools for cybercriminals out there.”
“Cybercriminals don’t just create malware; they perfect it for maximum destruction,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “By leveraging counter antivirus services, malicious actors refine their weapons against the world’s toughest security systems to better slip past firewalls, evade forensic analysis, and wreak havoc across victims’ systems. As part of a decisive international operation, FBI Houston helped cripple a global cyber syndicate, seize their most lethal tools, and neutralize the threat they posed to millions around the world.”
The seizures occurred May 27 in coordination with Finnish and Dutch national police as part of Operation Endgame, a multinational law enforcement initiative targeting the dismantling of malware cybercriminal services. Participating countries include the United States, The Netherlands, France, Germany and Denmark with additional support from Ukraine and Portugal.
The FBI Houston Field Office is conducting the investigation with the cooperation and significant assistance of law enforcement partners in The Netherlands and Finland and U.S. Secret Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Shirin Hakimzadeh and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling the seizure aspects of the case.
Jury convicts illegal alien of stealing U.S. citizen’s identityRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Mexican citizen has been found guilty of illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for four hours before convicting Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan following a two-day-trial.
On June 11, 2024, authorities found Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. At that time, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Valdez-Galvan originally stole the person’s identity to avoid previous charges for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Testimony revealed Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had been previously removed and returned to the United States without permission. He had assumed the other person’s identity in 2015 after his second removal. The jury also heard how fingerprints matched those of Valdez-Galvan.
At trial, Valdez-Galvan testified his name was not Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan. His mother also provided testimony that her son’s name was something else despite evidence she had previously identified him as Valdez-Galvan.
The defense attempted to question the trustworthiness of the evidence, but the jury was not convinced and found Valdez-Galvan guilty as charged.
“Both public safety and basic common sense require us to know who is entering and residing in our country. Those that adopt false or stolen personas to hide their identities pose an increased criminal risk to our community,” said Ganjei. “Theft of an American citizen’s identity by a foreign national will not be tolerated, and those that engage in such criminality will be charged, punished, and, if appropriate, deported.”
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Valdez-Galvan has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan L. Oliver and Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.
Two Brownfield residents guilty of transporting aliensRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Texas residents have admitted to conspiring to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On March 22, authorities observed a Ford Expedition circumventing a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Laredo. Mac Quese Howard, 20, was driving, and De Richardson Miller, 18, was in the front passenger seat providing directions. Authorities conducted a traffic stop and found three illegal aliens hidden in the back seat.
Miller and Howard admitted they had travelled to Laredo for the sole purpose of picking up the aliens and transporting them to San Antonio for payment.
Howard expected to receive a total of $5,000 to split with Miller after delivering the illegal aliens.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, both face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Howard has been and will remain in custody, while Miller was released on bond pending that hearing.
BP conducted the investigation. 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 (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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Intoxicated driver guilty of being alien illegally in possession of firearmRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 20-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Corpus Christi has been convicted of being an alien who unlawfully possessed a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Josias Eliseo Ulloa-Pavon had been driving under the influence of alcohol before crashing Feb. 18.
Upon arrival at the scene, authorities found Ulloa-Pavon pinned inside the fully overturned vehicle. No other cars were in the vicinity. Ulloa-Pavon had red bloodshot eyes, a strong odor of alcohol and appeared unsteady on his feet, swaying as he stood. They removed him from the vehicle and placed him under arrest.
A search revealed a magazine containing six rounds of ammunition in his pocket. Ulloa-Pavon admitted he had a Bersa Model Thunder .380 caliber pistol in his car which law enforcement located and seized.
Ulloa-Pavon had admitted during a previous interaction with law enforcement to being from Honduras and not lawfully in the United States.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Aug. 27. At that time, Ulloa-Pavon faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations and the Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal alien serial felon sent to prison for third unlawful reentryRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 44-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history and multiple prior removals has been sentenced once again for illegally reentering the United States without permission, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Juan Humberto Lara Molina pleaded guilty Feb. 13.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Molina to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In imposing the sentence, the court noted that his criminal history raises serious concerns, stating that if he kept coming back, he would be spending much more time in prison.
Molina has a lengthy drug, weapons and immigration criminal history including two other illegal reentry convictions, one in 2007 and another in 2015. He was also convicted of dealing cocaine in Indiana and unlawful sale of firearms in Illinois. He has also been previously ordered removed from the United States on multiple occasions.
Authorities removed Molina most recently in November 2021. However, law enforcement discovered him at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint Dec. 12, 2024. He was one of seven individuals being transported farther north by human smugglers in a tractor-trailer.
Molina will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Young Min C. Burkett 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.
Court appoints Ganjei as U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Nicholas J. Ganjei has taken the oath of office to remain as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX).
Former acting Attorney General James McHenry named Ganjei as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Jan. 29.
Pursuant to the Vacancy Reform Act, the Attorney General has the authority to name a U.S. Attorney to serve on an interim basis for up to 120 days. After that time, the district court will appoint a U.S. Attorney to serve until the confirmation of his or her eventual successor. Ganjei recently received the unanimous vote of the judges of the Southern District of Texas, re-appointing him as U.S. Attorney for the Southern District.
“I am honored by the district court’s vote of confidence in my leadership of this great office,” said Ganjei. “There is much unfinished business for SDTX to address, from leading the fight to secure our southern border, to ensuring our streets are safe from drugs and violent crime. I am grateful to remain at the helm of the Southern District as we continue to deliver for the American people.”
Chief Judge Randy Crane recently administered the oath of office in front of an audience of U.S. Attorney’s Office staff and court personnel.
Ganjei is a former longtime federal prosecutor who previously served as acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas. He joined the Department of Justice in 2008 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) on the U.S. – Mexico border. As an AUSA, Ganjei prosecuted organized crime, immigration, narcotics and human trafficking cases as well as fraud, public corruption and white-collar matters.
Before joining the department, Ganjei clerked for the Honorable Richard Allen Griffin and Ralph R. Erickson and has taught on the subjects of civil, criminal and constitutional law at both the collegiate and law school levels.
Immediately prior to his SDTX service, Ganjei was chief counsel to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution where he oversaw all legal matters related to criminal justice, border security, judicial nominations, antitrust, intellectual property and religious liberty.
As U.S. Attorney, Ganjei has been and will continue to be chief law enforcement officer for one of the busiest districts in the United States.
Under Ganjei’s leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern 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 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.
Cocaine distributer sentenced to over 10 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute 28.6 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jesus Cedillo pleaded guilty Feb. 25.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Cedillo to serve 126 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On Oct. 28, 2024, Cedillo approached the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Falfurrias. Following a K-9 alert, authorities conducted a search of the vehicle and found multiple bundles of cocaine, totaling 28.6 kilograms, hidden in the speaker boxes in his trunk.
Cedillo admitted an ex-co worker recruited him to transport the cocaine to Houston for $6,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration along with BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case.
Texas man pleads guilty to employment tax fraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A Harris County resident has admitted to failing to report and pay employment taxes, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Joseth “Joe” Limon owned and operated Platinum Employment Group Inc. which supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. From 2013 through 2018, Platinum failed to file employment tax returns and, according to its payroll records, more than $8.8 million in taxes.
