Western District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Alleged Fentanyl Traffickers Arrested in Bell CountyRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – Four individuals were arrested in Bell County Thursday on criminal charges related to their alleged fentanyl trafficking.
According to court documents, Anthony Perez-Diaz aka “Krosty,” 37; Anthony Perez-Perez aka “Mundo,” 43, Jose Ublies-Rivera aka “Wichy,” 49; and Emanuel Giovanni Hernandez-Miranda aka “Goldo,” 30, were identified as narcotics distributors in January by Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) special agents.
The four defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl. They made their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
TX DPS CID; the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division; Killeen Police Department; Copperas Cove Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; and United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Alleged Drug and Firearm Smugglers Federally Indicted in El PasoRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an eight-count indictment Wednesday charging four alleged members of a drug trafficking organization with charges related to the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as straw purchasing and trafficking firearms.
According to court documents, Maria del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 37, of Mexico coordinated the delivery of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Mexico into the United States through the El Paso ports of entry, using codefendant Bryan Alexis Munoz-Castro, 20, of El Paso as a courier. The indictment details that, upon a search of the residence, FBI special agents discovered approximately 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 300 grams of fentanyl, $6,480 in drug proceeds, and two cell phones at Munoz-Castro’s residence.
The indictment claims Navarro-Sanchez and Munoz-Castro coordinated the trafficking of weapons from the U.S. to Mexico. In mid-summer of 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) intercepted communications of Navarro-Sanchez and learned of an agreement to purchase 20 AK-47 type rifles and two Barrett .50 BMG caliber rifles for $66,000.
On Aug. 21, codefendant Rene Hernandez-Cordero, 51, of Mexico, allegedly crossed into the U.S. from Mexico with approximately $63,000 in his possession to meet codefendant, Jesus Gerado Ramos, 52, of El Paso, and purchase the firearms. Ramos allegedly intended to transport the weapons into Mexico, however he and Hernandez-Cordero were arrested at the site of the purchase.
Navarro-Sanchez is charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of straw purchasing firearms, and one count of trafficking in firearms. If convicted, she faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison for each of the two controlled substance charges and a maximum penalty of 15 years for each of the charges related to firearms.
Munoz-Castro is charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, two counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of straw purchasing firearms, and one count of trafficking in firearms. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison for four of the controlled substance charges, a maximum penalty of 15 years for each of the charges related to firearms, and a penalty of five to 40 years for a fifth controlled substance charge.
Hernandez-Cordero is charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of straw purchasing firearms, one count of trafficking in firearms, and one count of bulk cash smuggling. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison for four of the controlled substance charges, a maximum penalty of 15 years for each of the charges related to firearms, and a maximum penalty of 10 years for the bulk cash smuggling charge.
Ramos is charged with one count of straw purchasing firearms and one count of trafficking in firearms. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years for each charge.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II for the ATF Dallas Field Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater for the FBI El Paso Field Office made the announcement.
The ATF and FBI are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former Midland Teacher, Lacrosse Coach Sentenced to Nine Years for Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced in a federal court in Midland today to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and abetting wire fraud.
According to court documents, William Logsdon, 55, used the trust he had built with community members during his time as a lacrosse coach and teacher in the Midland area, and even the trust he had established with members of his own family, to convince them to “invest” in a Ponzi scheme. Logsdon conducted the scheme in concert with his mother-in-law, Jamie Thompson, a former geologist in the oil and gas industry who had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
Together, Thompson and Logsdon told their victims that the money they were “investing” was being used to purchase royalty interests for various oil, gas and mineral projects located in Texas and New Mexico. The royalty interests were allegedly being purchased through various entities, including an entity called the National Royalty Group, or NRG. In actuality, the National Royalty Group did not exist, and rather than purchasing royalty interests, Thompson and Logsdon used the money to primarily pay for personal expenses, as well as to advance the Ponzi scheme by providing some “distributions” back to earlier “investors.”
Between them, Logsdon and Thompson defrauded more than 20 victims out of more than $2.1 million, with Logsdon being responsible for a subset of those victims and losses. Both Logsdon and Thompson have been ordered to jointly-and-severally pay restitution to their victims according to their responsibility.
“The individuals that perpetrated this scheme demonstrated extreme greed and disregard for their victims, many of whom were friends, colleagues and even family members,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “In doing so, they harmed the lives and livelihoods of those they claimed to care about. I want to thank the Midland Police Department for tirelessly working to secure these convictions and helping the victims to secure a measure of justice.”
The Midland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.
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Midland Woman Sentenced for More Than $1.2 Million of Wire and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland woman was sentenced in a federal court in Midland on Friday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,251,416.67 in restitution for wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
According to court documents, while working as a secretary for Bridges Equipment, LTD, Tamara Dawn Allen, 49, fraudulently cashed her employer’s checks using the owner’s signature stamp and made electronic payments to her personal bank accounts from company accounts. The scheme amounted to a total loss of at least $868,770.60. Additionally, Allen underreported her income on her taxes over a four-year span, for a total amount of $553,390.00.
Allen pleaded guilty to counts one and 24 of a 31-count superseding indictment on May 12.
“The fraud perpetrated by this defendant, a long-time employee at a family-owned business, resulted in substantial losses and destroyed relationships,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the work of our partners for investigating this case. Just as with violent crime, we will continue to vigorously prosecute all white collar and fraud cases in the Western District of Texas.”
“Ms. Allen took advantage of her position to personally enrich herself at the expense of her employer and their partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “The victims can have confidence that the defendant will be held accountable for the crimes she committed and sends a message to other fraudsters that their schemes and deception will not be tolerated in our community.”
“Allen spent years stealing from her employer, gaining wealth at everyone else’s expense, including law abiding taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “The special agents and prosecutors rigorously documented every deceptive transaction, ensuring that the case against her was irrefutable. As experts in financial crimes, CI regularly partners with other law enforcement agencies to help ensure justice is served.”
The FBI and CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case.
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San Antonio Drug Dealer Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Fatal Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 360 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in the death of 20-year-old Isabella Render.
According to court documents, Patrick James Hall, 29, met Render on Oct. 28, 2020, in a San Antonio hotel room located off I-10, where he had been selling the drug in the form of small round blue pills disguised as oxycodone. Render had been unconscious in Hall’s hotel room for an extended period when Hall returned a missed call to Render’s friend. Hall notified the friend that she needed to pick up Render from the hotel because she had overdosed. He then left the location without calling for emergency services. Render’s friend, however, did alert emergency services who pronounced Render dead upon their arrival. She had been deceased for some time. A toxicology report showed that Render had an amount of fentanyl in her blood that exceeded 24 times a fatal dose.
