Southern District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Outlaw hunting guide guilty of illegally baiting pondRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 55-year-old Conroe resident has admitted to operating an illegal waterfowl guiding operation.
Richard Lee Bowers admitted he invited members of the public to duck hunt on his property in Walker County, known as the Pull Two Ranch, where he illegally baited a pond with corn. Bowers had his paying clients hunt over the bait where they harvested various species of ducks.
Ducks are covered by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and may not be legally hunted with the aid of bait.
On Nov. 18, 2023, authorities conducted surveillance at Pull Two Ranch and observed duck blinds near the pond which had freshly spread corn clearly visible in the water. The next morning, they confronted Bowers and a group who was hunting over the corn. Bowers falsely claimed the corn was for hogs, even though all the corn was underwater.
The investigation revealed several hunters who had paid to hunt at Pull Two Ranch reported that baiting the pond with corn was standard procedure. One had questioned Bowers about the illegal baiting, and Bowers responded with “that’s how we get all the ducks.”
Bowers is a taxidermist by trade with a long history of state fish and game violations.
Judge George C. Hanks Jr. accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 9. At that time, Bowers faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert S. Johnson is prosecuting the case.
Former police officer pleads guilty to federal charges in relation to raid that killed two and injured othersRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Former Houston Police Department officer Gerald M. Goines, 62, admitted he made materially false statements in an affidavit to obtain a search warrant that led to the botched Harding Street raid in 2019, resulting in a shootout that killed two and injured four HPD officers.
To obtain the warrant, Goines falsely claimed a confidential informant had purchased heroin from a resident at the home and provided it to him. Goines later admitted he knew the information was false.
He also made other false statements in the affidavit, including claims that others had purchased drugs from residents of the home in the approximately three weeks leading up to the warrant.
“Good policing is hard, and good cops always want to accomplish their mission to keep our communities safe and bring justice to bad guys,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “But ends don't justify the means. Here, Goines broke public trust, repeatedly lied, and his deceit bore evil fruit: people got hurt and killed. I support our local, state, and federal law enforcement, but none of us get to commit crooked acts and avoid accountability.”
“Gerald Goines was a senior narcotics police officer who knowingly violated departmental policy and the law. He held a position of trust within this community, and he violated that trust by abusing his authority and lying to evade accountability for his actions. In this case, Goines’ actions cost the lives of two innocent people,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Color of law violations are some of the hardest to prove, but they are crucial to maintaining public trust in law enforcement. We hope today’s outcome serves as justice for his victims and a reminder that law enforcement officers are not above the law.”
U.S. District Court Judge George Hanks accepted the plea and will impose sentencing Nov. 9. At that time, Goines faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Goines has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. He was previously convicted in Harris County on first degree murder charges and is serving a 60-year prison sentence.
Former HPD officer Steven O. Bryant, 53, and Patricia Ann Garcia, 60, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and providing false information, respectively.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
Felons, illegal aliens, smugglers, and more charged in 245 SDTX cases as part of recent border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 248 people have been charged, including 227 illegal aliens, in 245 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from Aug. 21-27.
A total of 172 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 43 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. In addition, 26 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 12 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining seven cases relate to other immigration crimes.
One of the charged illegal aliens is a Guatemalan male with a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child, according to the allegations. Law enforcement allegedly discovered Cesar Augusto Sanchez-Cristales near Roma, despite the fact he had been removed from the country in 2017. Four others, all Mexican nationals, were also allegedly found in the McAllen area. Eduardo Hernandez-Sanchez, Wilber Torres-Herrera, Agustin Yanez-Reynaga, and Francisco Giovanni Garcia-Hernandez had also been previously removed and have prior convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine or other controlled substances, multiple driving while intoxicated convictions, or burglary, according to the new criminal complaints against them.
If convicted of the new felony illegal reentry into the United States, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to the new cases, a Laredo woman was sentenced in a failed attempt to smuggler a toddler into the United States. Anahi Rosas tried to use her own child’s Texas birth certificate and falsely claimed the unknown three-year-old boy was her son. At secondary inspection, the boy told authorities Rosas was not his mother and that he did not know where his parents were. At the sentencing hearing, the court heard that Rosas planned to leave the toddler with an unknown smuggler without knowing where the child would be taken. She was ordered to serve 36 months in federal prison.
In Brownsville, a 36-year-old illegal alien from Matamoros, Mexico, received a 63-month sentence for unlawfully being in the United States after prior deportation. Omar Navarro-Hinojosa had been the passenger in a vehicle that was traveling at a high rate of speed. He attempted to flee on foot after the driver stopped the vehicle when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Authorities quickly took him into custody. Navarro-Hinojosa admitted he paid $3,000 to be smuggled into the United States. While awaiting sentencing, he was also involved in physical altercation with another inmate which resulted in medical treatment for both men. Because of this incident, he did not receive credit for acceptance of responsibility for the illegal reentry conviction at the time of sentencing, which resulted in the over five-year prison sentence.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
Under current 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 histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 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.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation results in 25-year prison sentence for three-time felon gang memberRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 30-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to possess to distribute meth smuggled into the United States from Mexico.
Tommie Lee Gutierrez pleaded guilty Jan. 29.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 300 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing Aug. 26, the court heard additional evidence that Gutierrez is a member of the Tango Corpitos street gang and a three-time convicted felon. Judge Morales also heard that Gutierrez had made a call planning his return to participate in this drug trafficking organization while in custody on another unrelated felony.
The organization received meth in the Coastal Bend area in multi-kilogram quantities secreted in vehicles and loads of consumer goods such as cabinetry that had passed across the border into the United States from Mexico. Gutierrez was responsible for receiving vehicle loads, removing the bundles of meth from various natural voids in the vehicles, and repacking the same vehicles with cash proceeds from prior sales. Co-conspirators then drove vehicles back into Mexico to pay the suppliers.
On at least one occasion, Gutierrez wrecked an abandoned meth-laden vehicle on a public street in Corpus Christi before it had been completely unloaded. This left kilograms of meth in the drivers-side door which were later discovered at the city impound lot.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Jensen and Amanda Gould prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Brownsville cocaine trafficker sent to prison in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 27-year-old man has been sentenced for possession with intent to deliver cocaine and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Eduardo Rodriguez Jr. pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered Rodriguez to serve 125 months in federal prison at a hearing Aug. 26, which will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
The investigation began in January 2024 when authorities identified Rodriguez as a large-scale cocaine trafficker coordinating the smuggling, transportation, and distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine from Mexico into the United States.
On March 1, 2024, law enforcement discovered an expected cocaine delivery at a residence in Brownsville. During surveillance operations, they observed Daniel Roldan enter the residence, return with a large box, and place it in a vehicle.
Authorities seized the box and discovered approximately 24 kilograms of cocaine. Evidence showed Rodriguez coordinated the shipment, which was destined for New York.
Roldan, 39, Brownsville, and Andres Malave III, 45, Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty in the case and have also been sentenced.
Rodriguez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Brownsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the FBI; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Department of Transportation/IRS; Interpol/the Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Robstown resident sentenced after fleeing from police in high-speed chase following drug transactionRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 50-year-old man has been ordered to prison for his role in the distribution of cocaine.
Michael Casas pleaded guilty May 27.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Casas to serve 60 months in federal prison followed by four years of supervised release.
The investigation revealed Casas was planning to sell two kilograms of cocaine March 17. On that date, law enforcement attempted to conduct a traffic stop on his vehicle. Casas initially pulled over but accelerated as authorities approached, leading them in a high-speed pursuit on Highway 44 in Corpus Christi.
At one point, Casas was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour.
During that time, authorities observed Casas throw a brick‑shaped package from the vehicle. He eventually stopped and surrendered.
Law enforcement recovered the package and found it to contain two kilograms of cocaine.
Casas was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
Florida man charged with assault of court security officer in HoustonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 51-year-old man for assaulting a court security officer in a federal courthouse library.
Victor Graham is currently in custody and expected to appear for his arraignment in the near future.
On July 29, Graham allegedly entered the law library at the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in Houston.
The charges allege a court security officer determined Graham was not complying with courthouse rules and instructed him to leave. At that time, Graham allegedly assaulted the officer and caused him bodily injury before authorities took him into custody.
If convicted, Graham faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.The Federal Protective Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez 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.
Postal employees charged in $24M stolen-check schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Five Houston residents have been indicted for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in a scheme that involved the theft of checks from the U.S. mail.
Tryston Tremaine Vaughn, 28; Malcolm Tiree Joubert, 35; and Alyssa Nadine Bryant, 27; are all expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Y. Ho at 10:00 a.m today. Catherine Clauzelle Kilpatrick, 29, made her appearance Aug. 24. Also charged is Drakkor Jamar Alexander, 34, who is not as yet in custody.