After closing Platinum, he set up another labor-staffing company, Rockwell Staffing LLC, in the name of his then 18-year-old daughter. When he discovered the IRS was attempting to collect Rockwell’s employment taxes, he caused his daughter to submit an affidavit that falsely claimed Rockwell had been a victim of identity theft and had no employment-tax liability.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing Aug. 6. At that time, Limon faces up to five years in prison and a possible fine of at least $250,000.
Limon was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh and Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division are prosecuting the case.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Employment Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A Texas man pleaded guilty today before Magistrate Judge Richard W. Bennett for the Southern District of Texas to not reporting and paying over employment taxes that his company withheld from its employees’ paychecks. The plea must be accepted by a U.S. district court judge.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: Joseth “Joe” Limon, of Harris County, owned and operated Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. From 2013 through 2018, Platinum did not file employment-tax returns, and, according to its payroll records, did not pay more than $8.8 million in employment taxes. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government, because, for example, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
After closing Platinum, he set up another labor-staffing company, Rockwell Staffing LLC, in the name of his then 18-year-old daughter. When he later found out that the IRS was attempting to collect Rockwell’s unpaid employment taxes, he caused his daughter to submit an affidavit to the IRS that falsely claimed that Rockwell had been a victim of identity theft and had no employment tax liability.
Limon is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
SDTX charges another 282 people with immigration and related crimes in support of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 277 cases have been filed from May 16-22 in border-security related matters in the Southern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The filed cases include 21 involving human smuggling. A total of 165 people are charged with illegally entering the country, while another 88 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.
Those charged by criminal complaint include two Mexican males found near Roma after being recently removed. Rogelio Torres and William Rocael have prior convictions for burglary and aggravated assault, respectively, and had been removed from the country just this year, according to the allegations. Another charged includes Roberto Martinez who had already previously received an 84-month sentence for the same crime. Regardless, he was found near Cuevitas after his removal in 2020. Five more Mexican males – Jose Salvador Orozco-Olivares, Jesus Misael Espinoza-Garza, Rigoberto Santana-Guerra, Gaspar Garcia-De La O and Celso Jassel Cantu-Mendiola are also charged with illegal reentry after being removed on dates ranging from 2018-2024 but found again in the Rio Grande Valley area this past week. They are also alleged to also have prior felonies. All of these individuals could face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.
As part of the ongoing efforts, charges are also being filed against those that have failed to register and be fingerprinted. In one such case this week, Victor Manuel Herrera-Herrera admitted he had illegally entered the United States in April 2024 near Brownsville and has remained in the country since that time without having registered or been fingerprinted as required by law.
In addition to the new cases, the sixth and final person admitted her role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death. Cynthia Gabriela Muniz Carreon and five others were part of a transnational human smuggling organization responsible for moving illegal aliens across the southern border of Texas. Their actions led to the death of a Guatemalan man and several other dangerous events, including a rollover crash. Although many of the aliens were from Guatemala, the smuggling group instructed them to falsely claim Mexican nationality which ensured they would be removed to Mexico instead of their home country, making it faster and easier for the organization to smuggle them back into the United States. Ledgers revealed the organization generated approximately $79,000 in smuggling proceeds between April 12 and 17, 2024, alone. All six face up to life in federal prison.
In McAllen, an illegal alien was sent to prison for 36 months after distributing cocaine with children in his vehicle. On Aug. 14, 2024, law enforcement conducted surveillance on Heriberto Marin-Hebert and observed him making hand-to-hand exchanges around McAllen. They conducted a traffic stop, at which time he threw a box containing of cocaine in a ditch in an attempt to avoid detection. Authorities found multiple individually wrapped baggies of cocaine in the box as well as additional baggies of cocaine, drug scales, drug paraphernalia, two firearms and over $12,000 in cash at his residence.
A Mexican national received 135 months for smuggling methamphetamine and heroin into the country in Brownsville federal court this week. Ramon Gustavo Alfaro Velez drove his Ford F-150 to the Veterans International Port of Entry. Authorities referred him to a secondary inspection, uncovering 43 bundles hidden within a non-factory compartment beneath the bed liner which contained a white substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine, weighing 139 kilograms. Velez admitted he was being paid $4,000 to travel to Dallas, collect narcotics proceeds and transport them to Mexico. He also admitted he had knowingly transported proceeds into Mexico on at least five prior occasions.
Also sentenced was a human smuggler for transporting aliens in his pickup truck after they had crossed the Rio Grande River via raft. Julian Alberto Soto tried to evade law enforcement by fleeing an attempted traffic stop at a high rate of speed. He eventually stopped, and authorities discovered all 10 passengers in his vehicle were in the country illegally. The court noted his involvement in a separate smuggling attempt involving 20 illegal aliens and found Soto’s repeated involvement in human smuggling warranted a sentence that would promote respect for the law and deter future illegal conduct. Judge Crane emphasized that the repeated violations took place in Roma and the close timing of these incidents demonstrated a pattern of recurring behavior. He received 46 months.
In Houston, an illegal alien was ordered to serve 54 months this week for unlawfully returning to the United States. His term of imprisonment will run consecutively to another sentence for driving while intoxicated he received after running through a stop sign in August 2022. Rodolfo Hernandez-Marchan has previous convictions for illegal reentry, evading arrest and assault of a family member.
Another human smuggler - a 38-year-old resident of Chatanooga, Tennessee - was ordered to serve 18 months after unlawfully transporting illegal aliens through the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. Upon his arrival, Josef Alquan Rutley claimed he was traveling to Laredo, denied having any passengers and said he was looking for a load. An x-ray scan revealed 22 illegal aliens locked inside the trailer with no means of escape. All were from the countries of Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
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 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.
Illegal alien arrested for impersonating U.S. citizen for over 9 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Columbian national illegally residing in Houston has been charged for theft of government funds, false representation of a U.S. citizen and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Javier Alfonso Nunez Suarez is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho at 2 p.m.
The now unsealed indictment, returned May 15, alleges Suarez fraudulently applied for and obtained Social Security Administration (SSA) disability benefits in February 2016 by impersonating a U.S. citizen. Suarez then allegedly qualified for Medicaid benefits.
According to the charges. Suarez continued receiving both SSA disability and Medicaid benefits until his arrest, resulting in a total theft of government funds exceeding $588,000.
If convicted, Suarez faces up to 10 years imprisonment as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each of the charges. He also faces an additional two years in prison for aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.
SSA-Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Former police officer admits to sexual relations with minor femaleRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old resident of Corpus Christi has pleaded guilty to enticing a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On Jan. 8, authorities discovered Daniel Verduzco was having a relationship with a 15-year-old minor female dating back to May 2024. The two had exchanged more than 3,700 messages which included sexually suggestive images and detailed different times they had engaged in sexual relations and intentions for future sexual acts.
The conversations further revealed Verduzco and the minor victim had met in person on multiple occasions.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing Aug. 21. At the time, Verduzco faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman 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.
South Texan man admits to cocaine possessionRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 48-year-old Edcouch resident has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On Dec. 13, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 near Mercedes. Fernando Aguilera-Chavez was driving.