Hall was arrested on Nov. 19, 2020 on State charges. Text messages sent from his phone confirmed that he had been selling the pills to multiple individuals at the time of the Render’s death, and that he himself had overdosed on the pills earlier in the month. Hall was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts related to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.
“Fentanyl has proven to be a very deadly drug that is being used to poison our communities and this sentence reinforces our position that those who traffic it will be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My hope is that families of fentanyl victims—in this case, Isabella’s family—can see these sentences as progress and that they can find some measure of relief through our justice system. I also thank our law enforcement partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Antonio Police Department for their successful investigative work in this case.”
“Today's sentencing of Patrick Hall represents the culmination of hard work by our local law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux for the DEA’s Houston Division. “I want to provide my most sincere condolences to the Bove family. While we realize nothing eliminates the pain and grief they have endured, we hope the knowledge that Hall is being held accountable for the death of their daughter, Isabella Render, and his inability to harm others will bring them some comfort.”
The DEA and SAPD investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Hail prosecuted the case.
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West Texas Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Producing, Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PECOS, Texas – A Ward County man was sentenced in a federal court in Pecos Monday to 188 months in prison for production and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Elroy Wilkerson, 60, was arrested on Nov. 17, 2022 based on a complaint alleging he had been taking nude photos of a minor at his home in Monahans. Ward County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for Wilkerson’s residence and seized six cellphones for forensic analysis. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Midland provided assistance and found 36 confirmed images of child pornography of the child victim as well as two videos in which the child victim is seen nude.
Wilkerson was found guilty in a jury trial in April on one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
“This 15-year federal prison sentence sends a clear message that those who exploit and prey on our children for sexual gratification will face severe consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I commend the jury for their dedication to justice and decision to find this defendant guilty on both charges. I also recognize and appreciate the successful investigative efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners.”
“The harm that child predators cause to the most innocent members of our society is devastating and endures a lifetime,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to vigorously investigate these cases alongside our law enforcement partners to hold these offenders accountable for the harm they cause in society.”
HSI and the WCSO investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Missouri Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Second Internet Stalking ConvictionRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Missouri man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Wednesday to 72 months in prison for internet stalking.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from May 2020 to September 2020, Mark Joseph Uhlenbrock, 69, with the intent to harass and intimidate another person, used the internet to engage in a course of conduct that caused substantial emotional distress to his victim. This course of conduct included posting nude photographs of the victim on the internet without the victim’s consent. Uhlenbrock was convicted by a federal jury at trial in May.
The conduct from this crime occurred while Uhlenbrock was still on supervised release for a 2016 federal conviction for internet stalking the same victim. In 2016, Uhlenbrock was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Uhlenbrock pleaded guilty to the same offense against the same victim. As part of his plea in that case, Uhlenbrock admitted that from January 2006 to August 2015, he caused substantial emotional distress by posting nude photographs of his victim on the internet without the victim’s consent.
“For years, Uhlenbrock weaponized the internet to try and destroy one woman's life—not just once but twice,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My hope is that this sentencing provides a sense of relief for the victim and sends a message that online stalkers like Uhlenbrock will be brought to justice.”
“This is a horrible crime with real consequences and trauma to the victim. Our agents and law enforcement partners are working to prevent these types of crimes every single day,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division. “No one should have to live in fear of their private lives being posted online for revenge by someone they trusted.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Calve and Karina O’Daniel prosecuted the case.
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Cell Tower Arsonist Pleads Guilty to Eight Counts in San AntonioRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty in federal court in San Antonio on Thursday to eight charges in two indictments related to arson and felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents, Sean Aaron Smith, 29, maliciously attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire, multiple cellular telephone towers around San Antonio between April 2021 and May 2022.
Smith was arrested in a traffic stop on May 13, 2022. During the traffic stop, law enforcement officers located a handgun on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat. Executing a search warrant for Smith’s apartment on May 15, 2022, investigators found additional firearms. Smith knowingly possessed the firearms after being previously convicted of two felony crimes where he served more than a year imprisonment on each.
Smith pleaded guilty to six counts of arson of cellphone towers and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. He faces a penalty of five to 20 years in prison for each charge related to arson, and up to 10 years in prison for each firearm possession charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division made the announcement.
The San Antonio Fire Department Arson squad, FBI, San Antonio Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Rangers are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case.
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Austin Pharmacy to Pay $200,000 in Civil Penalties for Alleged Violations of the Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – People’s Pharmacy Inc. has agreed to pay $200,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that it violated provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
People’s Pharmacy Inc., doing business as Peoples Rx, operates five retail pharmacies and one compounding laboratory in the Austin area. During a routine inspection of a Peoples Rx location in June 2022, DEA diversion investigators determined that the pharmacy had violated certain regulatory recordkeeping provisions, improperly dispensed controlled substances to practitioners for office use, and issued prescriptions without authorization.
During their inspection, DEA diversion investigators also learned that Peoples Rx had sold pseudoephedrine products without self-certifying as required by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 (CMEA). The CMEA regulates over-the-counter sales of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine products, which are common ingredients in cough, cold, and allergy products that serve as precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine or amphetamine. Retail provisions of the CMEA include daily sales limits and 30-day purchase limits, placement of product out of direct customer access, sales logbooks, customer ID verification, employee training, and self-certification of regulated sellers.
The Diversion Control Unit in DEA’s San Antonio District Office led the investigation of this matter. The primary goal of the DEA’s diversion control program is to prevent, detect, and investigate the diversion of controlled substances from their lawful purpose into illicit drug traffic. In furtherance of this goal, DEA conducts inspections of pharmacies and other DEA registrants to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements relating to drug security and recordkeeping.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham negotiated the settlement on behalf of the government.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Man Claiming to be with U.S. Army Delta Force Charged with FraudRead the Press Release
AUSTIN – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment today charging a Manor man with wire fraud.