According to the indictment, Vaughn allegedly recruited U.S. Postal Service mail carriers to steal checks from the mail along their routes. Vaughn and others allegedly purchased the stolen checks from postal employees and resold them to buyers through Telegram. They then shipped the stolen checks to buyers, according to the indictment.
Telegram is a cloud-based, cross-platform social media, and instant messaging service.
Kilpatrick, Joubert, and Alexander worked as USPS mail carriers when Vaughn allegedly recruited them to steal mail.
The charges allege the scheme involved approximately $24 million in stolen checks.
If convicted, each faces up to 30 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and a possible $1 million maximum fine. Kilpatrick, Joubert, and Alexander also face up to five years for theft by a postal employee and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
FBI, USPS – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Treasury – OIG, Treasury Inspector for Tax Administration, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, and police departments in Houston and Stafford conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Federal inmate convicted of soliciting murder of prison officialsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 39-year-old man with ties to New Jersey has been convicted of solicitation of murder of multiple federal law enforcement officers.
The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before returning the guilty verdict on all eight counts as charged against Aramis Stuckman following a two-day trial.
In October 2024, Stuckman was an inmate at the Three Rivers Federal Correctional Institution. While incarcerated, he wrote three letters seeking the assault, torture, and murder of multiple officers in exchange for up to $50,000.
The jury heard that Stuckman passed the letters to three separate guards. They also heard how he threatened one guard, warning that he would be the next victim if he turned the letter over to authorities.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Stuckman did not write the letters himself, or have the resources to follow through on the solicitations. They did not believe those claims and found Stuckman guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales-Ramos presided over the trial and set sentencing for Dec. 1.
At that time, Stuckman faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each count of solicitation of murder. He also faces up to 10 years for each count of solicitation of assault and for threatening a law enforcement officer. He could also be ordered to pay a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Stuckman has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Special Investigative Services of the Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Martin and Tyler Foster are prosecuting the case.
Bald Eagle Killer Sent to PrisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 43-year-old Porter resident has been sentenced to prison for shooting and killing a bald eagle.
Santos Guerrero pleaded guilty May 14.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray has now ordered Guerrero to serve 14 days in federal prison and pay a $5,000 fine. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Guerrero shot the eagle in his backyard Oct. 11, 2024, hid it in his garage, and later lied to authorities. The court also reviewed images from video and body camera footage documenting the eagle prior to the shooting and subsequent discovery of the eagle.
Authorities responded to reports of the shooting and reviewed video showing the eagle being shot and falling from the tree. They arrived at Guerrero’s residence and identified the tree shown in the video.
Law enforcement located the injured eagle hidden under a tarp in Guerrero’s garage and transported it to an animal hospital. Veterinarians later euthanized the eagle because of the severity of its injuries.
A necropsy determined the bullet significantly damaged the eagle’s wing. The fall also caused liver fractures, internal bleeding, and a fractured leg.
Although bald eagles are no longer listed as endangered, federal law continues to protect them under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The law prohibits anyone from killing, possessing, selling, transporting, exporting, or importing any bald or golden eagle, alive or dead, including any part, nest, or egg, without authorization.
Guerrero was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Parks and Wildlife. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher is prosecuted the case.
Another week of hundreds of cases filed in Southern District border-security effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has charged another 230 individuals for immigration and border security-related matters from Aug. 14-20.
A total of 161 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 34 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those charged with illegal entry have prior felony convictions for offenses such as narcotics, violent crime, and immigration crimes, among others. In addition, authorities charged 27 individuals with human smuggling, including 15 who are themselves illegal aliens. The remaining case charged this week relate to other immigration crimes.
Those charged with felony reentry include a Dominican national with prior convictions involving violent crime, drugs, and a machine gun. Law enforcement discovered Wandy Emilio Castillo-Arias near Roma with no authorization to be in the United States. Authorities also found Mexican national Luis Armando Arroyo-Garcia in the same area. He allegedly has a prior conviction for sale or distribution of a controlled substance.
If convicted of felony reentry after removal, both face up to 20 years in prison.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current 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 histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 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.
Montgomery County man admits to producing child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Willis resident has pleaded guilty to production and distribution of child pornography.
Authorities identified Jesse Thomas Raines in 2023 when investigating activity on social media.
As part of an undercover operation in June 2023, Raines communicated through an internet chat application. During the conversation, Raines distributed child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM, and displayed his screenshot folder in an attempt to show he was not saving the chat.
Investigators identified information in several screenshots that revealed Raines’s identity and where he lived. Based on the evidence, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at his Willis residence.
Raines admitted he had sexually abused a minor victim for years and produced videos and photographs documenting the abuse. Law enforcement also seized multiple electronic devices from the residence.
A forensic examination of an external drive revealed a folder bearing the victim’s name that contained illicit files created between March 2019 and May 2023. Investigators also discovered additional CSAM on a laptop seized during the search.
“Raines is a deplorable, child-abusing monster, and now the justice system has rightly deemed him for what he is: guilty,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “The good news is that, now, there’s one less sicko on the streets. The bad news is that there are many more out there. My office will hunt them down and keep our kids safe.”
“This confessed child rapist callously sexually abused a 7-year-old and produced imagery of the abuse to share online, falsely believing that encrypted chats would shield him from getting caught,” said Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “Thanks to the ingenuity of our special agents and the unbelievable assistance that we receive from our partners at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we were able to unmask Mr. Raines and remove him from the local community before he could harm anymore children.”
U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing Dec. 17. At that time, Raines faces up to 50 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, with the assistance of Montgomery County Constable’s Office, Precinct 1.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman, Luis Batarse, and Colton Turner are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice 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 sent to prison for role in black-market peso exchange money laundering schemeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 52-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to prison for his role in two-year, multimillion-dollar trade-based money laundering conspiracy to move drug trafficking proceeds through Texas to Mexico.
Gabriel Arturo Castillo of Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, pleaded guilty April 8.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Castillo to serve 48 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Castillo participated in a sophisticated international money laundering conspiracy to transfer proceeds from the sale of illegal drugs in the United States to cartels in Mexico without physically transporting money across the U.S.-Mexico border. The conspirators concealed those funds through the movement of goods between the two countries.
As part of the black-market peso exchange scheme, the criminal conspiracy received large quantities of drug proceeds in various cities in the United States. The proceeds then were either deposited into various bank accounts or transported to Laredo.
From there, the drug proceeds were sold to business owners in Mexico who used the U.S. currency to purchase products from stores in the United States, including perfume sellers. Once the businesses received payment, the merchandise Mexican business operators purchased was transported from Laredo to Mexico.
Finally, Mexican business operators paid for the drug proceeds by transferring pesos in Mexico to the drug trafficking organizations. By doing so, the conspirators sought to conceal the source of the drug proceeds and to allow the Mexico-based drug dealers to receive their profits in their native currency, pesos.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and Office of Judicial Attaché in Bogotá, Colombia, provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and August 2025 extradition of Castillo.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lance Watt and Amanda Gould prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Keith H. Liddle and Stephanie Williamson of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section.
Five charged in $1 million U.S. Treasury check schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-count indictment has now been unsealed charging five Houston-area residents for their alleged roles in a scheme to obtain proceeds from a counterfeit $1,052,615.97 U.S. Treasury tax refund check.
Torik M. Blade, 39, Missouri City; Kendra L. Folkes, 37, Katy; Rickelle D. Taylor, 38, Spring; Raven N. Morris, 34, Houston; and Stephen G. James, 42, Houston, have now made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment July 22, charging all five with various counts of passing a counterfeit Treasury check, bank fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Blade allowed an unidentified individual to deposit the counterfeit Treasury tax refund into his business account. Blade and the others allegedly sought to obtain the proceeds by cashing cashier’s checks purchased with the fraudulently obtained funds, transferring money between financial institutions, and making cash withdrawals.
If convicted, Blade faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine for passing the counterfeit check and another 30 years and a $1 million fine on each bank fraud count. He could also be ordered to serve up to 20 years in federal prison and $500,000 in fines on the conspiracy and money laundering counts. Folkes, Taylor, Morris, and James face similar maximum penalties if convicted.
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, IRS Criminal Investigation and Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John R. Lewis 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.
Beeville man sentenced for meth trafficking following high-speed pursuitRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 39-year-old man has been ordered to prison for possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of meth.
William Wilson III pleaded guilty May 19.