A search of the vehicle revealed 30 packages wrapped in clear plastic and duct tape. The bundles weighed approximately 30.4 kilograms and tested positive for cocaine. Aguilera-Chavez admitted he knew he was in possession of the narcotics and intended to distribute them.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Sept. 9. At that time, Aguilera-Chavez faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Hidalgo County Constables Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.
Several convicted for roles in deadly transnational human smuggling operationRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A sixth and final person has admitted her role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mexican national Cynthia Gabriela Muniz Carreon, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien causing serious bodily injury and resulting in death.
Those previously convicted include Mexican nationals Martha Angelica Limon Parra and David Alejandro Gomez Flores, both 29; Guatemalan national Edy Ronaldo Lima Flores, 37; and Dagoberto Flores, 24, and Angel Elias, 22 both of Laredo.
All six were part of a transnational human smuggling organization responsible for moving illegal aliens across the southern border of Texas. Their actions led to the death of a Guatemalan man and several other dangerous events, including a rollover crash.
“For those that may have relatives, friends, or other loved ones that are considering hiring a smuggler, urge them to think twice. If you are thinking about coming to this country illegally, also think twice.” said Ganjei. “Human smuggling is a dangerous, and often deadly, business, and those that are transporting you have little or no regard for your safety or well-being. Do not put your life in the hands of these criminals.”
Authorities identified Carreon and Parra as Mexico-based coordinators for the organization. Cellphone data revealed both women were part of a WhatsApp group chat titled “La Oficina,” which the organization used to coordinate human smuggling activity. The group maintained detailed ledgers and color-coded spreadsheets documenting the aliens’ biographical information, arrival dates, assigned stash houses, guides and payment status.
Although many of the aliens were from Guatemala, the smuggling group instructed them to falsely claim Mexican nationality. This tactic exploited U.S. immigration procedure by ensuring the aliens would be removed to Mexico instead of their home country which made it faster and easier for the organization to smuggle them back into the United States.
Ledgers shared in “La Oficina” chat revealed the organization generated approximately $79,000 in smuggling proceeds between April 12 and 17, 2024, alone.
Authorities identified Lima Flores as the organization’s Laredo-based transportation coordinator, who hired Dagoberto Flores. Authorities also identified Gomez Flores as the stash house coordinator responsible for receiving aliens from Mexico and illegally harboring them in Laredo. Cellphone evidence revealed Gomez Flores had been involved with the organization since at least 2003 and had received more than $300,000 for helping conceal and transport aliens illegally.
Elias worked with Lima Flores and acted as both a transporter and scout for the organization.
The investigation revealed additional smuggling incidents dating back to April 2024, including one in which an alien became so weak and delirious that he could no longer walk through the brush. Authorities also linked the same organization to a smuggling event April 19, 2024, that resulted in a rollover crash near Laredo. A Guatemalan alien involved in the crash suffered serious back injuries and required hospitalization.
On July 2, 2024, Dagoberto Flores was driving a Ford F-150 transporting aliens. He fled when authorities attempted a traffic stop. The aliens scattered into the brush, including a Guatemalan national who became separated from the group. The investigation revealed he had repeatedly contacted Lima Flores and Carreon asking for help and sharing his location. Carreon told him to stay well hidden and be patient. Authorities later found him deceased. His cause of death was determined to be from heat exhaustion, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees that day.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, each faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
All six have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Laredo Police Department Gang Unit, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Encinal Police Department Customs and Border Protections (CBP) and CBP Air and Marine Operations conducted the investigation.
The case is the result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation and coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).
OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
JTFA, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 365 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling, more than 334 U.S. convictions, more than 281 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is also 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.
JTFA detailee Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case.
Mexican national gets over 11 years for smuggling methamphetamine and heroin into U.S.Read the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 42-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to prison for trafficking methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Ramon Gustavo Alfaro Velez pleaded guilty Jan. 14.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Velez to serve 135 months in federal prison and is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the significant quantity of controlled substances that Velez was being held accountable for and the need to deter future criminal conduct.
On Oct. 6, 2023, Velez applied for admission into the United States when he drove his Ford F-150 into the Veterans International Port of Entry. Authorities referred him to a secondary inspection, uncovering 45 bundles hidden within a non-factory compartment beneath the bed liner.
Of those, 43 contained a white substance that tested positive for methamphetamine, weighing 139 kilograms. The remaining two bundles contained a brown substance that tested positive for heroin with a total weight of 6.7 kilograms.
Velez 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, Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI are conducting 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
Fifteen Charged with Drug Conspiracy and Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
A 29-count indictment was unsealed today charging 12 men and 3 women for their roles in a drug trafficking organization and related gun offenses.
According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax, psylocibin mushrooms, and marijuana. Six of the defendants face additional charges for gun crimes relating to their alleged drug trafficking. The defendants are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. As alleged, in one notable instance in June of 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States.
“As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”
“The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.”
“For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”
James Michael Brewer, also known as Creeper, 33; Jonathan Alvarado, also known as Joker, 28; Hector Luis Lopez, also known as Capulito, 23; Alfredo Gomez, also known as Fredo, 26; and Victor Norris Ellison, 35, all of Houston, have been indicted on drug trafficking and firearm charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The following defendants, all of Houston unless otherwise noted, have been indicted on drug trafficking charges. If convicted, they each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
- Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez, also known as Paco, 29, a Mexican national;
- Enzo Xavier Dominguez, also known as Smiley, 32;
- Alexis Delgado, also known as Chino, 28;
- Jose Eduardo Morales, also known as Primo, 22;
- William Alexander Lazo, also known as Miclo, 21;
- Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24;
- Ruby Mata, 31;
- Mexi Dyan Garcia, also known as Mexi, 31; and
- Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez, also known as Jr., 33.
Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch, also known as Taco Man, 41, a Mexican national, is charged with drug trafficking. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
ICE-HSI and HPD conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice Office of the Inspector General.
Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston, Texas. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence.
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 Neighborhoods.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
15 charged in wide-ranging narcotics and weapons conspiracyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 29-count indictment has been unsealed following the arrests of nine individuals for their roles in a drug trafficking organization. Some are also charged with related gun offenses.
Houston residents James Michael Brewer aka Creeper, 33, Jonathan Alvarado aka Joker, 28, Alexis Delgado aka Chino, 28, Hector Luis Lopez aka Capulito, 23, Kylie Rae Alvarado, 24, Ruby Mata, 31, Victor Norris Ellison, 35, Mexi Dyan Garcia aka Mexi, 31, and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez aka Jr., 33, made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho, at which time the indictment was unsealed.
Also charged are Enzo Xavier Dominguez aka Smiley, 32, William Alexander Lazo aka Miclo, 21, and Alfredo Gomez aka Fredo, 26. They are currently in custody and expected to make their initial appearances in the near future.
Three others are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests – Mexican national Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez aka Paco, 29, Guatemalan national Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch aka Taco Man, 41, as well as Jose Eduardo Morales aka Primo, 22, Houston.