According to court documents, Saint Jovite Youngblood, aka Kota Youngblood, 51, allegedly committed wire fraud against his victims by claiming Mexican drug cartel members were planning to commit violence against them. Youngblood falsely claimed to be part of the elite U.S. Army’s Delta Force and offered protection to his victims from the cartels in exchange for money. Youngblood also represented that funds obtained from his victim “investors” would be paid back with a significant return on the money. Instead, Youngblood allegedly used most of the money on junkets to Las Vegas to gamble in casinos.
Youngblood is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property. He was arrested on a sealed complaint on July 31, and had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Youngblood has remained in custody since his arrest.
If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and up to 10 years in prison on the monetary transaction charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Guess and Matt Harding are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Cecily Aguilar Receives Maximum Sentence for Role in Vanessa Guillen MurderRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Killeen woman was sentenced in federal court in Waco today to 30 years in prison for her connection to the murder of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen.
According to court documents, Cecily Aguilar, 25, assisted Army Specialist Aaron Robinson in corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating and concealing evidence—that is, the body of Vanessa Guillen—in order to prevent Robinson from being charged with and prosecuted for any crime. Aguilar also altered and destroyed information contained in a Google account of Robinson. During the investigation into the disappearance of Vanessa Guillen, Aguilar made four materially false statements to federal investigators.
On Nov. 29, 2022, Aguilar pleaded guilty to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of false statement or representation.
“Our hope is that today’s sentence brings a sense of relief and justice to the Guillen family, who have endured such pain throughout these past few years,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Ms. Aguilar’s actions were indefensible, and she will now face the maximum penalty for the choices she made. I’m grateful for our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this case, as their dedication was essential in bringing this defendant to justice.”
The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Rangers; Bell County Sheriff’s Office; Killeen Police Department; Texas Parks and Wildlife; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification Forensic Anthropology Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff prosecuted the case.
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Driver in Large South Texas Human Smuggling Case Sentenced in Del Rio to 35 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – An Ohio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio Thursday to 420 months in prison for illegal alien transportation resulting in death.
According to court documents, Sebastian Tovar, 27, of Toledo, was driving a Dodge Ram near Del Rio on March 15, 2021, when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper attempted to stop the vehicle. Tovar tried to evade law enforcement but crashed into oncoming traffic. Eight undocumented noncitizen passengers in Tovar’s truck died in the crash, while one more was seriously injured. Additionally, two U.S. citizens were seriously injured in the head-on collision when Tovar struck their vehicle.
Following the crash, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents encountered a Ford F-150 stopped in traffic near the crash site. The agents directed the driver of the Ford, to turn around and subsequently all its occupants fled on foot into nearby brush. USBP agents were able to locate 12 undocumented noncitizens who bolted from the Ford. After interviewing two of the undocumented noncitizens, USBP agents determined that the occupants of the Dodge and Ford were part of a human smuggling operation that was illegally transporting 20 undocumented noncitizens in the U.S.
Codefendant Ruben Junior Rodriguez-Jaimes, 20, of Bastrop was sentenced last week to 180 months in prison. Rodriguez-Jaimes was arrested on April 7, 2021, in the brush near Eagle Pass, when he was acting as the foot guide for four undocumented noncitizens. Since December 2020, Rodriguez-Jaimes had successfully smuggled 38 migrants into the U.S.
In addition to their imprisonment, Tovar and Rodriguez-Jaimes were each ordered to pay a portion of restitution totaling the amount of $164,701.80.
“The defendants in this case displayed a complete disregard for human life, not only of the migrants they were smuggling, but also of the innocent civilians on the road the day of this incident,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This is but one example of the danger these human smuggling organizations pose to our communities and especially to the migrants they smuggle. We are grateful for the tremendous effort and cooperation of our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local levels and for their diligence in working to identify all of those whose conduct led to this tragedy.”
“These sentences underscore Homeland Security Investigations’ relentless efforts to identify transnational criminal organizations, which make a profit from smuggling migrants into the United States with total disregard for people who may end up paying the ultimate price,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the HSI San Antonio Division. “HSI is committed to ensuring that those who prey on the innocent face justice.”
Five additional defendants pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in death: Lauren Michelle Malmquist, aka “Mama” and “Lala,” 34, of Cedar Park; Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, aka “Chayo” and “Flaco,” 35, of Luvianos, Mexico; Veronica Torres-Mendez, 36, of San Antonio; Jennifer Oralia Davis, aka “Paypa,” 41, of San Antonio; and Eduardo Rivera Benitez, aka “Lalo” and “Casper,” 25, of Bastrop. They each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The remaining three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens: Marco Antonio Hernandez, aka “Temo,” 21, of Paige; Jose Eli Rodriguez, 22, of Austin; and Rogelio Manuel Luna, 34, of Austin. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
HSI, USBP and DPS investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.
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Odessa Man Indicted in Pecos for Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle Methamphetamine from Mexico to DallasRead the Press Release
PECOS, Texas – A federal grand jury in Pecos returned an indictment today charging an Odessa man with importation and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.
According to the affidavit attached to a complaint, Angel Vargas-Valdivia, 23, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on Aug. 8. During a Customs and Border Protection inspection, officers noticed evidence of tampering on the rear quarter panels of Vargas’s vehicle, as well as abnormally heavy vehicle doors. X-ray imaging revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s quarter panels, side doors, rear cargo door, trunk and roof. Further inspection revealed 154 bundles weighing approximately 72.2 kilograms. A crystal-like substance extracted from the bundles tested positive for properties of methamphetamine.
Vargas-Valdivia made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Fannin of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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San Antonio Family Members Plead Guilty in Federal Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Three members of a San Antonio family pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to government contracts fraud for services at U.S. Army medical facilities.
According to the indictment, Kenneth Flores, 50, Christopher Flores, 54, and Irma Flores, 74, conspired together to defraud the United States by eliminating competition and fixing contract awards and prices on Army contracts for the housekeeping and janitorial services at Army Hospitals and Medical Centers. The scheme involved a corrupt partnership between the Floreses and co-conspirator government employees Karisa Waysepappy Kelley and John Jordan “Chip” Mathes, concerning millions of dollars in work on Army healthcare housekeeping and janitorial services contracts in return for bribes and kickbacks, eliminating the Flores’ competition in the process.
From Nov. 15, 2018, until June 25, 2020, Christopher Flores’s company, Alliance Supply, paid $216,710.46 to Mathes’ company, C & S Consulting. From Feb. 21, 2019, until July 17, 2020, Alliance Supply paid Kelley’s company Waysepappy Consulting $57,906.50. Irma Flores served as the bookkeeper for Allegiance Environmental Services, a company owned by Kenneth Flores, under which Alliance operated. Mathes and Kelley pleaded guilty in February.