U.S. District Judge David Morales ordered Wilson to serve 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On Jan. 9, authorities observed Wilson traveling on a motorcycle at 96 mph in a 75 mph zone. They activated their emergency lights, prompting Wilson to move into the right lane. However, Wilson failed to stop and led law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit.
The pursuit continued until Wilson lost control of the motorcycle and crashed near the San Patricio-Bee County line.
While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, authorities discovered a fully loaded pistol in Wilson’s jacket pocket.
Authorities subsequently searched Wilson’s backpack and discovered 48.6 grams of meth and two fully loaded .38-caliber magazines. Law enforcement also discovered approximately 3.43 grams of meth in his front pants pocket.
He remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Texas DPS. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine K. Tucker prosecuted the case.
Mexican national admits role in fatal human smuggling attemptRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 19-year-old illegal alien has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and bringing three illegal aliens into the United States for financial gain.
Gerardo David Zarate Martinez admitted he participated in the smuggling scheme in exchange for payment.
On Jan. 8, law enforcement encountered a white SUV in Laredo suspected of being involved in human smuggling. As authorities followed the vehicle, the driver accelerated, ran multiple red lights, and ultimately crashed into a utility pole.
Following the crash, authorities discovered two illegal aliens unresponsive in the rear of the SUV. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
As part of his plea, Zarate Martinez admitted an individual in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, offered to pay him to guide a group of illegal aliens further into the United States after they crossed the Rio Grande.
A juvenile drove the SUV while Zarate Martinez rode in the passenger seat. After the crash, both attempted to flee.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 10. At that time, Zarate Martinez faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case.
Border enforcement actions continue with 198 additional cases filed in Operation Take Back America effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has charged another 199 people, including 188 illegal aliens, for immigration- and border security-related crimes from Aug. 7-13.
A total of 154 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 27 illegal aliens face charges of illegal entry. Many have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes, and more. In addition, 16 people have been charged with human smuggling, which includes seven illegal aliens themselves.
Among the new cases are three Mexican nationals, all charged with felony reentry after removal.
Authorities found Juan Pablo Sosa-Alvizo and Janny Martinez-Solis in the McAllen area allegedly without legal authorization to be in the United States. According to the criminal complaints, both had previously been removed already this year. Sosa-Alvizo has a prior conviction for theft of property, while Martinez-Solis has a prior conviction for injury to a child/elder/disabled, according to their respective charges.
Law enforcement also discovered Agueda Anait Ambriz-Penaloza near Rio Grande City after he had allegedly been removed Feb. 14, 2025. Court records reflect a prior conviction for conspiracy to possess meth with intent to distribute.
All face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Juan Garcia-Villa was ordered to serve 42 months in federal prison for his illegal reentry conviction. The court considered his criminal history while unlawfully present in the United States, including convictions for possession with intent to manufacture and/or distribute a controlled substance, evading arrest, and illegal reentry. Authorities first removed him in October 2008, but he repeatedly returned. Law enforcement discovered him again in Houston with no authorization to be in the country.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current 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 histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 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.
Scammer pharmacist guilty in $20 million healthcare kickback schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 54-year-old Spring resident has been convicted of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks.
The jury deliberated for more than a day before returning the guilty verdict against Tronown Thomas following a five-day trial July 11.
Thomas, a licensed pharmacist, owned and operated Rayford ACP Pharmacy in Spring.
At trial, the jury heard Thomas paid over $2 million in kickbacks to the owner of a Houston clinic in exchange for referrals of patients insured through the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) who had been prescribed high-reimbursement compounded medications.
Thomas subsequently billed the DOL-OWCP for those compounded medications, which were prescribed as part of the illegal kickbacks scheme.
From November 2015 through September 2017, Thomas and Rayford ACP Pharmacy received more than $20 million in reimbursements from DOL-OWCP.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Thomas was paying for legitimate marketing services. The jury rejected these arguments and found Thomas guilty.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 12. At that time, Thomas faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Thomas was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of War Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
Rio Grande City man sentenced for soliciting sexually explicit images of minorsRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for sexual exploitation of minors.
Jorge Alberto Bazan pleaded guilty May 27.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Bazan to serve 60 months in federal prison. He must also serve five years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Bazan will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Authorities identified Bazan in 2025 when conducting investigations via social media.
From Sept. 12 to Sept. 24, 2025, Bazan had been communicating with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old minor. In those conversations, he expressed interest in engaging in sexual activities with the child.
Bazan also solicited photos of the minor’s genitals and instructed her on how to receive a picture and then delete them.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI McAllen conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice 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.
Sex-trafficking Crips member sentenced to 30 years in prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old member of the Forum Park Crips has been ordered to federal prison for sex trafficking a 16-year-old minor.
Andres Serrano Portillo a/k/a Andro pleaded guilty July 11, 2022.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Portillo to serve 360 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard information and evidence detailing Portillo’s exploitation of the minor victim.
In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Portillo had ruined lives and only appeared remorseful because law enforcement apprehended him. He was further ordered to serve 10 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. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
In October 2019, Portillo lured a 16-year-old girl he met on social media and forced her to engage in sex acts for money in cars and motels around the Bissonnet “blade” or “track.” In addition to trafficking the teenage victim for commercial sex, Portillo held her at a residence where she was repeatedly physically and sexually assaulted. The victim ultimately hid and contacted her mother by phone, leading authorities to rescue her.
The “blade” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.
Co-conspirators Michael Anthony Gonzalez a/k/a Mumbles, 29, Jerreck Michael Hilliard a/k/a J-money, 37, Damarquis McGee a/k/a Blue, 28, Javon Yaw Opoku a/k/a Glizzy, 26, and Clarence Christopher Chambers a/k/a Chris, 34, all of Houston, were previously sentenced to 240, 292, 348, 365, and 420 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the sex trafficking conspiracy.
Portillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh, Anthony Franklyn, and former AUSA Richard W. Bennett prosecuted the case.
The Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Harris County District Attorney’s Office as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).
HTRA law enforcement also includes members of the FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas formed HTRA in 2004 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.
Illegal alien breaks law, plays the victim, is found guilty, and sent to federal prisonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 37-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country without authorization.
The jury deliberated for less than 30 minutes before convicting Eduardo Aguilera-Gallardo following a two-day trial May 19.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Aguilera-Gallardo to serve 48 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard about Aguilera-Gallardo’s use of firearms in his criminal history and his lack of regard for the law. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Aguilera-Gallardo’s prior sentences where not enough of a deterrent for his continued criminal conduct.
At trial, testimony revealed Aguilera-Gallardo became a lawful permanent resident in 2001. However, he later lost that status and was removed from the United States in 2025.
A deportation officer described how he escorted Aguilera-Gallardo across the international boundary in Laredo to be returned to Mexico. A fingerprint examiner also identified Aguilera-Gallardo as the same person documented in various deportation materials.
Testimony revealed that on April 21, 2025, authorities found Aguilera-Gallardo in Houston with no authorization to be in the United States. The jury heard that, at that time, he had not reported any threat or kidnapping and neglected to ask for any help.
However, the defense attempted to convince the jury Aguilera-Gallardo was kidnapped at the Mexican border after returning to Mexico and held for ransom. He claimed his family paid for his release, and kidnappers forced him to return to the United States.
Testimony and evidence revealed that neither Aguilera-Gallardo nor his family sought assistance from law enforcement in either country. He also never reported the alleged kidnapping to authorities once in the United States.
The jury rejected the defense and found Aguilera-Gallardo guilty as charged.
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 Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Hostetter and Ekua Assabill 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Repeat felon bites cops during arrest, sentenced to over 11 years for drugs and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old Edinburg resident has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Alvaro Salinas Jr. pleaded guilty April 27.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now handed Salinas a 140-month term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Salinas’s criminal history, including prior convictions for federal drug trafficking, transporting of illegal aliens, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. In imposing the sentence, the court noted Salinas seemed unable to live a law-abiding life.
On the afternoon of Dec. 7, 2025, law enforcement responded to a report of an unconscious driver in the middle of the road. They found Salinas asleep behind the wheel of a Nissan Rogue.
As authorities attempted to wake him, Salinas became combative and tried to flee with the vehicle doors open. They were able to remove him from the car, but Salinas continued to resist arrest and attempted to bite them.
Law enforcement soon discovered a firearm inside the driver’s side door panel within his reach. Salinas has multiple prior felony convictions. As such, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law.
A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed a large plastic bag containing approximately 127 grams of meth.
Salinas has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance of Pharr Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.
Texas Physician Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Operating a Houston-Area Pill MillRead the Press Release
A Texas physician was sentenced yesterday to 12.5 years in prison for operating her Kingwood medical clinic as an illegal pill mill that issued prescriptions for over 3 million opioid pills.