“The defendants are alleged to have engaged in a multi-drug narcotics distribution ring, and, as often seen in the drug trade, are also alleged to have used illegal firearms to facilitate their enterprise,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Some of the charges indicate methamphetamine was alleged to have been sourced from Mexico, and thus this investigation highlights why this office’s enforcement efforts on the border are so critical. The Southern District of Texas will do everything it can to prevent narcotics from entering our country and will be relentless in apprehending those that would distribute drugs in our communities.”
“As alleged, this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico and used the U.S. mail, a taco truck, and homes in different Houston neighborhoods to distribute and sell methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Several of the defendants are also alleged to have used firearms in furtherance of their narcotics trafficking and illegally possessed firearms despite having previously been convicted of felonies. The Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to work tirelessly to combat the scourge of drug trafficking in communities.”
“For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Working in conjunction with the Houston Police Department (HPD) and our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) partners, we were able to expose and dismantle their drug trafficking scheme, eliminating a significant contributor to violent crime in the area and saving an untold number of Houstonians from becoming addicted.”
The indictment, returned under seal May 14, alleges all were members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed methamphetamine, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, heroin, oxycodone, Xanax psylocibin mushrooms and marijuana. They are alleged to have used several drug houses and a food truck to store illegal drugs and conduct drug transactions. In one notable instance in June 2023, authorities seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine that one defendant was attempting to transport into the United States, according to the charges.
With the exception of Simaj-Guch who faces up to 40 years, the rest could receive up to life, upon conviction. Brewer, Alvarado, Lopez, Gomez and Ellison are further charged with firearms offenses which carry up to another 15 years.
ICE-HSI and the HPD led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Board of Criminal Justice-Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
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.
This case is also part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes gang members and associates have committed through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the offenders and prevent further violence.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Texas Doctor Who Falsely Diagnosed Patients Sentenced to 10 Years’ Imprisonment in Connection with $118M in Fraudulent Health Care ClaimsRead the Press Release
A Texas rheumatologist was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for perpetrating a health care fraud scheme involving over $118 million in false claims and the payment of over $28 million by insurers as a result of him falsely diagnosing patients with chronic illnesses to bill for tests and treatments that the patients did not need. Jorge Zamora-Quezada, M.D., 68, of Mission, also falsified patient records to support the false diagnoses after receiving a federal grand jury subpoena. Following a 25-day trial, Zamora-Quezada was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, seven counts of health care fraud, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. In addition to his prison term, Zamora-Quezada was ordered to forfeit $28,245,454, including 13 real estate properties, a jet, and a Maserati GranTurismo.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Zamora-Quezada falsely diagnosed his patients with rheumatoid arthritis and administered toxic medications in order to defraud Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. The fraudulent diagnoses made the defendant’s patients believe that they had a life-long, incurable condition that required regular treatment at his offices. After falsely diagnosing his patients, Zamora-Quezada administered unnecessary treatments and ordered unnecessary testing on them, including a variety of injections, infusions, x-rays, MRIs, and other procedures—all with potentially harmful and even deadly side effects. To receive payment for these expensive services, Zamora-Quezada fabricated medical records and lied about the patients’ condition to insurers.
“Dr. Zamora-Quezada funded his luxurious lifestyle for two decades by traumatizing his patients, abusing his employees, lying to insurers, and stealing taxpayer money,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His depraved conduct represents a profound betrayal of trust toward vulnerable patients who depend on care and integrity from their doctors. Today’s sentence is not just a punishment—it’s a warning. Medical professionals who harm Americans for personal enrichment will be aggressively pursued and held accountable to protect our citizens and the public fisc.”
“Through the false diagnoses and excessive false billing, Dr. Zamora-Quezada abused both patient trust and public resources,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “It is imperative to investigate and address this form of fraud — not only to protect vulnerable individuals from harm but to uphold the integrity of the federal health care system and safeguard the use of public funds.”
“The FBI is dedicated to working with all of our partners to address health care fraud,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “This case was not only a concern to us because of the financial loss — the physical and emotional harm suffered by the patients and their families was alarming and profound. We hope this significant sentence will help bring closure to the many victims in this case.”
Evidence at trial established that Dr. Zamora-Quezada falsely diagnosed patients in order to defraud insurers and enrich himself. Other rheumatologists in the Rio Grande Valley testified at trial that they saw hundreds of patients previously diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis by Zamora-Quezada who did not have the condition, prompting one physician to explain that for “most” it was “obvious that the patient did not have rheumatoid arthritis.” Zamora-Quezada’s false diagnoses and powerful medications caused debilitating side effects on his patients, including strokes, necrosis of the jawbone, hair loss, liver damage, and pain so severe that basic tasks of everyday life, such as bathing, cooking, and driving, became difficult. As one patient testified, “Constantly being in bed and being unable to get up from bed alone, and being pumped with medication, I didn’t feel like my life had any meaning.” One mother described how she felt that her child served as a “lab rat,” and others described abandoning plans for college or feeling like they were “living a life in the body of an elderly person.”
Former employees detailed how Zamora-Quezada imposed strict quotas for procedures, leading to a climate of fear. Zamora-Quezada referred to himself as the “eminencia” — or eminence, threw a paperweight at an employee who failed to generate enough unnecessary procedures, hired employees he could manipulate because they were on J-1 visas and their immigration status could be jeopardized if they lost their jobs, and fired those who challenged him. Testimony also revealed Zamora-Quezada’s obstruction of insurer audits by fabricating missing patient files, including by taking ultrasounds of employees and using those images as documentation in the patient records. Testimony at trial established that Zamora-Quezada told employees to “aparecer” the missing records — “to make them appear.” Former employees also recounted being sent to a dilapidated barn to attempt to retrieve records. There, files were saturated with feces and urine, rodents, and termites that infested not only the records but also the structure.
Zamora-Quezada’s patient file storage facilityZamora-Quezada used proceeds from his crimes to fund a lavish lifestyle, replete with real estate properties across the country and in Mexico, a jet, and a Maserati.
One of Zamora-Quezada’s luxury properties Zamora-Quezada’s jetFBI, HHS-OIG, Texas HHS-OIG, and the Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case, with assistance from the Defense Criminal Investigative Service.
Principal Assistant Chief Jacob Foster and Assistant Chiefs Rebecca Yuan and Emily Gurskis of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Rollinson handled asset forfeiture. Fraud Section Assistant Chief Kevin Lowell initially handled the prosecution. The prosecution team thanks the Fraud Section’s Data Analytics Team, whose work initiated the investigation, Victim Witness Specialist Olga De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, and the Texas Department of Insurance.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Tennessee man sentenced for smuggling a truckload of illegal aliensRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old resident of Chattanooga, Tennessee, has been ordered to federal prison after unlawfully transporting illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Josef Alquan Rutley pleaded guilty Feb. 18.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Rutley to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the dangerous way the 22 illegal aliens were locked into the trailer with no way to escape. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the large number of illegal aliens and their inability to escape in an emergency.
On Dec. 19, 2024, Rutley approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint driving a tractor trailer. He claimed he was traveling to Laredo. He denied having any passengers and said he was looking for a load.
Authorities noted he appeared nervous and avoided eye contact which prompted a referral to secondary inspection. An x-ray scan revealed 22 illegal aliens locked inside the trailer with no means of escape.