Kenneth Flores pleaded guilty to one count in the indictment to conspiracy to defraud the United States and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Christopher and Irma Flores each pleaded guilty to an information charging them with one count of gratuity paid to public official, and each face a maximum penalty of two years in prison. All three are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 27. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Floreses have agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $3.7 million.
The government dismissed the charges against Antonio Flores, Jr.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General; and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Stephenson and Joe Blackwell, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jay Porier are prosecuting the case.
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Statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office on the Fourth Anniversary of the El Paso ShootingRead the Press Release
"Four years after the tragedy in El Paso, our community continues to heal. As we reflect on the memories of those we lost to such an unforgiveable act of hate, our thoughts remain with all of the victims, their families and the community members whose lives have changed forever." - U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas
Von Ormy Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Kidnap and Transport Non-U.S. CitizenRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Von Ormy man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Tuesday to 220 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, Andrew Carrillo, 30, was an accomplice to Rosalio Cano Jr. in the smuggling and kidnapping of an undocumented noncitizen in September 2021. After meeting at Cano’s residence, where the kidnapped migrant had been held, Carrillo and Cano drove separately to an Econo Lodge in San Antonio. Carrillo had designated the motel’s parking lot as the location where he and Cano would hand the kidnapped migrant over to the migrant’s family in exchange for cash. Unbeknownst to Carrillo, he and another codefendant, Veronica Ortega, had been communicating and negotiating the migrant’s release with an undercover officer who had accompanied the migrant’s family member to the exchange. After the undercover officer handed Carrillo and Ortega the $9,000 in U.S. currency, Homeland Security Investigations agents moved in to arrest the three defendants. Carrillo and Ortega were taken into custody, while Cano fled and was arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Service on Oct. 14, 2021.
Carrillo pleaded guilty to both counts on Feb. 7, 2023. In addition to the prison sentence, Carrillo was ordered to pay $7,025.78 in restitution.
“The penalties in this case reflect the grave dangers of human smuggling,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “While restitution cannot erase the trauma kidnapping victims endure, we hope it will provide some measure of relief. We will not stop working to protect the vulnerable people who are targeted for human smuggling and will continue to aggressively prosecute offenders.”
“Not only did these human smugglers conspire to undermine our nation’s immigration laws, but they also used intimidation and violence for their own profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “If you enter into an agreement with a human smuggler, your loved one will not be treated with respect, they will simply be seen as a commodity, and will be placed in extreme danger.”
Cano was sentenced on Dec. 29, 2022 to 190 months in prison and ordered to pay $7,025.78 in restitution. On Jan. 3, 2023, Ortega was sentenced to 60 months of probation and was also ordered to pay $7,025.78 in restitution.
HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Hail prosecuted the case.
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Four Extradited Defendants Plead Guilty to Participating in Deadly International Human Smuggling ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Four Guatemalan nationals pleaded guilty to their involvement in a deadly Guatemala-based human smuggling conspiracy.
Juan Gutierrez Castro, aka Andres, 46, pleaded guilty today, joining co-conspirators Felipe Diego Alonzo, aka Siete, 39; Nesly Norberto Martinez Gomez, aka Canche, 38; and Lopez Mateo Mateo, aka Bud Light, 43, who all pleaded guilty in July.
According to court documents, the defendants admitted to conspiring with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of large numbers of migrants from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, into the United States. They charged the migrants and their families approximately $10,000 to $12,000 for the perilous journey. One of the journeys resulted in the death of a young indigenous Guatemalan woman, who died in Texas in May 2021. The woman’s family had paid the defendants approximately $10,000 for the journey to the United States. The defendants and their co-conspirators guided her for several days on foot through the desert to Odessa, Texas, where she ultimately died. The defendants and their co-conspirators dumped her body on the side of a road in Crane County, Texas. The defendants and their co-conspirators then arranged to pay the victim’s family in Guatemala.
Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States resulting in death. They are expected to be sentenced later this year and face a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
As announced last year, extensive coordination between U.S. and Guatemalan law enforcement authorities led to the indictment and arrest of these four defendants, as well as the apprehension of 15 additional co-conspirators in Guatemala. Pursuant to an extradition request, in March 2023, Guatemalan authorities extradited Diego Alonzo, Martinez Gomez, Mateo Mateo, and Gutierrez Castro to the United States – the first ever extraditions from Guatemala to the United States on charges of human smuggling resulting in death and the first Guatemalan human smuggling extraditions to the United States in nearly five years.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI Midland led the investigation, working in concert with HSI Guatemala and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; ICE’s Parole and Law Enforcement Programs Unit; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Odessa and Midland Police Departments; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Ector County, Midland County, and Crane County Sheriffs’ Offices. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) and Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department is grateful to Guatemalan law enforcement, who were instrumental in furthering this investigation.
The indictments, extraditions, and convictions of Diego Alonzo, Martinez Gomez, Mateo Mateo, and Gutierrez Castro, as well as the assistance provided by U.S. authorities to Guatemalan law enforcement, were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).
JTFA Co-Director James Hepburn of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Luis Acosta for the Western District of Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian Gallegos for the Western District of Texas and HRSP Historian/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with DHS to strengthen the Justice Department’s overall efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime. Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who most significantly impact the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 200 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture.
JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California. Dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and supported by ODPAT, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, OIA, and the Organized Crime and Gang Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners.
Del Rio Man Sentenced for Smuggling More Than 10,000 Rounds of Ammunition into MexicoRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio last week to 57 months in prison with credit for time served for smuggling goods from the United States.
According to court documents, Hugo Medina, 40, was selected for an inspection in the outbound lane of the Del Rio Port of Entry on Sept. 24, 2020. After he elected to not declare any weapons, ammunition or currency over $10,000, Customs and Border Protection officers located a black duffle bag containing small boxes in the trunk of Medina’s vehicle. The officers confirmed that the boxes contained ammunition and took Medina into custody. Following a vehicle inspection scan, officers seized a total of 10,498 rounds of ammunition.
“Transporting ammunition into Mexico is a serious offense,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Along with our law enforcement partners, my office is committed to stopping the supply of dangerous weapons across the border into Mexico.”