According to court documents, Maryam Qayum, M.D., 68, of Montgomery County, Texas, owned, operated, and was the sole prescriber at Recare Health Clinic (Recare). Qayum operated Recare as a cash-only pill-mill, selling controlled substance prescriptions to street-level drug dealers who were referred to at Recare as “providers.” “Providers” purchased prescriptions for high strength, highly addictive opioids oxycodone and hydrocodone. Qayum issued these prescriptions without a legitimate medical purpose, and often without ever interacting with the patient. According to court documents, Qayum issued prescriptions for more than 3 million opioid pills between 2022 and 2025, when her clinic was shut down by law enforcement.
Court documents detail how Recare, like many pill-mill clinics, operated well outside the course of a normal medical practice, including charging more for prescriptions for drugs with higher street value. A prescription for oxycodone 30mg cost as much as $500, while hydrocodone prescriptions were often $300, and Recare’s staff frequently took “tips” from drug dealers to fast track their patients and prescriptions. The following note listing the cash price for each prescription was seized when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Recare.
Note seized from Qayum’s clinic showing cash prices for control substance prescriptionsIn March 2026, Qayum pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances.
In addition to Qayum, four other defendants were previously sentenced in this case:
- Melvin Sampson, 56, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 210 months in prison in June 2026. In March 2026, Sampson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. Sampson was a street-level drug dealer who brought patients to Recare, filled prescriptions at Surge Rx and elsewhere, and resold the drugs he obtained on the black market.
- Tomi-Ko Bowers, APRN, 71, of Cleveland, Texas, was sentenced to 96 months in prison in June 2026. In March 2026, Bowers pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and was a nurse practitioner at Recare.
- Lester Stokes, 38, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 63 months in prison in June 2026. In March 2026, Stokes pleaded guilty to conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and was Recare’s security guard.
- Jared Williams, RPh, 49, of Pearland, Texas, was sentenced to 42 months in prison in July 2026. In March 2026, Williams pleaded guilty to unlawfully distributing a controlled substance and was the owner and pharmacist in charge at Surge Rx, which filled illegitimate prescriptions issued by Qayum.
DEA and the Conroe Police Department investigated the case.
Acting Assistant Chief Devon Helfmeyer and Trial Attorney Emily Reeder-Ricchetti of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Alum for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, 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.
Local man with 56,000 child sexual abuse files sent to prisonRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Penitas resident has been ordered to federal prison for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Jesus David Gutierrez pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 110 months in federal prison and to pay $6,000 in restitution. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Gutierrez was associated with approximately 56,000 files containing child pornography, was involved in the sale of pornography of adult women from the Rio Grande Valley, and was beginning to collect child sex abuse material (CSAM) for future sales. He must also serve five years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Gutierrez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation revealed a computer associated with a specific IP address in Penitas engaging in downloading and distributing CSAM. On June 3, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and found Gutierrez hiding in his bedroom closet.
He admitted to having CSAM on his cellular phone. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 63 videos and 141 images depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Gutierrez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI McAllen conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice 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.
Two Houston Gang Leaders Convicted at Trial for Ordering Drive-by Murder of Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
A federal jury has convicted the last of six members of the violent 103 street gang charged for ordering a retaliatory shooting that ended the life of an innocent bystander.
Shaquille Richards, 32, and Alexandra Nicks, 32, both of Houston, were convicted of using a firearm to kill during a racketeering murder and murder in aid of racketeering.
“The gang war that these defendants engaged in plagued Houston’s Third Ward community for years,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Based on yesterday’s convictions, these violent criminals are facing long prison sentences that will keep them off the streets of Houston and hold them accountable for the innocent life they took. The Department of Justice has zero tolerance for the scourge and societal ills caused by gang violence. We are aggressively prosecuting violent gang members and continuing to restore law and order to America’s cities.”
“These gangbangers turned a Houston neighborhood into a battlefield, ordering killers to hunt down and murder their rivals, and an innocent man paid for their violence with his life,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz for the Southern District of Texas. “If you wage war on our streets, terrorize our communities, and put innocent Texans in the crosshairs, my office will come for you. We will dismantle violent gangs, prosecute the criminals who lead them, and put them behind bars where they belong. Houston’s neighborhoods belong to law-abiding citizens, not to violent gangs.”
“The convictions of these two local career gang members are exactly the kind of results we hoped for when the Department of Justice launched the Violent Crimes Initiative in Houston,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Too often, turf wars between violent neighborhood gangs claim innocent victims. When we leverage our federal resources and law enforcement partnerships, we not only double down on the war against violent crime happening on our streets and front yards, we also procure justice for entire communities terrorized by these criminals.”
Richards and Nicks were leaders of the violent 103 street gang that was involved in a gang war in the Third Ward with rival gang Young Scott Block, or YSB.
Defendant Nicks, left, displaying 103 gang sign with Defendant Richards making shooting motion.After numerous murders and shootings between the two gangs, Richards and Nicks ordered lower ranking members and associates of the 103 gang to retaliate by committing a drive by shooting in YSB territory. On Oct. 16, 2017, fellow 103 gang members Deandre Watson, Mertroy Harris, Marcus Christopher, and Marquis Erskin drove to opposing gang territory to find a rival gang member to kill. They were armed with firearms containing numerous rounds of ammunition, including some loaded into 50 and 100-bullet drum magazines.
Watson, Harris, Erskin and Christopher opened fire when they saw a rival gang member on a street corner. The intended target was shot but survived and ran away. A 53 year old non-gang member was standing in the front yard of a residence, was shot and died of his injuries.
The 103 members crashed their car into a ditch as they fled. Watson, Erski, and Christopher then carjacked a woman who had an infant in her vehicle and fled the scene. Harris ran into the neighboring stores and discarded his firearm and clothing but was arrested shortly thereafter.
Jail phone calls, social media postings, and testimony showed that Richards and Nicks ordered the shooting and threatened to oust anyone in the gang who did not go looking for rivals to shoot.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 4. A federal district judge will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Watson, Harris, Christopher and Erskin have each pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Sept. 2. All defendants face up to life in prison.
The FBI, The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Houston Police Department investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Jodi Anton of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Zenon Matos and Anh-Khoa Tran for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute the violent offenders and prevent further violence in the Houston area.
Inmate who ran gun trafficking organization from state prison sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 38-year-old resident of Rock Hill, South Carolina, has been ordered by a federal judge to prison for conspiring to “straw purchase” firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. A straw purchase of firearms involves the illegal purchase of a firearm for or on behalf of others—in this case, dangerous cartel members.
Shawn Bisnauth pleaded guilty May 7.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Bisnauth to serve 300 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that from 2022 through 2024, Bisnauth directed the straw purchasing operation from a South Carolina state prison using a contraband cell phone. In handing down the sentence, the court found Bisnauth responsible for placing firearms in the hands of cartel members in Mexico. The sentence imposed will run consecutively to the remainder of his state sentence.
The investigation began in early 2023 when law enforcement identified Bisnauth as a major supplier of firearms to a drug trafficking organization responsible for importing meth, cocaine, and fentanyl from Mexican cartels for distribution throughout the United States.
Bisnauth arranged for others in South Carolina to purchase at least eight firearms, including .50 caliber rifles and semiautomatic machine guns. He then directed the firearms to be transported to Texas and exchanged with the drug trafficking organization for narcotics, which individuals in South Carolina then distributed.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Martin and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
This investigation and prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Two Houston gang leaders convicted at trial for ordering drive-by murderRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A federal jury has convicted the last of six members of the violent 103 street gang charged for ordering a retaliatory shooting that ended the life of an innocent bystander.
The jury returned the guilty verdicts Aug. 3 against Shaquille Richards, 32, and Alexandra Nicks, 32, both of Houston, for using a firearm to kill during a racketeering murder and murder in aid of racketeering.
“These gangbangers turned a Houston neighborhood into a battlefield, ordering killers to hunt down and murder their rivals, and an innocent man paid for their violence with his life,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “If you wage war on our streets, terrorize our communities, and put innocent Texans in the crosshairs, my office will come for you. We will dismantle violent gangs, prosecute the criminals who lead them, and put them behind bars where they belong. Houston’s neighborhoods belong to law-abiding citizens, not to violent gangs.”
“The gang war that these defendants engaged in plagued Houston’s Third Ward community for years,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Based on today’s convictions, these violent criminals are facing long prison sentences that will keep them off the streets of Houston and hold them accountable for the innocent life they took. The Department of Justice has zero tolerance for the scourge and societal ills caused by gang violence. We are aggressively prosecuting violent gang members and continuing to restore law and order to America’s cities.”