All were from the countries of Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico.
“Human smuggling can often turn deadly, particularly in crowded conditions like a tractor trailer,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas is doing everything it can to deter people from being smuggled and to punish those who make their money by trafficking other human beings.”
Rutley 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 BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. 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.
Jury convicts home health agency owner in Medicare fraud and identity theft schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 64-year-old man has been convicted of all counts as charged for leading a Medicare fraud scheme involving the submission of falsified medical records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Paul Njoku following a three-day trial.
Njoku owned and operated a home health care agency called Opnet Health Care Services Inc. doing business as P & P Health Care Services. Njoku was the owner and CEO.
The jury heard testimony from witnesses that Njoku, or others working at his direction, forged signatures of doctors and nurses. Specifically, Njoku and others cut out old signatures and taped them onto newly created doctors’ orders, nursing notes and nursing assessments. Medicare required home health agencies to maintain these documents to obtain payment for providing home health services. Njoku then submitted the falsified records in response to a request for records from Medicare.
The jury also heard about a registered nurse who had departed Opnet in 2017. Njoku continued using her signature on nursing notes and assessments in 2018 and 2019 without her knowledge or consent.
A witness also testified that Njoku bribed a doctor in exchange for approving home health services.
From 2015 to 2019, Opnet billed Medicare over $400,000 in claims for home health services and received over $360,000. Opnet did not maintain the required documentation for many of them and later falsified records to support the claims.
During the trial, a representative testified that Medicare would not have paid these claims had Medicare known there was no documentation or that they were based on falsified records.
“It is absolutely paramount that Americans—both as patients and as taxpayers—have confidence in the integrity of medical providers that receive Medicare funds. Here, the defendant unrepentantly abused that trust by engaging in bribery and stealing from Medicare,” said Ganjei. “With today’s guilty verdict, the Southern District of Texas aims to restore some of that lost trust. I thank the jury for their time and attention to this important case.”
The defense attempted to blame another person for the fraud. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Njoku will face a maximum of 10 years for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five years for two counts of false statements relating to health care matters as well as another two years for the identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. The convictions also carry a possible $250,000 fine for each count.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General and Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christian Latham and Kathryn Olson are prosecuting the case.
Illegal alien sent to prison after distributing cocaine with children in vehicleRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in McAllen has been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute it, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Heriberto Marin-Hebert pleaded guilty Nov. 22, 2024.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Marin-Hebert to serve 36 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, Marin-Herbert is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
On Aug. 14, 2024, law enforcement conducted surveillance on Marin-Hebert and observed him making hand-to-hand exchanges around McAllen with his children in the vehicle. They conducted a traffic stop, at which time he threw a box containing cocaine in a ditch in an attempt to avoid detection. Authorities found multiple individually-wrapped baggies of cocaine in the box.
They subsequently conducted a search of his home and also discovered additional baggies of cocaine, drug scales, drug paraphernalia, two firearms and over $12,000 in cash.
At the time of his arrest, Marin-Hebert admitted he sold cocaine for a living.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Hidalgo County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.
Two Texas Syndicate gang members receive multi-decade sentences for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi residents have been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jesse Martinez, 51, and Gabriel Galindo, 46, both long-time Texas Syndicate gang members, pleaded guilty Jan. 2.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has ordered Martinez to serve 360 months, while Galindo was ordered to serve a 288-month-term of imprisonment. Both must also serve five years of supervised release following their sentences.
The court held Martinez responsible for over two kilograms of heroin and almost eight kilograms of methamphetamine. Galindo was held responsible for almost 10 kilograms of methamphetamine and over a kilogram of heroin. However, the court heard that throughout the investigation, authorities calculated that the Texas Syndicate drug trafficking organization was likely distributing approximately two kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of methamphetamine per month from September 2020 to May 2024.
The court also considered their criminal histories including convictions for theft, burglary, weapons and drug charges for Martinez. Galindo’s criminal history began at the age of 14 and includes burglary of a habitation, multiple cocaine convictions – with a federal conviction for possession with intent to distribute - and possessing a stabbing weapon while incarcerated.
Furthermore, the court heard Galindo was found with a shank, methamphetamine and suboxone strips while incarcerated for this offense and that he was dealing suboxone to other inmates.
The investigation began in 2020 when law enforcement was looking into the drug trafficking activities of the Texas Syndicate. They discovered Martinez was receiving kilogram amounts of methamphetamine and heroin. Galindo was one of his top distributors in the Corpus Christi area.
On May 21, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Martinez’s residence and found he was in possession of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, marijuana and synthetic marijuana as well as three unsecured firearms. Several children were also living in the home.
Galindo was also found in possession of almost a kilogram of methamphetamine, a kilogram of heroin and four firearms at the time of his arrest.
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, FBI and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service and police departments in Corpus Christi and Robstown. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara J. De Pena and Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.
SDTX continues efforts to secure the border with 209 more charged with immigration-related crimesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 209 cases have been filed in immigration and border security-related matters from May 9-15, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
As part of the cases, 78 face allegations of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 124 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while seven cases allege various instances of human smuggling.
Three of those charged this week had unlawfully attempted to reenter the country after being removed less than one month ago, according to allegations. Authorities had allegedly removed Honduran national Erick Nahun Orellana-Ramos and Mexican national Alejandro De La Vega-Loyola April 21, while Mexican national Luis Cibrian-Gonzalez was removed May 5. However, the alleged convicted felons were once again allegedly discovered in the United States unlawfully, according to their charges.
Criminal complaints further allege Eleno Martin Velazquez-Hernandez and Edwin Vazquez-Perez both have prior convictions for sexual assault and were previously removed from the United States in 2021 and 2019, respectively. However, law enforcement allegedly found the men in the Rio Grande Valley and are now charged with illegal reentry after removal.
Similarly, Heriberto Garcia-Robles was allegedly discovered near Mission. The criminal complaint charging him alleges the Mexican male had been previously removed Jan. 10, 2023, following a conviction for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
In addition to the new cases, two Tango Blast gang members were sentenced for conspiring to transport illegal aliens. Eusebio Regalado was ordered to serve 66 months while Eric Grajeda had previously received 36 months. Both had led law enforcement on multiple vehicle pursuits during human smuggling attempts.
“With these sentencings, two less gang members are out on the streets, and a human smuggling operation has been dismantled,” said Ganjei. “Securing the border is the Southern District’s top priority, and we’re delivering.”
In Brownsville, Felix Raymundo Mora-Gonzalez received a 70-month sentence for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He was originally arrested Feb. 21, 2023, for harboring illegal aliens. However, the investigation uncovered a cell phone at the stash house that belonged him. A forensic examination of the cell phone revealed Mora-Gonzalez knowingly possessed 29 videos and nine images of CSAM. He had also previously pleaded guilty to the smuggling charges and received 15 months.
Also announced was another criminal alien who had unlawfully reentered the United States. Hector Castillo-Molina has a lengthy criminal history to include five felonies such as burglary, drug possession, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal reentry into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court called Castillo-Molina’s extensive record “concerning,” noting that if he kept coming back, he would just be spending all his time jail.