“The sentencing sends a clear message to individuals who facilitate the illegal sale and movement of ammunition. Combatting ammunition smuggling is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “Through collaborative law enforcement with our federal, state and local partners, we aggressively investigate individuals involved in these activities to prevent the items from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”
Claudia Veronica Flores, who purchased the ammunition and arranged for it to be smuggled into Mexico, pleaded guilty on Aug. 15, 2022 to conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States in DR:21-CR-2145. Her sentence hearing is currently scheduled for Dec. 4.
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case.
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Mexican National to Serve 19 Years in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio Tuesday to 168 months in prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, plus 60 months in prison for one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, Eduardo Puente, 46, of San Buena, Coahuila, Mexico, a convicted felon with two outstanding Texas arrest warrants, came under an FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigation in January 2022 and was identified as the source of supply for two controlled narcotics purchases of methamphetamine. On Feb. 17, 2022, the task force, with assistance from Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers and Criminal Investigation Division agents, observed Puente carrying a white shoe box en route to a third controlled purchase, as part of the investigation. DPS Troopers and CID agents conducted a traffic stop on Puente, which led to a foot pursuit, during which he tossed a Ruger .357 revolver. Puente was assisted in the pursuit by an individual in a red Chevrolet Silverado, who picked Puente up to aid in his escape. DPS executed a traffic stop on the truck and, though Puente again attempted to flee on foot, he was arrested.
In a search of Puente and his vehicle, DPS Troopers and FBI Agents seized eight small bags of suspected methamphetamine, a bag of a black tar substance suspected to be heroin, and $2,090 in cash. In a search of Puente’s residence, FBI agents seized 2.281 kg of marijuana, 3.016 kg of heroin, and 44.021 kg of methamphetamine. They also seized a .223 caliber rifle loaded with armor piercing rounds and approximately $6,400 in cash.
“I commend the efforts of our federal and state law enforcement partners in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Their work on the ground resulted in a significant seizure of illegal drugs, which would have otherwise been distributed in our community. This sentence is a victory for public safety, and I am grateful for their dedication to keeping our streets safe.”
“This sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work diligently to hold criminals who are bringing dangerous drugs into our communities accountable for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Marcus Joachim for the FBI San Antonio Division. “The American people deserve to live in communities safe from violence and criminal activity associated with illegal narcotics trafficking."
The FBI and DPS investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karina O’Daniel prosecuted the case.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Straw Purchasing Firearm Recovered Near Fatal Odessa ShootingRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – An Odessa man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Midland on Monday to one count of false statement during purchase of a firearm.
According to court documents, on June 29, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) responded to a fatal shooting in Odessa. The agents located a Ruger firearm in their investigation and confirmed that it had been purchased on May 26 by Miguel Angel Rodriguez, 21. Further investigation revealed that Rodriguez had straw purchased at least four total firearms, including the Ruger, for persons other than himself.
Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2 and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jeffery C. Boshek II for the ATF Dallas Field Division made the announcement.
The ATF is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mahoney is prosecuting the case.
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El Paso Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal court in Alpine to 78 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to possess with to distribute cocaine and a second count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, Jaime Gabriel Juarez, 50, was pulled over on Interstate 20 in Reeves County on Dec. 2, 2022. A search of his vehicle revealed multiple rectangular-shaped packages wrapped in plastic and resembling packages typically associated with kilogram quantities of narcotics. The substances in the packages tested positive for properties and characteristics of cocaine. Juarez admitted he was transporting the 2.5 kilograms of cocaine to Odessa.
Juarez was found guilty in a jury trial on April 18.
“I’m grateful to our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Their efforts led to the arrest and conviction of a drug smuggler who is now spending the next six years in prison.”
“We want the communities where we live to be safer and healthier,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “Therefore, we will not tire of pursuing those who manufacture and distribute illicit narcotics.”
The DEA and Reeves County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.
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El Paso Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal courthouse in Alpine to 96 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
According to court documents, Hector Bernal Jr., 36, was a passenger in a vehicle that entered the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol Checkpoint in Alpine on Feb. 25. While Border Patrol agents determined citizenship of the driver and Bernal, a Border Patrol canine alerted the agents to the presence of illegal controlled substances. Agents then located eight large brick-shaped bundles in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, which tested positive for characteristics of marijuana and collectively weighed approximately 112.7 kilograms, or 248.3 pounds.
“This lengthy eight year sentence reflects our commitment to combatting illegal drug trafficking and protecting our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the DEA’s continued efforts to prevent drug smuggling, ensuring that those who engage in such activities are held accountable.”
“Those individuals who break our nation’s laws by distributing illegal narcotics will be pursued by the men and women of the DEA,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “We thank our federal partners for their assistance in this case.”
On June 27, the driver, codefendant Hugo Mancinas, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.
The DEA and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.
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Two Members of Austin Fentanyl Distribution Organization Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – Two Austin area men were sentenced Monday in federal court in Austin to more than seven years in prison for their involvement in a fentanyl distribution organization.
According to court documents, Christopher Brock, 25, of Pflugerville, and Marcos Roberto Garcia aka “Alex,” 20, of Somerton, Arizona, were arrested with other organization members on Jan. 4, 2022, on charges of distributing fentanyl in the Austin area. Brock served as a courier and retail dealer of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl. Garcia was identified as the main source of the supply, purchasing the pills from Mexico and, with the help of co-conspirators, orchestrating their shipment from Arizona to Austin via the U.S. Postal Service. Agents began investigating the organization in March 2021, in response to fentanyl overdoses in and around Austin.
On Monday, Brock was sentenced to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Garcia was sentenced to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release.
“The defendants in this case took part in a large enterprise of criminal activity and will now face federal prison time thanks to the united efforts of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “The penalties handed down to these young men should serve as examples to anyone who considers getting involved in these dangerous drug trafficking operations.”
"This sentence results from coordinated efforts that dissolved an enterprise profiting off our communities through manufacturing and distributing fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA Houston Division. "Fake pills threaten the American people. We caution every person never to take any pharmaceuticals unless prescribed by a licensed physician and dispensed from a licensed pharmacy. DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue any individual or organization bringing these deadly fake pills into our communities."