“The convictions of these two local career gang members are exactly the kind of results we hoped for when the DOJ launched the Violent Crimes Initiative in Houston,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Too often, turf wars between violent neighborhood gangs claim innocent victims. When we leverage our federal resources and law enforcement partnerships, we not only double down on the war against violent crime happening on our streets and front yards, we also procure justice for entire communities terrorized by these criminals.”
Richards and Nicks were leaders of the violent 103 street gang that was involved in a gang war in the Third Ward with rival gang Young Scott Block, or YSB.
After numerous murders and shootings between the two gangs, Richards and Nicks ordered lower ranking members and associates of the 103 gang to retaliate by committing a drive-by shooting in YSB territory. On Oct. 16, 2017, fellow 103 gang members Deandre Watson, Mertroy Harris, Marcus Christopher, and Marquis Erskin drove to opposing gang territory to find a rival gang member to kill. They were armed with firearms containing numerous rounds of ammunition, including some loaded into 50 and 100-bullet drum magazines.
Watson, Harris, Erskin, and Christopher opened fire when they saw a rival gang member on a street corner. The intended target was shot but survived and ran away. A 53-year-old non-gang member was standing in the front yard of a residence, was shot, and died of his injuries.
The 103 members crashed their car into a ditch as they fled. Watson, Erskin, and Christopher then carjacked a woman who had an infant in her vehicle and fled the scene. Harris ran into the neighboring stores and discarded his firearm and clothing, but law enforcement arrested him shortly thereafter.
Jail phone calls, social media postings, and testimony showed that Richards and Nicks ordered the shooting and threatened to oust anyone in the gang who did not go looking for rivals to shoot.
U.S. District Judge George Hanks presided over the trial and will set sentencing at a later date. Watson, Harris, Christopher, and Erskin have each pleaded guilty and will be sentenced Sept. 2. All face up to life in prison at their respective hearings.
The FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with substantial assistance from the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenon Matos and Anh-Khoa Tran prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorney Jodi Anton of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes 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 in the Houston area.
Qatari national ordered into custody on child sexual abuse material chargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 42-year-old match promoter with the FIFA national football organization and a representative of the Qatar football team has been charged with transportation of child pornography.
Ali Homoud Alnaimi had originally entered the United States from Qatar, but authorities took him into custody in Galveston after returning to the United States on a cruise ship traveling from Mexico.
At his detention hearing July 29, the court heard about images found on Alnaimi’s phones that allegedly depicted male children under the approximate age of five being sexually exploited. Evidence also revealed Alnami could easily return to Qatar where the United States does not have an extradition treaty. On July 31, the court ordered him into custody pending further criminal proceedings.
The criminal complaint alleges Alnaimi had traveled to multiple states while in the United States and was taking a vacation from Galveston before leaving for Qatar. Alnaimi was allegedly in possession of child sexual abuse material that he had brought into the United States.
Upon his arrest, the charges allege law enforcement discovered numerous videos depicting the child pornography on his cell phone.
If convicted, Alnaimi faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Customs and Border Protection. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Whitney prosecuted the case.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Operation Take Back America efforts continue with 251 more cases filed in border enforcement actionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has charged another 263 people, including 227 illegal aliens, for immigration and border security-related crimes from July 24-30.
The cases include charges against 45 people, 16 of whom are illegal aliens themselves, allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 30 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while another 181 illegal aliens face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. The remaining cases relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
One illegal alien charged with felony reentry is Javier Vega-Maldonado, a Mexican national that authorities allegedly discovered unlawfully in the country near Escobares, despite having been removed Dec. 17, 2021. The criminal complaint alleges he has a prior conviction for possession with intent to distribute. If convicted of illegal reentry, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
In addition to the new cases, a previously removed illegal alien with a felony criminal history was sent to federal prison for his ninth unlawful reentry into the United States. Honduran national Luis Alonso Umana has convictions for illegal reentry, driving under the influence of alcohol, assault family violence, and assault family violence with previous conviction. He was ordered to serve 46 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is again expected to be removed from the country following his imprisonment.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current 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 histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 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.
Ada Ngozi Otuka, British citizen, guilty of illegal voting in U.S. electionsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 63-year-old foreign national who resided in Katy pleaded guilty to illegal voting by aliens and false claim to citizenship.
Ada Ngozi Otuka admitted she illegally voted in the 2020 federal election. She also pleaded guilty to falsely claiming to be a U.S. citizen when filling out her Texas voter registration and statement of residence.
Although Otuka is a lawful resident, she is precluded from voting in U.S. elections. However, records show she voted in 2012, 2016, 2018, 2020, and 2024.
Otuka received a notice in 2025 that her registration status was being examined because information had been received regarding her lack of U.S. citizenship. She did not respond.
In 2025, Otuka filled out a naturalization application that indicated she had voted unlawfully.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett will impose sentencing Nov. 5. At that time, Otuka faces up to five years in federal prison for falsely claiming U.S. citizenship and another year for the conviction of illegal voting. She could also be ordered to pay up to a $250,000 maximum fine.
In a separate but similar case, a citizen of the United Kingdom also entered a plea in May to unlawfully voting. Samuel James Hall, 50, legally resided in Houston but, like Otuka, cannot cast ballots in U.S. elections. However, he admitted to illegally voting in the 2024 federal election.
FBI - Houston, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, and Texas Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigations with the assistance of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher is prosecuting the cases.
Mexican national convicted in Homeland Security Task Force investigation involving $157M smuggling operation that included drug shipments in produce, charcoal, and fruit pureeRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 30-year-old citizen of Mexico who had resided in Atlanta, Georgia, has been found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and cocaine into the United States.
The jury deliberated for approximately six hours before convicting Wblester Villanueva Echeverria on July 27 following a five-day trial.
From June 7, 2019, until at least Aug. 8, 2023, Echeverria and others conspired to import meth and cocaine from Mexico through Laredo and distributed it in the Atlanta area and throughout the east coast. In total, the drug trafficking organization was responsible for importing approximately 10,460 kilograms of meth, valued at approximately $157 million.
Evidence showed Echeverria’s ties to approximately a dozen shipments of narcotics concealed in produce, charcoal, and frozen strawberry puree, while he had been residing in the Atlanta area.
The investigation began in November 2021 when law enforcement seized 1,184 kilograms of meth and 51.4 kilograms of cocaine concealed in a cauliflower shipment that entered through the World Trade Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo. Authorities then identified numerous other shipments tied to Echeverria and his co-conspirators which included nearly 800 kilograms of meth hidden within a shipment of strawberry puree and over 460 kilograms of meth within a load of charcoal, all of which entered through Laredo.
The jury also heard about the vast conspiracy linking Mexican drug importers, a Dallas cell, as well as Echeverria and his Georgia-based co-conspirators.
The evidence showed that Echeverria created a Facebook account under a fake name of Alexis Maldonado and that he used that account to communicate with co-conspirators. It also showed he had cycled through numerous cell phone numbers, and was very careful to delete his communications, and tell co-conspirators to erase or delete messages as well.
Sentencing will be set at a later date before U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen. At that time, Echeverria faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day, Leslie Cortez, and Thomas Sekula prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation/IRS; Interpol/Department of State; and Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Laredo man receives federal prison sentence for trying to meet minor for sexRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old man has been sent to federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor.
Robert Steven Lanier pleaded guilty March 6.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Lanier to 151 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court noted Lanier expressed a proclivity for children and commented on how he left his home twice—while caring for his own minor children—to go engage in sexual acts with a 12-year-old child. Lanier was further ordered to serve 15 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. Lanier will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Authorities identified Lanier in 2025 when conducting investigations into a Kik chatroom. Kik is a messaging app that, like many similar apps, is often exploited by predators to get access to children.
Lanier had been communicating with someone he believed to be the father of a 12-year-old minor female. In those conversations, he expressed interest in engaging in sexual activities with the child.
He had also mentioned how he preferred children under the age of 16, considered child pornography to be “window shopping,” and wanted to be the child’s “sugar daddy.” He expressed the desire to meet the minor and described all the sexual acts he wanted to conduct with her.
On March 18, Lanier arrived at a gas station where he intended to have sexual relations with the minor in his car. Law enforcement took him into custody upon his arrival.
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ 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.
Inmate receives additional sentence for punching law enforcement officerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 27-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for forcibly assaulting a federal correctional officer.
Melvin Jones pleaded guilty April 16.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Jones to serve two years in federal prison, consecutive to his existing sentence, to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Jones had been in three additional altercations with other inmates since entering his plea of guilty.
In 2025, Jones was an inmate at Three Rivers Federal Correctional Institution.