In Corpus Christi, Eusebio Cavazos received the maximum of 60 months for smuggling 36 illegal aliens in a tractor trailer. All were from the countries of Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador. Five had previously been removed from the United States and now face additional charges for illegal reentry. Cavazos admitted he was paid to drive the group from near Donna to Houston and expected to earn $1,000 per person.
Following a one-day bench trial in McAllen, an illegal alien was convicted of unlawfully reentering the United States for the eighth time. Enrique Melendez-Saldivar attempted to resist and evade arrest as authorities struggled to apprehend him in the South Texas brush. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
In Houston, another illegal alien pleaded guilty in a large-scale wire fraud conspiracy involving more than 550,000 fraudulent Texas paper license plates. Former fugitive Emmanuel Padilla Reyes admitted he used stolen identities to obtain used car dealer licenses and created two fictitious dealerships to access the state’s secure tag portal. Authorities said he and his co-conspirators advertised the tags on social media and issued them without selling any vehicles. The fake tags allowed buyers to avoid registration, safety inspections and insurance, and enabled criminals to conceal their identities while committing crimes ranging from fraud to robberies and drive-by shootings. He faces up to five years in federal prison and is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence.
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 the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). 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 SDTX 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.
Romanian crew convicted in ATM skimming caseRead the Press Release
HOUSTON ‐ A man and woman who illegally resided in Houston have admitted their roles in installing and removing ATM skimmers from machines at multiple banks in the Houston area, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Perla Miclescu, 26, and Rafael Rafaila, 21, both citizens of Romania, each entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
In April 2024, they installed skimmers designed to enable them and others to intercept debit/credit card information via magnetic strips. They would save the information onto a computer chip affixed to the device after unsuspecting victims used their cards at ATM terminals.
The first instance involved co-conspirators April 4, 2024. Security footage at a Houston bank showed Ana Maria Dirman, 30, and Mihai Alexandru Gaita, 38, both Romanian citizens, placing an ATM skimmer into the card reader. At the time, they were in a 2004 Ford Explorer.
The investigation revealed the vehicle was at two other banks in the Baytown area approximately two weeks later. ATMs at both locations were found to have deep insert skimmer and pin hole camera devices placed on them.
Law enforcement eventually discovered Miclescu and Rafaila in the same 2004 Explorer. They conducted a search and found two overlay pin hole camera devices and supplies used to make the overlay cameras, 24 reencoded credit cards (counterfeit cards) and one deep insert skimmer.
Authorities had discovered Miclescu had purchased super glue, two 32G Micro SD cards and scissors – all tools and materials utilized in ATM skimming.
Miclescu and Rafaila were also operating a gold-colored minivan April 5 and 7, 2024, placing a skimming device on other ATMs.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the pleas and set sentencing for Aug. 15.
Miclescu and Rafaila will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Gaita previously pleaded guilty and is also set for sentencing Aug. 15. Dirman remains a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the United States Secret Service Houston Field office at (713) 868-2299.
Police departments in Houston and Baytown, Texas Financial Crimes Intel Center and Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day is prosecuting the case.
Houston sex trafficker gets 14 years for luring minor through social mediaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Michael Ramone Hooks pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake considered victim letters and sentenced Hooks to 168 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $6087 in restitution to a known victim and 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. Hooks will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of his plea, Hooks admitted to recruiting the 16-year-old victim to engage in prostitution via Instagram, text messages and video calls.
He communicated via cell phone with the minor and lured her away from a known sex trafficker, Antonio Dario Osario-Avelar aka Pressure. Prior to Hooks’ attempt to lure the minor victim away to work for him, Osario-Avelar had caused to her to engage in commercial sex.
Hooks knew the victim was a minor. Law enforcement discovered text messages revealing that they discussed her age. The victim agreed to pay Hooks a “choosing fee,” which is a fee the victim pays a trafficker for them to be their “pimp.”
In August 2023, authorities arrested Hooks and recovered the minor victim before she could join up with him.
Osario-Avelar was previously sentenced to 375 months in federal prison for his conduct in a separate case before U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks.
“This case is a reminder that sex trafficking is happening in our city, even if it is not always immediately visible,” said Ganjei. “This case was, of course, a great hit against this specific defendant, but our larger goal is nothing short of putting the Houston sex trafficking trade completely out of business.”
He 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 the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance and Houston Police Department (HPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Celia Moyer and former AUSA Sherri Zack prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.
Texas woman sent to federal prison for transporting drugs into the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 29-year-old San Antonio resident has been sentenced for the attempted importation of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Shania Nichele Ellis pleaded guilty Dec. 18, 2024.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Ellis to serve 97 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that detailed how Ellis knew she was going to Mexico to move narcotics for money. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Ellis made a terrible decision.
On Aug. 25, 2024, Ellis drove from Mexico to the Gateway to the Americas International Bridge 1 in Laredo and entered the trusted traveler lane. Authorities subsequently referred her to secondary inspection after learning she was not enrolled in that program.
There, they discovered a small access door on the rear liftgate which revealed several bundles of narcotics. A K9 also alerted to the vehicle’s doors where more bundles were hidden inside the panels.
Law enforcement ultimately found a total of 44 bundles of methamphetamine, weighing 24.407 kilograms with a 97% purity level as well as two bundles of cocaine weighing 655.6 grams and one bundle of black heroin weighing 494.5 grams.
The investigation revealed that a friend had attempted to recruit her via social media to transport the narcotics from Mexico to the United States. While visiting that friend in Monterrey, Mexico, her car went missing. It was returned the following day when she was told to leave.
As part of her plea, she admitted she conspired with at least one other person to import narcotics across the border from Mexico into the United States.
She has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
Tango Blast gang members sentenced after leading law enforcement on multiple vehicle pursuits during smuggling attemptsRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two Tango Blast members have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of conspiring to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Juan Miguel Regalado, 28, and Samuel Grajeda Jr., 21, pleaded guilty Nov. 12, 2024.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed a 66-month sentence for Regalado. Grajeda previously received a 30-month-term of imprisonment as well as a consecutive six months for violating his supervised release for a previous alien transporting conviction. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences.
The investigation began April 20, 2024, when a group of suspected illegal aliens entered a green Tahoe in the Mines Road area. Regalado was driving and soon led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, during which multiple individuals jumped out of the vehicle. Regalado drove up to 100 miles per hour before driving the Tahoe into the Rio Grande River. Regalado then swam across to Mexico.
Over the next several months, authorities continued to monitor the Mines Road area for other possible smuggling attempts. In November 2024, another group of illegal aliens entered a white Ford Taurus parked near Father McNaboe Park within the Mines Road area.
Authorities followed until a black Mercedes sedan cut them off. Grajeda and Regalado were the respective drivers. An attempted traffic stop of the Ford Taurus then led to another vehicle pursuit in which Grajeda crashed into an innocent bystander’s vehicle and continued to evade law enforcement. As it ended, law enforcement discovered four illegal aliens and the Ford Taurus abandoned in a north Laredo neighborhood.
Authorities then found Grajeda and Regalado within the vicinity of the abandoned vehicle and took them into custody.
As part of their guilty pleas, both admitted to their involvement in the conspiracy.