Eight codefendants have been sentenced since January. Adi Martinez Marquez, 21, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was sentenced to 14 months in prison; Ezequiel Azmitia-Jimenez, 20, of Lockhart, was sentenced to 36 months; Fernando Beltran, 22, of Austin, and Oliver Garcia, 21, of Lockhart, each received 180-month prison sentences; Matthew Juan, 20, of Austin, was sentenced to 90 months in prison; Andres Ruben Ramirez, 24, of Austin, was sentenced to 48 months; Daemon Garcia, 20, of San Marcos, was sentenced to 30 months; and Michael Bauman, 19, of Austin, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.
The DEA, FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the Austin, Cedar Park, San Angelo and San Marcos Police Departments investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall prosecuted the case.
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Texas Woman Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Charge, Faces up to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – A Presidio County woman pleaded guilty today in a federal court in Alpine to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, Cherakee Lee Perez, 33, provided a negative declaration during a Customs and Border Patrol vehicle inspection at the Presidio Port of Entry from Mexico into the U.S. A narcotic detection canine discovered more than three dozen packages hidden in the vehicle. 29 of packages contained approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, while the other 13 contained seven kilograms of fentanyl.
Perez is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 23 and faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.
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New Braunfels Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man was sentenced in federal court in San Antonio today to 15 years in prison for distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents, Guy Mason Roden, 30, distributed hundreds of files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) between Nov. 27, 2020 and the end of March 2021, using a peer-to-peer file sharing network known as uTorrent. The investigation into Roden’s activity began when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) special agent in San Angelo was investigating host computers in Texas that were actively sharing CSAM via uTorrent and identified the IP address associated to Roden’s computer. Months later, a DPS CID special agent in San Antonio identified the same IP address as actively distributing CSAM via the file sharing network. DPS and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents executed a federal search warrant at Roden’s New Braunfels home on April 16, 2021, seizing Roden’s computer. Roden was arrested on Feb 22, 2022. He’s remained in custody since.
In addition to the prison sentence, Roden was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to four victims.
“Crimes involving child pornography impact victims long after the abuse was first committed,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Protecting children will always be a priority in my office and I commend our law enforcement partners at the federal and state levels for their continued work in investigating these cases.”
DPS investigated the case with assistance from HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Calve prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Man Stored Child Pornography on Google Account, Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A Maryland man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 168 months in prison followed by 30 years of supervised release for the receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents, David Edward King, 59, of Ellicott City, Maryland, stored 504 videos and 2,050 images depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) in Google applications while living in San Antonio. A review of King’s cell phone revealed that he had received the illicit material, some of which involved prepubescent children, via the instant messaging applications ICQ and Telegram. Google became aware of the CSAM being stored in their Google Photos and Google Drive infrastructure and filed a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
King was arrested on March 1, 2022 and has remained in custody since. He pleaded guilty to the charge in the indictment on Feb. 14, 2023. In addition to his prison term and supervised release term, the judge ordered King to pay $95,000 in restitution to 19 separate victims.
“Individuals who seek out child pornography cause profound harm and further victimize those children by enabling the production of child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Thanks to the valuable work by our partners at Homeland Security Investigations, we continue to identify and prosecute these vile offenders who prey on children for sexual gratification.”
“The significant sentence imposed on David King sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those individuals who exploit children. King will serve the next 14 years in federal prison for his incomprehensible acts,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for HSI San Antonio Division. “We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, our children.”
HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Justice Department Reinforces Federal Protections for Servicemembers and their Spouses in Letter to State OfficialsRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has issued a letter to all state licensing authorities about new employment-related federal protections for military families. The letter informs state licensing authorities about Congress’s recent amendment to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) that allows servicemembers and their spouses to use their professional licenses or certificates in new jurisdictions if they are relocating because of military orders and meet certain other requirements.
“Servicemembers and their families should not face unnecessary barriers to employment because of the sacrifices they make in service to our country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The guidance we are issuing today reflects the Justice Department’s commitment to honoring our nation’s servicemembers and their families not just with words, but also with action.”
“Servicemembers bear great burdens to protect and advance our democracy, and families of these dedicated military professionals often make sacrifices on our behalf, including frequent moves, child-care challenges, and interruptions or barriers to employment,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The resources that we are making available should empower many servicemembers and military spouses with professional licenses to better navigate the burdens that can result from frequently moving around the country.”
In January 2023, Congress added a new provision to the SCRA — a law that provides servicemembers and their families with a wide variety of financial and housing protections — to make it easier for servicemembers and military spouses to have their professional licenses recognized when they relocate to another state due to military orders. The new SCRA license portability provision provides that servicemembers and military spouses can have their out-of-state licenses recognized as valid in the new state while they are stationed there as long as they meet certain requirements.
The letter to state licensing authorities explains how the SCRA’s license portability provision reduces the administrative hurdles that servicemembers and their spouses face when they move across state lines. The documents explain the requirements servicemembers or their spouses must meet to have their license or certificate recognized as valid under this new law. The Department is also releasing a fact sheet about the SCRA’s license portability provision.
Statement of Interest
The Justice Department also filed a statement of interest in Portée v. Morath, a lawsuit filed by a military spouse in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas alleging the state of Texas denied her request to have her out-of-state school counseling licenses recognized as valid as required under the new SCRA’s license portability provision. According to the complaint, the military spouse has school counseling licenses issued by Ohio and Missouri and recently moved to Del Rio, Texas, due to her husband’s military orders. She alleges that the Texas state licensing authorities told her that the new SCRA law “would not apply to Texas.”
The Department’s statement of interest argues that the requirement that the license have been “actively used during the two years immediately preceding the relocation” to the new jurisdiction should be interpreted to require only that the license have been used at some point during the prior two years. It also discusses the significant public interest that is served by reducing barriers to licensure and increasing career opportunities for servicemembers and their spouses.
“This federal law is in place to help military spouses maintain their careers and financial security while enduring already stressful life changes,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Ultimately, the SCRA strengthens America’s military families and our overall national security, and that is not something any agency should interfere with.”
Servicemembers and their spouses who are covered by this new law are likely eligible for military legal assistance and can contact their local legal assistance office for help. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil. If servicemembers or their spouses are not eligible for military legal assistance services, they may request that the Justice Department review their claim by submitting a complaint through civilrights.justice.gov/link/4025A.
The Servicemember and Veterans Initiative, housed in the Department’s Civil Rights Division, works to ensure that the rights of the brave men and women of our nation’s armed forces, and the veterans who have served in the past, are safeguarded from discrimination and unfair treatment.
Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $481 million in monetary relief for over 146,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. You can learn more about the Servicemember and Veterans Initiative at servicemembers.gov.