On Sept. 25, 2025, a federal correctional officer attempted to search Jones after suspecting he possessed a contraband cell phone. When the officer attempted to retrieve it, Jones resisted and repeatedly punched the officer in the head and neck.
Other officers intervened, restrained Jones, and separated him from the officer. The victim sustained abrasions and soreness to his head and neck.
Jones has been and will remain in custody.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Martin and Patrick Overman prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien admits attempting to meet minor for sexRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old illegal alien from Honduras living in Donna has pleaded guilty to attempting to entice or coerce a minor into engaging in sexual activity.
Anael Jossue Rodriguez-Rodas had been communicating with someone he believed to be a 16-year-old girl over the course of three days. During those conversations, Rodriguez-Rodas said he wanted to have sex with her and sent her a picture of two adults engaging in sexual activity to demonstrate what he wanted.
Eventually, Rodriguez-Rodas made plans to meet up with her at a local park and intended to take her back to his house to have sex.
Law enforcement took him into custody upon his arrival.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing Oct. 6. At that time, Rodriguez-Rodas faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
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 assistance of Edinburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarina S. DiPiazza and M. Alexis Garcia are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice 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.
ISIS supporter admits to disseminating terrorist propaganda via social mediaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 30-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to concealing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and making false statements.
Anas Said is a pledged supporter of Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) and used various social media accounts to post, share, or disseminate ISIS propaganda.
He also discussed ISIS propaganda using Telegram, where he received feedback on media he personally created. In one message, he discussed sending his clip to the Sarh al-Khilafah Institution, which agreed to publish it on their channel. According to court records, Sarh al-Khilafah, a/k/a Tower of the Caliphate, is a media entity that uses social media platforms to produce content ranging from operational security tips to guides on chemicals and explosives. They are also known for aggregating (ISIS) content online.
Said admitted to knowing Sarh al-Khilafah was a media entity working on behalf of, and in coordination with, ISIS. Prior to publishing his media, Said removed his name as designer of the video, thus concealing his material support of ISIS.
Said also pleaded guilty to lying to law enforcement regarding a weapon he possessed and discussed on social media. As part of the plea, he admitted to making the following statement: “I am thinking and hoping to kill the infidels with a weapon and as many people as possible in order to heal my heart.”
U.S. District Judge David Hittner accepted the plea on July 24 and will impose sentencing Oct. 16. At that time, Said faces up to 10 years in federal prison for concealing material support to a foreign terrorist organization and a maximum of five years for making material false statements. He could also be ordered to pay up to a $250,000 maximum fine on each count.
Said has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
FBI Houston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) conducted the investigation with special assistance from police departments in Houston and Sugar Land, as well as the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The JTTF also includes Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Secret Service, Houston Metro Police Department, Customs and Border Protection, and Federal Air Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.
Local man charged in fentanyl overdose deathRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 28-year-old Mercedes resident has been indicted on charges related to a death linked to the use of fentanyl.
Bryan Alexis Cedillo made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis, who ordered Cedillo into custody pending further proceedings.
At the hearing, the court heard that Cedillo allegedly sold narcotics to another individual that caused death. Information was also presented that alleges Cedillo was still selling narcotics after he was aware of the victim’s passing.
The indictment, returned July 21, alleges Cedillo possessed with intent to deliver fentanyl that resulted in death.
If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in federal prison. He could also be ordered to pay a possible $1 million maximum fine.
Weslaco Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarina S. DiPiazza 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.
College Station man sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child after communicating via social mediaRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for soliciting sex from a minor.
Austin Mixon pleaded guilty Feb. 26.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Mixon to 120 months in federal prison. Mixon was further ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking fund and will serve 10 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. Mixon will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Mixon admitted he used Instagram to message the 13-year-old minor victim and persuaded her to meet him for sex in exchange for vape products. The two continued to communicate electronically and arranged to meet at a park near the girl’s apartment because her mother did not allow her out of the house at night.
Mixon will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice 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.
Stainless-steel components supplier pays over $1.1 million to resolve False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Stafford-based Matrix Metals LLC has agreed to pay $1,175,529.20 to resolve allegations of fraudulently obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program loan for which it was ineligible.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act established the PPP to provide forgivable loans to eligible small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To qualify for a Second Draw PPP loan, businesses generally were required to have fewer than 300 employees of affiliated entities.
The settlement resolves allegations that Matrix Metals exceeded that employee threshold when it obtained a Second Draw PPP loan in January 2021 and later sought loan forgiveness. At the time, Matrix Metals was a wholly owned subsidiary of Matrix Metals Holdings Inc., which was owned by interests based in India. According to the allegations, Matrix Metals and its affiliated entities employed more than 300 people, making the company ineligible for the loan.
The settlement stems from a qui tam or whistleblower complaint filed under the False Claims Act which permits a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation in coordination with the Small Business Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Shaitelman is handling the matter along with Attorney Amber Perez, Office of General Counsel for the SBA.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Local woman sent to prison for unlawfully smuggling expensive poultry from Southeast AsiaRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 47-year-old Aransas Pass resident has been ordered to prison for smuggling over 60 rare Dong Tao chickens into the country.
Jennifer Mayo pleaded guilty July 30, 2025.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Mayo to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony regarding the serious risk of disease that the poultry presented, the numerous dead birds found on Mayo’s property, and how Mayo repeatedly lied to law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Mayo’s conduct was extremely serious and put a lot of animals at risk.
The investigation began in 2023 after authorities discovered Facebook messages in which Mayo discussed traveling to Southeast Asia to obtain Dong Tao chicken eggs.
Dong Tao chickens aka Dragon chickens are a rare, expensive breed native to Vietnam that are recognized for their unusually large legs. Federal law prohibits the importation of poultry from regions affected by highly pathogenic avian influenza or Newcastle disease unless specific import requirements are met. Vietnam and Cambodia are among the regions subject to those restrictions.
Mayo smuggled approximately 60 fertilized Dong Tao chicken eggs into the United States by concealing them on her body and in her luggage. She intended to hatch the birds and sell them for breeding, eggs, and meat. Upon questioning, Mayo falsely claimed the chickens had died.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mayo’s residence where they discovered five surviving chickens suffering from disease, along with other dead and dying birds. The five birds were the only surviving Dong Tao chickens from the original shipment.
Due to the risk of spreading disease to other flocks, veterinarians determined the birds could not be removed from the property and were humanely euthanized.
As part of her plea, Mayo admitted knowing the eggs could not legally be imported into the United States.
She was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Department of Agriculture, Texas Animal Health Commission, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien sentenced in cocaine conspiracyRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 48-year-old illegal alien from Mexico living in Donna has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to traffic multiple drug loads.
Hector Rodriguez-Ramos pleaded guilty Dec. 30, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Rodriguez-Ramos to serve 72 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
In 2024, Rodriguez-Ramos recruited another individual to act as a drug courier for the cocaine trafficking organization. He took that person’s vehicle to a car shop associated with the conspiracy where others installed a hidden compartment.
Law enforcement ultimately uncovered the conspiracy after they found 14 kilograms of cocaine in that compartment.
The investigation revealed Rodriguez-Ramos coordinated multiple drug deliveries and completed a drug run himself. He was also in communication with others involved in the conspiracy during the events.
Rodriguez-Ramos has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and Yasmine Tucker prosecuted the case.
Convicted felon headed to prison after violent conduct leads to federal firearms chargesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 55-year-old Laredo man has been sentenced for illegally possessing firearms.
Raymond Gutierrez pleaded guilty July 29, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Gutierrez used meth and engaged in violent conduct while committing the crime, including holding two individuals at gunpoint and threatening to kill them. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Gutierrez’s conduct and the extent of his drug use.
On March 29, 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance at Gutierrez’s ranch. They learned Gutierrez accused someone of stealing a firearm, fired a round inside the residence, pointed a firearm at the individual, and threatened a shootout.
When authorities arrived, they observed Gutierrez in possession of firearms and seized a 9 mm pistol.
The investigation revealed law enforcement had responded to the ranch on multiple occasions. During the incidents, they documented Gutierrez illegally possessing firearms.
Following a report that Gutierrez was using meth, possessed multiple firearms, and had become increasingly violent, authorities executed a search warrant at his ranch Feb. 21, 2025, seizing six firearms, including five rifles, a shotgun, and an unregistered silencer.
As a convicted felon, Gutierrez is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch prosecuted the case.
Truck driver admits hauling illegal aliens instead of carrotsRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 61-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to transporting illegal aliens.
Rodney William Gipson admitted that, despite nearly 30 years as a commercial truck driver, he knew or recklessly disregarded the fact he was illegally transporting two dozen illegal aliens in his truck.