“With these sentencings, two less gang members are out on the streets, and a human smuggling operation has been dismantled,” said Ganjei. “Securing the border is the Southern District’s top priority, and we’re delivering.”
Grajeda and Regalado will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined at in the near future.
Border Patrol-Anti-Smuggling Unit and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Lopez prosecuted the case.
Truck driver receives maximum sentence for smuggling 36 illegal aliens in trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Alamo resident has been ordered to prison for smuggling people into the United States from multiple countries, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Eusebio Cavazos pleaded guilty Feb. 13.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Cavazos to serve the statutory maximum of 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding numerous sentencing enhancements applied in the case. These included transporting over 25 aliens, recklessness for locking the aliens in the back of a cold trailer with no means of escape, transporting a minor and using his skills as a truck driver to commit the crime. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted he would have sentenced Cavazos to a higher sentence if not for the statutory maximum of 60 months.
On Dec. 13, 2024, Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.
Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else. It was 54 degrees inside and the doors were locked and sealed with no means of escape.
A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal reentry.
Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.
He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.
“Human smuggling is a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, practice, and those that choose to engage in it deserve the maximum punishment available,” said Ganjei. “All it would have taken here is a car accident or a cooling malfunction for these people to have lost their lives.”
Cavazos 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 BP 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.
Mission real estate agent indicted for fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old Mission man has made an appearance in McAllen federal court on wire fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
According to the four-count indictment, Sergio Efrain Zamora Jr. sold multiple homes by forging signatures on the documents and transferring titles to his business.
The charges allege, beginning in June 2021, Zamora orchestrated a real estate fraud scheme by selling multiple homes without the homeowners’ authorization. He allegedly forged signatures on documents and transferred property titles to his business.
The victims-some of whom were his own family and friends-were unaware their homes were being sold, according to the charges. Zamora allegedly created fraudulent documents, including warranty deeds and contracts of sale, to make the transactions appear legitimate.
According to the indictment, he forged paperwork as part of the scheme. He allegedly profited illegally by using the proceeds to pay off debts and, in some cases, by receiving funds directly from the fraudulent closings.
The charges allege the scheme caused a total loss of $655,000 to the victims and the title company.
If convicted, Zamora faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Mexican national sentenced to 70 months for possession of sexually explicit images and videos of childrenRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old Mexican man has been sentenced for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Felix Raymundo Mora-Gonzalez pleaded guilty Feb. 20.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now sentenced Mora-Gonzalez to 70 months in federal prison. He was further ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to the known victims and will serve 25 years 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 children and the internet. Mora-Gonzalez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Mora-Gonzalez was arrested Feb. 21, 2023, in connection with his involvement in an alien smuggling investigation. Mora-Gonzalez was originally arrested for harboring illegal aliens. However, the investigation uncovered a cell phone at the stash house that belonged him. A forensic examination of the cell phone revealed Mora-Gonzalez knowingly possessed 29 videos and nine images of CSAM.
He also pleaded guilty to the alien smuggling charges and was previously sentenced to 15 months.
Mora-Gonzalez 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 Border Patrol conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ana C. Cano, Israel Cano and Joe Esquivel 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 custom home builder heads to prison for misusing construction fundsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Houston man has been sentenced for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Brett Michael Detamore pleaded guilty Aug. 23, 2024.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Detamore to serve 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a total of $2.3 million in restitution to over 10 victims. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from several victims who described how Detamore had abused their trust and devastated them financially.
Detamore, operating as a custom home builder under Detamore Development LLC, fraudulently obtained at least $1.5 million for his personal use as a result of misusing funds intended for the construction of private residences.
Detamore submitted false and fraudulent invoices to banks holding construction loans for single-family residences he was contracted to build. The false invoices caused the banks to send funds to bank accounts Detamore controlled. He then used the funds for his personal benefit.
He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the West University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Lansden and Suzanne Elmilady prosecuted the case.
Criminal illegal alien gets 48 months for unlawfully reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country without permission for a second time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Hector Castillo-Molina pleaded guilty Sept. 13, 2024.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Castillo-Molina to serve four years 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 called Castillo-Molina’s extensive record “concerning,” noting that if he kept coming back, he would just be spending all his time jail.
Castillo-Molina has a lengthy criminal history to include five felonies including burglary, drug possession, felon in possession of a firearm and illegal reentry into the United States. He has been previously removed from the United States on multiple occasions.
He was last removed in August 2022. However, authorities discovered him again April 27, 2024, at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. He was one of 59 individuals being transported in a tractor-trailer.
Castillo-Molina will remain in custody pending transfer a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
BP 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.
Mexican fishermen indicted for illegal red snapper harvesting in U.S. watersRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Brownsville grand jury has indicted a crew of four men from Matamoros, Mexico, for unlawfully transporting fish taken from the Gulf of America, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Previously arrested upon the filing of a criminal complaint, Miguel Angel Ramirez-Vidal, 32, Jesus David Luna-Marquez, 20, Jesus Roberto Morales-Amador, 27, and Jose Daniel Santiago-Mendoza, 22, are expected appear for their arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt May 22 at 1:45 p.m.
On April 17, the crew of four allegedly attempted to transport and export roughly 315 kilograms of red snapper illegally taken from U.S. waters. The charges allege they intended to sell the fish in Mexico.
The criminal complaint alleges authorities observed the crew’s panga-style fishing vessel in the Gulf of America, seven miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line and 21 miles east of South Padre Island (SPI).
The crew was allegedly fishing with approximately four kilometers of heavy nylon fishing line and 1,200 fishing hooks. The complaint further alleges they were in an unmarked and unregistered vessel which was not flying the flag of any nation and operating without running lights. The charges allege none of the crew had a permit to fish in U.S. waters nor had a quota for red snapper in violation of federal law.
If convicted, they face up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
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.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Illegal alien admits to role in nationwide scheme to sell fake Texas paper vehicle tagsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The final man charged in a large-scale conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to the sale of hundreds of thousands of fraudulent Texas paper license plates has pleaded guilty, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Emmanuel Padilla Reyes, 35, was a fugitive until authorities apprehended him in September 2024.
Reyes and co-conspirators used the internet, email and iMessage to sell fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and deliver them to buyers nationwide. As part of his plea, Reyes admitted to using at least two aliases, including another person’s name and Social Security number, to get used car dealer licenses. He used them in a scheme to fraudulently issue and sell at least 550,000 Texas temporary buyer tags without selling any vehicles.
The illegal tags pose a danger to the public and law enforcement as buyers use them to avoid registration, safety inspections and liability insurance. They can also be used to conceal identities from law enforcement. The investigation revealed fake vehicle tags gave criminals the means to create ghost cars that were invisible to law enforcement and used to commit crimes ranging from driving with no insurance to committing robberies and drive-by shootings.
In Texas, used car dealers must obtain an independent General Distinguishing Number (GDN) license via the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ online eLicensing portal to legally buy, sell or exchange vehicles. Licensed dealers can access the secure eTag portal to create temporary buyer tags and may add other users to their account. At the time of the original indictment in the case, there were no restrictions on the data entered into the portal.