The letter to state licensing authorities can be found here.
A fact sheet explaining the new SCRA provision can be found here.
The statement of interest can be found here.
Statement of Interest SCRA License Portability Fact Sheet SCRA License Portability LetterTexas Man Sentenced to 90 Consecutive Life Sentences for Mass Shooting in El PasoRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Texas man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso today to 90 consecutive life sentences in prison for killing 23 people and injuring 22 more in a mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart, Aug. 3, 2019.
According to court documents, Patrick Wood Crusius, 24, was convicted on a guilty plea to a 90-count superseding indictment with 45 counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, and 45 counts of using a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence. Crusius admitted that his crimes were directed at Hispanics because of their perceived race and national origin and were motivated by his desire to initiate a race war.
Over a period of months, the defendant meticulously planned and carefully prepared to commit his crimes, detailing the plan and its purpose in a manifesto he crafted and posted on the internet moments before initiating the attack on the victims and the El Paso community.
After receiving statements from some of the victims, their family members and loved ones, the court imposed 90 consecutive life sentences. Under federal law, a sentence of life imprisonment is without the possibility of parole and ends only upon the prisoner’s death. Accordingly, this sentence ensures Crusius will spend the rest of his natural life in prison.
Crusius was sentenced to one life sentence for each count in the superseding indictment for hate crime acts that resulted in the deaths of Andre Anchondo; Jordan Anchondo; Arturo Benavides; Jorge Calvillo Garcia; Guillermo Garcia; Leonardo Campos; Angelina Englisbee; Maria Flores; Raul Flores; Adolfo Cerros Hernandez; Alexander Hoffmann; David Johnson; Luis Alfonso Juarez; Maria Legarreta Rothe; Maribel Loya Hernandez; Ivan Filiberto Manzano; Gloria Irma Marquez; Elsa Mendoza Marquez; Margie Reckard; Sara Regalado Monreal; Javier Amir Rodriguez; Teresa Sanchez; and Juan Velasquez.
Crusius was also sentenced for 22 counts of hate crime acts that caused bodily injury and involved attempts to kill the 22 people injured in the shooting.
In addition to the hate crimes, Crusius was sentenced for 45 firearms violations, 23 counts of using a firearm in a federal crime of violence resulting in death, and 22 counts of using a firearm in a federal crime of violence.
“This defendant drove hundreds of miles from his home in Allen, Texas to El Paso, traveling through the night with an assault rifle and ammunition, to undertake a planned attack against Hispanics in this binational community, contending he was defending his country from the ‘cultural and ethnic replacement’ brought on by what he called the ‘Hispanic invasion of Texas,’” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “Once in El Paso, he systematically targeted and killed 23 innocent people, injured 22 more, and forever changed the lives of so many others who witnessed this horrific event, leaving a haunting scar on the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez community and beyond. While this sentence cannot possibly replace the lives lost or undo the harm done to the survivors or those otherwise impacted by this horrific event, it is our hope this sentence of 90 consecutive life terms brings some finality and peace to those effected, with the knowledge that this ensures this defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas will continue to aggressively prosecute those who commit violence because of bias or hate, seeking justice in the names of the victims and their loved ones.”
“Although today’s federal sentencing cannot bring back the loved ones lost or the innocence shattered on August 3rd, 2019, it is a step closer towards obtaining justice for the victims, survivors, and our El Paso community,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffery R. Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and our community as El Paso continues to move forward and heal from these horrendous acts that targeted El Paso’s proud multi-cultural community. We stand together in unity with our partners at El Paso Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the many other agencies who worked so hard to get closure for the victims. The FBI will continue to seek justice for all those whose civil rights and safety are threatened by hate.”
“Sadly, August 3, 2019, is a date that is etched in the history of El Paso, Texas,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek, II for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division. “This date and horrendous act will forever be ingrained in the memories of the entire community of El Paso. Today’s sentencing is the reason we at ATF chose to protect and serve the public. The collaboration between local, state, and federal partners was key in our continuing effort to combat violent crime and maintain public safety. Although no sentence will ease the pain of this tremendous loss, this sentencing proves that senseless crimes like this will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.”
“Today signifies a pivotal moment for those wounded and the families tormented by the August 3rd assailant,” said Interim Chief of Police Peter Pacillas for the El Paso Police Department. “May this sentence offer them a glimmer of solace and commence their journey towards healing. Let the names of those we lost and those forever marked by this tragedy be eternally etched in our community's heart and memory."
The FBI investigated the case, in partnership with the El Paso Police Department; ATF; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner; the Allen Police Department; and the Dallas Police Department. Additionally, the United States Border Patrol, the State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security provided significant support in responding to this shooting and throughout the investigation and prosecution of this case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is very grateful to these agencies and commends their hard work and tremendous dedication to this matter.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and these law enforcement agencies offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to the victims and all those impacted by these horrific crimes. We are grateful for their assistance in and their patience with these lengthy federal criminal proceedings.
This defendant will now be returned to state custody to face the pending state criminal charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Hanna, Gregory McDonald and Patricia Acosta for the Western District of Texas El Paso Division prosecuted the case along with trial attorneys Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Michael Warbel of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section.
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Texas Man Sentenced to 90 Consecutive Life Sentences for 2019 Mass Shooting at Walmart in El Paso, Texas, Killing 23 People and Injuring 22 OthersRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced to 90 consecutive life sentences in prison for carrying out a mass shooting at the Cielo Vista Walmart in El Paso, Texas, on Aug. 3, 2019, killing 23 people and injuring 22 more.
On Feb. 8, Patrick Wood Crusius, 24, pleaded guilty to a 90-count indictment with 45 counts of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and 45 counts of using a firearm during and in relation to crimes of violence. The defendant was sentenced to one life sentence for each count in the indictment, including for hate crime acts that resulted in the deaths of Andre Anchondo, Jordan Anchondo, Arturo Benavides, Jorge Calvillo Garcia, Guillermo Garcia, Leonardo Campos, Angelina Englisbee, Maria Flores, Raul Flores, Adolfo Cerros Hernandez, Alexander Hoffmann, David Johnson, Luis Alfonso Juarez, Maria Legarreta Rothe, Maribel Loya Hernandez, Ivan Filiberto Manzano, Gloria Irma Marquez, Elsa Mendoza Marquez, Margie Reckard, Sara Regalado Monreal, Javier Amir Rodriguez, Teresa Sanchez, and Juan Velasquez.