On Feb. 19, Gipson drove a tractor-trailer to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. He claimed he was transporting a load from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston, but a K-9 soon alerted to the rear of the trailer.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered 24 illegal aliens hidden inside the vehicle. They also found a cargo document showing the truck was supposed to be hauling a load of carrots.
Gipson was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
Sentencing will be set a later date before U.S. District Judge David S. Morales. At that time, Gipson faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Stash house operator convicted in smuggling for ransom schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old Bacliff resident has been convicted of kidnapping and hostage taking as well as harboring an illegal alien and conspiracy to do so.
The federal jury deliberated for about two hours before returning the guilty verdict against Cameron Jake Tucker following a three-day trial.
The investigation began May 14, 2025, after authorities responded to reports of an illegal alien who had escaped a Houston stash house, without shoes, money, a cellphone, and identification, alleging he had been held against his will.
At trial, the jury heard how Tucker assaulted the illegal alien with a revolver after his family could not pay additional smuggling fees, then confined him in a bedroom closet. The victim later escaped through a second-story window and led authorities to the stash house.
Tucker attempted to flee by running out the back door and climbing over a fence, but authorities soon apprehended him. A search of the residence revealed four firearms, including the revolver.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that the victim fabricated the events in an attempt to obtain immigration benefits, despite the fact that the victim did not receive any immigration benefits and was removed to Mexico. The jury did not believe these claims and found Tucker guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner presided over trial and set sentencing for Oct. 15. At that time, Tucker faces up to life imprisonment in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Tucker has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Hostetter and Jay Hileman are 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Guatemalan National Extradited to the United States Admits to Role in 2021 Alien Smuggling Mass Casualty Event in Chiapas, MexicoRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty to human smuggling charges related to the crash of a tractor-trailer in 2021 that was packed with at least 160 illegal aliens which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. The defendant is part of a group of six who were charged in this case. All six defendants have now admitted to their role in a conspiracy to bring illegal aliens from Guatemala into the United States.
Tomas Quino Canil, 38, a Guatemalan national extradited to the United States in 2025, acknowledged that he conspired with other smugglers to smuggle and transport illegal aliens, both adults and unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States.
“Sadly, this preventable tragedy occurred because of these criminals’ callous disregard for the safety of men, women, and children, and our immigration laws, which resulted in serious injury and death in Chiapas, Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants exploited vulnerable people and created an atmosphere with deadly consequences, all for money. These events will be investigated and prosecuted with the full resources of the Criminal Division.”
“With Quino Canil's guilty plea, every member of this smuggling conspiracy has now been held accountable for one of the deadliest human smuggling tragedies in recent memory,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz for the Southern District of Texas. “These criminals packed more than 150 illegal aliens into a trailer like they were cargo. Fifty people then died at the hands of these foreign criminals. My office will continue hunting down anyone who profits from this trade in human suffering, no matter where they hide or how long it takes to bring them to American justice.”
“This case stands as a stark reminder of the extreme dangers and devastating consequences caused by those who treat human lives as mere commodities,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The callous actions of these smugglers resulted in unimaginable loss and suffering for dozens of families. HSI will relentlessly pursue those who orchestrate and profit from such horrific crimes. The successful outcome of this case would not have been possible without the outstanding collaboration of our domestic and international law enforcement partners, whose dedication and expertise were critical in bringing these criminals to justice and protecting the most vulnerable from exploitation.”
Aliens paid Quino Canil and his co-conspirators to be smuggled into the United States. During the previous Administration’s policy to parole illegal aliens into the United States, one of his co-conspirators also facilitated the release of Guatemalan aliens, who were smuggled illegally into the United States, from U.S. immigration authorities, to include unaccompanied minors. That co-conspirator provided co-defendants, including Quino Canil, with falsified scripts and instructions to provide to adults and unaccompanied minors on what to say to immigration officials if apprehended to secure their release.
On Dec. 9, 2021, Agapito Jorge Ventura, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, Quino Canil and others arranged for the aliens they were smuggling to the United States to be loaded into a tractor trailer that was to transport them through Mexico. Over 150 illegal aliens, including adults and unaccompanied minors, were crammed into the trailer. The vehicle ultimately crashed north of the Guatemala/Mexico border near Tuxtla Guiterrez, Chiapas, Mexico, resulting in deaths and serious bodily injury.
Quino Canil, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien to the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury, and resulting in death. He will be sentenced at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Co-defendants Daniel Zavala Ramos, Josefa Canil De Zavala, Alberto Macario Chitic, and Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, were extradited from Guatemala in 2025 to face charges. Authorities arrested Jorge Agapito Ventura, 33, at his residence in Cleveland, Texas, in December 2024.
Zavala Ramos, 42, pleaded guilty on April 7. Canil De Zavala, 44, and Macario Chitic, 33, pleaded guilty on June 11. Agapito Jorge Ventura, 34, and Manuel Zavala Quino, 26, pleaded guilty on July 8. The guilty plea of Quino Canil marks the last of the six defendants to plead guilty to the conspiracy.
HSI’s Washington, D.C. Field Office investigated the case in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s International Interdiction Task Force; U.S. Border Patrol (USBP); Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions of the defendants. Guatemalan prosecutors from the Office of Public Ministry and Mexican Federal and State authorities including prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office and the State of Chiapas, with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI, U.S. Border Patrol and CBP’s Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; and more than 363 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
Final Guatemalan national extradited to U.S. admits to role in 2021 alien smuggling mass casualty event in Chiapas, MexicoRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – The last foreign national has pleaded guilty to smuggling charges related to the crash of a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens which resulted in the deaths of more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. All six indicted have now admitted to their roles in a conspiracy to bring illegal aliens from Guatemala into the United States.
Tomas Quino Canil, 38, Guatemala, acknowledged he conspired with other smugglers to transport illegal aliens, both adults and unaccompanied minors, from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States.
Quino Canil and others recruited Guatemalan nationals, collected payments, and arranged transportation by foot, inside microbuses, cattle trucks, and tractor-trailers.
Illegal aliens paid thousands of dollars to the conspirators to be smuggled into the United States. In some cases, the smugglers provided scripted language to unaccompanied minors for their use if U.S. immigration authorities apprehended them.
During the conspiracy, on Dec. 9, 2021, Quino Canil and others arranged for more than approximately 150 aliens to board a tractor-trailer traveling through Mexico. The vehicle crashed north of the Guatemala-Mexico border near Tuxtla Guiterrez, Chiapas, Mexico, killing multiple people and seriously injuring others.
“With Quino Canil's guilty plea, every member of this smuggling conspiracy has now been held accountable for one of the deadliest human smuggling tragedies in recent memory,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “These criminals packed more than 150 illegal aliens into a trailer like they were cargo. Fifty people then died at the hands of these foreign criminals. My office will continue hunting down anyone who profits from this trade in human suffering, no matter where they hide or how long it takes to bring them to American justice.”
“Sadly, this preventable tragedy occurred because of these criminals’ callous disregard for the safety of men, women, and children, and our immigration laws, which resulted in serious injury and death in Chiapas, Mexico,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These defendants exploited vulnerable people and created an atmosphere with deadly consequences, all for money. These events will be investigated and prosecuted with the full resources of the Criminal Division.”
“This case stands as a stark reminder of the extreme dangers and devastating consequences caused by those who treat human lives as mere commodities,” said Acting Executive Associate Director John A. Condon of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations. “The callous actions of these smugglers resulted in unimaginable loss and suffering for dozens of families. HSI will relentlessly pursue those who orchestrate and profit from such horrific crimes. The successful outcome of this case would not have been possible without the outstanding collaboration of our domestic and international law enforcement partners, whose dedication and expertise were critical in bringing these criminals to justice and protecting the most vulnerable from exploitation.”
Quino Canil pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring and attempt to bring an illegal alien into the United States, placing life in jeopardy, causing serious bodily injury, and resulting in death. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has set sentencing for Oct. 6. At that time, he faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Agapito Jorge Ventura, 34, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, 26, Daniel Zavala Ramos, 42, Josefa Quino Canil de Zavala, 44, and Alberto Macario Chitic, 33, all of Guatemala, previously pleaded guilty to the same charges.
Canil De Zavala, Macario Chitic, Zavala Ramos, Zavala Quino and Quino Canil were extradited from Guatemala in 2025 to face charges. U.S. authorities arrested Ventura at his residence in Cleveland in December 2024.