Reyes provided false information, such as fake identities, drivers licenses, lease agreements and business signs, in an online application portal to obtain GDN licenses for two fictitious dealerships “King’s Ranch Autoland” and “Texas Motor Company.” Reyes and his co-conspirators then advertised Texas buyer tags for sale on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks will impose sentencing July 23. At that time, Reyes faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Co-defendants Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez, 44, Octavian Ocasio, 53, and Daniel Christine-Tani, 36, were also charged and convicted in the scheme and were sentenced to prison. Lopez, also in the United States illegally, failed to report to prison. A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 20 charging her with failure to surrender. Lopez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for her arrest. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.
The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Travis County Constable Office - Precinct 3, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan national and prior felon receives over 15 years for three gunpoint robberiesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 29-year-old legal permanent resident from Guatemala who lived in Houston has been sentenced for multiple counts of robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Josue Castro-Gomez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2024.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Castro-Gomez to 98 months in federal prison for the robberies as well as a consecutive 84 months for the firearms conviction. He is also expected to lose his status in the United States and face removal proceedings following his total 182-month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Castro-Gomez would commit the robberies by first pretending to be a customer and then taking the store employees by surprise.
In November and December 2023, Castro-Gomez robbed two gas stations and one Houston-area smoke shop at gunpoint.
On Nov. 25, 2023, Castro-Gomez entered a Korner Food Mart located in Houston, brandished a firearm and demanded the store clerk give him cash from the register. He proceeded to discharge the firearm, shooting above the clerk’s head, but fled from the scene without taking any money.
On Dec. 11-12, 2023, Castro-Gomez went to a Circle K gas station and a Vape City, respectively, and demanded cash from the register. He received money on both occasions and fled the scenes.
On Dec. 12, law enforcement located Castro-Gomez and found him to be in possession of a .32 caliber handgun.
During the investigation, authorities matched a spent shell casing from the Nov. 25 robbery to the firearm in Castro-Gomez’s possession at the time of his arrest.
Castro-Gomez has prior felony convictions from 2015 and 2017 for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and possession of a controlled substance, respectively. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
He 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 (ATF) conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles.
Asylum grantee sent to prison for role in fentanyl conspiracyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 24-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to distribute approximately 987 grams of fentanyl powder and 4,568 fentanyl pills, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Azael Barrientos-Regalado pleaded guilty Sept. 13, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Barrientos-Regalado to serve 60 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 it was a serious crime.
Barrientos was granted political asylum in 2020 based on credible fear of the Mexican cartels.
The investigation revealed Barrientos-Regalado helped facilitate the transportation and delivery of 1.4379 kilograms of fentanyl from the Rio Grande Valley to the Houston area for further redistribution throughout the United States.
He coordinated the transportation by hiring drivers to move the drugs though the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoints. Authorities later seized 987 grams of fentanyl powder and 4,568 pills weighing 450.9 grams, which also contained fentanyl.
Barrientos-Regalado will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and BP conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liesel Roscher and Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
Former VA Houston nurse indicted for falsely claiming she had checked on patient that ultimately diedRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 54-year-old Richmond resident and former nurse at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center in Houston has been arrested for creating false government records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The now unsealed indictment, returned May 7, alleges Christiana Ogbonnaya was on duty acting in her official capacity as a nurse at the Houston VA Medical Center from July 26-27, 2024. During that time, Ogbonnaya allegedly made false entries in the VA’s Computerized Patient Record System claiming she had observed a male patient on several occasions during her shift. However, the charges allege she did not have any contact with him at those times.
Medical personnel found the patient unresponsive in the early morning hours of July 27 and ultimately pronounced him deceased, according to the charges.
If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
VA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenón-Matos is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Court finds illegal alien guilty of reentering United States for 8th timeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 43-year-old Mexican national has been convicted of illegally reentering the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane found Enrique Melendez-Saldivar guilty as charged following a one-hour bench trial.
On Dec. 19, 2024, authorities discovered Melendez-Saldivar as he attempted to illegally enter the country near Los Ebanos. At the time, the investigation revealed he was not a citizen of the United States.
Melendez-Saldivar has a prior conviction for illegal reentry and has been removed at least eight times.
Testimony also revealed Melendez-Saldivar tried to resist and evade arrest as authorities struggled to apprehend him in the South Texas brush.
The defense attempted to convince the court Melendez-Saldivar’s rights were violated due to excessive use of force. Judge Crane did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.
Sentencing has been set for July 21. At that time, Melendez-Saldivar 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.
Border Patrol and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia 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.
Southern District charges over 300 individuals in border security-related cases this weekRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 300 cases have been filed charging 302 people from May 2-8 in continuing efforts to secure the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
As part of the cases, 93 face allegations of illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 193 people face charges of illegally entering the country, while 11 cases allege various instances of human smuggling with the remainder involving other immigration-related crimes.
Those charged by criminal complaint include two convicted felons authorities had allegedly discovered illegally in the country near Roma. Milton Elias Lara-Lara and Alejandro Tamayo-Velazquez have convictions related to fentanyl and marijuana, respectively, and had previously been removed from the United States, according to their charges.
Two more charged this week for unlawfully returning to the United States are Marco Antonio Rangel-Hernandez and Jose Guadalupe Valero-Lavanzate. The charges against them allege both are Mexican nationals who had previously served sentences for illegal reentry.
As part of the ongoing efforts, others have also admitted they failed to register and be fingerprinted. One of those was Elver Emmanual Ollervidez-Tapia. He admitted he had previously waded across the Rio Grande River and illegally entered the country. Upon arrival, he failed to register and be fingerprinted as required by law. He was charged with that crime and for illegally entering the country and has pleaded guilty.
In addition to the new cases, a five-time DUI illegal alien offender was ordered to federal prison for 70 months. In imposing the term of imprisonment, the court considered the dangerousness of Isidor Lagunas-Estrada’s crimes, his lack of respect for the law and need for deterrence. Lagunas-Estrada was removed from the United States in 2020 following his fourth DUI conviction. The investigation revealed he illegally reentered again and was found in the United States in October 2022 when he was arrested and later convicted for his fifth DUI.
Also announced was an illegal alien who had allegedly attempted to export stolen vehicles for the cartel. Authorities found Angel David Salas-Herrera in a stolen jeep Gladiator, according to the charges. A search allegedly resulted in the discovery of multiple key fobs and a device utilized to program them. The charges allege the Gladiator was intended to be exported to Mexico for the Gulf Cartel. Law enforcement was also able to recover two additional stolen vehicles that were allegedly intended for the same purpose. If convicted, Salas-Herrera faces up to 10 years in federal prison.
In Brownsville, an armed repeat illegal alien admitted to human smuggling and firearms charges. The investigation revealed Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza was a river guide and had conspired with Issac Azuara-Vasquez to transport and smuggle illegal aliens in the bed of a truck after they illegally arrived from Mexico via boat on the Rio Grande River. Ramirez-Carranza, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, admitted to transporting and bringing an alien into the United States as well as illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm. Mexican citizen Azuara-Vasquez entered his plea April 10 to the same smuggling-related charges as well as selling a firearm to Ramirez-Carranza, an illegal alien.
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 the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). 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 SDTX 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.