HSI’s Washington, D.C., Field Office conducted the investigation in partnership with HSI Guatemala and HSI Mexico. Valuable assistance was provided by HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; HSI Houston; HSI Laredo; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s International Interdiction Task Force; U.S. Border Patrol; Liberty County Constable, Precinct 6; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Houston; U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas; and the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrests and extraditions. Guatemalan prosecutors from the Office of Public Ministry and Mexican prosecutors from the Republic of Mexico’s Federal Prosecutions Office, with the support of law enforcement officials from both countries, were also instrumental in furthering the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary Lou Castillo and Jennifer Day are prosecuting the case along with Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section with substantial assistance from HRSP Latin American Specialist/Historian Joanna Crandall.
The investigation and charges are supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha, the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking cartels and transnational criminal organizations commit. A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s HRSP Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section; Office of International Affairs and Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 419 U.S. convictions; and more than 363 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Border enforcement efforts result in nearly 200 more cases filed in the Southern District of TexasRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 199 people have been charged, including 175 illegal aliens, in 194 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from July 10-16.
A total of 146 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 17 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes, and more. In addition, 28 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 12 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
One of the cases includes Pablo Ramirez-Mata, a Mexican illegal alien that law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the country near Roma. The criminal complaint against him alleges he has a prior conviction for online solicitation of a minor, and authorities had just removed him April 26. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
In addition to the new cases, Saifullah Al-Mamun made his initial appearance in Laredo federal court following his extradition from Brazil. The Bangladeshi national allegedly participated in an international human smuggling conspiracy that facilitated the movement of illegal aliens through South and Central America and Mexico into the United States for financial gain.
Also announced was the conviction of Jose Luis Reyes-Martinez, a previously removed illegal alien from Mexico who pleaded guilty to robbery, carjacking, brandishing a firearm, and illegal reentry. He robbed a Houston supermarket before breaking into a nearby residence, holding a family hostage at gunpoint for several hours, sexually assaulting a woman, and stealing the family’s vehicle. Authorities had previously removed Reyes-Martinez from the United States in 2012 before later discovering him illegally in Houston.
Two more illegal aliens were sentenced for illegal reentry after unlawfully returning to the United States. Nelson Alberto Fajardo, a Honduran illegal alien, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison after the court heard evidence of his criminal history, including convictions for burglary, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a firearm, and shooting his girlfriend’s estranged husband. Mexican illegal alien Juan Francisco Juarez-Rodriguez received a 57-month-term of imprisonment after repeatedly returning to the United States following his first removal in 1999 and accumulating convictions for offenses including burglary, drug charges, carrying a concealed weapon, battery, and another previous illegal reentry.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current 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 histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 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.
U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz statement on the shooting and death of Lorenzo SalgadoRead the Press Release
Link to Video
"My name’s Aaron Reitz. I’m the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, and I want to provide a statement on the shooting and death of Lorenzo Salgado here in Houston.
I want to assure the public that the appropriate law enforcement agencies are looking into this matter. That includes my office, the FBI, DHS, and other state and local partners. Based upon preliminary information my office has been provided to date, and without drawing any final conclusions while the investigation is ongoing, here’s what we have reason to believe happened:
On the morning of Tuesday, July 7th, federal officers were investigating two Guatemalan men known to be driving a white van. These men had previously evaded arrest and were potentially subject to deportation. While looking for the suspects’ white van, officers received a report of a similar van in the area. The officers’ two vehicles—each with two officers inside—turned on their police lights and attempted to pull over the van and the men that fit the suspects’ description. The aliens then fled, conducting a rapid U-turn and hopping a median to get away. The agents chose not to pursue. Later that morning, the agents came across the van again. And again, the illegal aliens attempted to flee, but this time the agents successfully surrounded the vehicle. At some point, two of the four officers got out of their vehicles and instructed the non-compliant aliens to put the van in park. Preliminary information indicates the driver shifted the van into reverse, then forward again, while an officer was partially inside the van or immediately next to it.
During this confrontation between federal agents and a group of illegal aliens attempting to flee, one of the officers fired a single shot. The round struck Lorenzo Salgado. The other federal officers on scene immediately began rendering first aid to preserve Mr. Salgado’s life. Yet sadly, as we know, Mr. Salgado later died at the hospital.
Meanwhile, officers saw in plain view several small bags of a white, crystal-like substance inside the van. As a result, just yesterday the FBI executed a search warrant on the van in connection with possible narcotics trafficking and drug offenses.
I want to reiterate: This assessment is based on preliminary information given to my office. We draw no decisive conclusions and believe federal law enforcement will conduct a thorough investigation.
We are doing everything we can to seek the truth and do the right thing. In the meantime, I encourage the public to give the FBI and DHS the opportunity to investigate. Let the justice system work. And pray for safer communities in which law, order, and justice prevail.”
Jury returns guilty verdict in corruption trialRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Mission resident has been convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, violating the Travel Act, and witness tampering.
The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before convicting Veronica Inez O’Cana following a three-day trial.
O’Cana had conspired with others to launder approximately $30,000 in funds for the benefit of a member of the Mission Consolidated Independent School District Board in return for favorable consideration and official actions.
The jury heard that co-conspirators attempted to disguise or conceal the payments made to influence official actions through the use of third parties, fraudulent memo lines, and cash. The jury learned that payments were made in attempts to influence a series of actions that would lead to the awarding of an energy savings contract to Performance Services Inc. An employee of that company was also a conspirator in the scheme.
Testimony revealed the ultimate contract was expected to be worth $20-25 million. However, although an initial assessment contract was awarded and an investment grade audit contract signed, the final contract was never approved.
Testimony revealed O’Cana obtained $24,000 during the scheme. Text messages and recordings also showed that she had received the payments.
Law enforcement uncovered the scheme in 2022 and subsequently served O’Cana with a federal grand jury subpoena. She was then recorded on WhatsApp calls with a co-conspirator discussing the need to have the same story regarding the reason for the payments.
The defense attempted to convince the jury there was no proof O’Cana sent the messages and that the witnesses were not credible. They did not believe those claims and found her guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton presided over the trial and set sentencing for Oct. 7. At that time, O’Cana faces up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit money laundering and witness tampering violations and a maximum of five years for the Travel Act violation.
O’Cana was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from McAllen Police Department and Texas Department of Insurance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr., Ryan Sim, and Alexa Parcell prosecuted the case.
Human smuggler with cartel ties sentenced for trafficking fentanyl laced with xylazine as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas - A 24-year-old Laredo man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Jorge Humberto Medrano Jr. pleaded guilty Jan. 6.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Medrano to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard how Medrano was closely tied to Cártel del Noreste. The court also considered the danger of fentanyl to include its high lethality and that Medrano trafficked fentanyl laced with xylazine which compounds its danger and possibility of death. Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer that is not affected by Narcan often used to save people overdosing on fentanyl. Xylazine can also lead to severe skin and soft tissue injuries characterized by deep ulcers that often expose tendons and bones.
In handing down the sentence, Judge Kazen noted how Medrano compounded the already extreme danger of fentanyl as compared to other drugs by lacing it with xylazine. The court also noted the fentanyl epidemic and related overdoses and deaths in the community and how Medrano’s actions contribute to that.
The investigation revealed Medrano trafficked fentanyl and smuggled aliens for multiple years. Medrano had sold fentanyl laced with xylazine to undercover law enforcement on over 20 occasions and attempted to recruit others to smuggle illegal aliens.
His alien smuggling operation was directly tied to Cártel del Noreste. Authorities identified members in ledgers and intercepted alien smuggling events which included nearly 2,000 illegal aliens.
During a search of Medrano’s residence, law enforcement recovered evidence of his criminal conduct and a hat bearing the insignia of Cártel del Noreste.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is now part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Texas Department of Public Safety also provided significant assistance with this investigation.
Grand jury indicts Iola man for online threats that included blowing up White House and killing law enforcementRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old man from a small town in Grimes County has been indicted for allegedly transmitting interstate threats via social media.
Peter James Bloomfield remains in custody following his arrest June 24. A federal grand jury has now returned the three-count indictment, and he will appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in Houston in the near future.
The charges allege authorities discovered a Texas-based X account with multiple threatening messages directed at federal law enforcement and others. The account allegedly made several posts about where the closest FBI building was, killing federal agents and others, spending money to blow up the White House, and negative comments about America. Bloomfield is linked to that account, according to the indictment.
Law enforcement also allegedly identified a Facebook account in Bloomfield’s name that used the same profile image as the X account which posted additional threats against federal agents and notable figures. The indictment further alleges the Facebook account included comments about making a hit list that included President Trump during a Fox News broadcast of a recent Senate floor hearing.
A federal search warrant of Bloomfield’s residence allegedly resulted in the discovery of over 20 firearms and a significant amount of ammunition.
If convicted, Bloomfield faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine per count.
The FBI - Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; Secret Service; and Grimes County Constable’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz 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.