Crusius was also sentenced for 22 counts of hate crime acts that caused bodily injury and involved attempts to kill 22 people injured in the shooting. In addition to the hate crimes, Crusius was sentenced for 45 firearms violations, including 23 counts of using a firearm in a federal crime of violence resulting in death, and 22 counts of using a firearm in a federal crime of violence.
“No one in this country should have to live in fear of hate-fueled violence – that they will be targeted because of what they look like or where they are from,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The 90 consecutive life sentences announced today guarantee that Patrick Crusius will spend the rest of his life in prison for his deadly, racist rampage in El Paso. We are grateful to the victims and their family members who have spent the last three days bravely sharing the devastation and pain they endured because of Crusius’s horrendous crimes. The Justice Department’s commitment to combating hate crimes is unwavering.”
“We are hopeful today's sentence brings a sense of justice, but the memories of the victims and our support for their families and the survivors doesn't end here,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “FBI employees are members of the communities we serve, and in El Paso, we will continue to help our neighbors and friends heal for as long as it takes. When anyone in our communities is threatened with violence or hate, the FBI will work with them side by side to fight for justice and we will hold the perpetrators accountable.”
“We hope this sentence will bring some small measure of justice to those impacted by this massacre of innocent people targeted for no other reason than their Hispanic identity and national origin,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This hate crime, that extinguished the lives of 23 innocent people, stands as one of the most horrific acts of white nationalist-driven violence in modern times. We lift up the legacies of those who lost their lives and those who survived this tragedy and will ensure that they are never forgotten. Make no mistake, white nationalist hate crimes have no place in our country today and we must bring every tool at our disposal to confront this threat.”
“This defendant systematically targeted and killed 23 innocent people, injured 22 more, and forever changed the lives of so many others who witnessed this horrific event, leaving a haunting scar on the El Paso/Ciudad Juarez community and beyond,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. “While today’s sentence cannot possibly replace the lives lost or undo the harm done to the survivors and those otherwise impacted by this horrific event, it is our hope this sentence of 90 consecutive life terms brings some finality and peace to those effected. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas will continue to aggressively prosecute those who commit violence because of bias or hate, seeking justice in the names of the victims and their loved ones.”
According to court documents, Crusius previously admitted that he killed and wounded people at the Walmart because of the actual and perceived national origin of the people he expected to be at the Walmart. He further admitted that he intended to kill everyone he shot.
Crusius also admitted he wrote a manifesto, titled “An Inconvenient Truth,” and uploaded it to the internet minutes before he commenced his attack. In it, he characterized himself as a white nationalist, motivated to kill Hispanics because they were immigrating to the United States. Crusius admitted to selecting El Paso, a border city, as his target to dissuade Mexican and other Hispanic immigrants from coming to the United States.
The FBI investigated the case, in partnership with the El Paso Police Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); the Texas Department of Public Safety; the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; the El Paso County Office of the Medical Examiner; the Allen Police Department; and the Dallas Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Hanna, Gregory McDonald, and Patricia Acosta for the Western District of Texas’ El Paso Division and Trial Attorneys Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Michael Warbel of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section prosecuted the case.
For more information about the department’s efforts to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Sentencian a 90 cadenas perpetuas consecutivas al hombre de Texas responsable del tiroteo masivo de 2019 en el Walmart de El Paso, Texas, que dejó 23 muertos y 22 heridosRead the Press Release
Un hombre de Texas fue sentenciado a 90 cadenas perpetuas consecutivas por llevar a cabo un tiroteo masivo en el Walmart de Cielo Vista en El Paso, Texas, el 3 de agosto de 2019, donde mató a 23 personas e hirió a otras 22.
El 8 de febrero, Patrick Wood Crusius (24) se declaró culpable de los 90 cargos de la acusación, que incluían 45 cargos por violar la Ley para la Prevención de Delitos de Odio Matthew Shepard y James Byrd Jr., y 45 cargos por usar un arma de fuego durante y en relación con delitos de violencia. El acusado fue sentenciado a una cadena perpetua por cada cargo en la acusación, inclusive por los actos de delito de odio que ocasionaron la muerte de Andre Anchondo, Jordan Anchondo, Arturo Benavides, Jorge Calvillo Garcia, Guillermo Garcia, Leonardo Campos, Angelina Englisbee, Maria Flores, Raul Flores, Adolfo Cerros Hernandez, Alexander Hoffmann, David Johnson, Luis Alfonso Juarez, Maria Legarreta Rothe, Maribel Loya Hernandez, Ivan Filiberto Manzano, Gloria Irma Marquez, Elsa Mendoza Marquez, Margie Reckard, Sara Regalado Monreal, Javier Amir Rodriguez, Teresa Sanchez y Juan Velasquez.
Crusius también fue sentenciado por 22 cargos de actos de delito de odio que ocasionaron lesiones personales e implicaron tentativa de asesinar a otras 22 personas en el tiroteo. Además de los delitos de odio, Crusius fue sentenciado por 45 violaciones relacionadas con el uso de armas de fuego, entre las que se incluyen 23 cargos por usar un arma de fuego en un delito federal de violencia con resultado mortal y 22 cargos por usar un arma de fuego en un delito federal de violencia.
“Nadie en este país debería vivir con miedo a sufrir violencia alimentada por el odio, pensando que pueden ser atacados por la forma en que se ven o por el lugar del que provienen”, afirmó el fiscal general Merrick B. Garland. “Las 90 cadenas perpetuas consecutivas anunciadas hoy garantizan que Patrick Crusius pasará el resto de su vida en prisión por su masacre racista en El Paso. Les agradecemos a las víctimas y a sus familiares que han pasados los últimos tres días compartiendo con mucha valentía la desolación y el dolor que han atravesado debido a los atroces delitos cometidos por Crusius. El compromiso asumido por el Departamento de Justicia para combatir los delitos de odio es inquebrantable”.
“Esperamos que la sentencia de hoy traiga un sentido de justicia, pero las memorias de las víctimas y nuestro apoyo a las familias y los sobrevivientes no acaban aquí”, afirmó el director del FBI Christopher Wray. “Los empleados del FBI son miembros de las comunidades para las que trabajamos y, en El Paso, seguiremos ayudando a nuestros vecinos y amigos a sanar estas heridas durante el tiempo que sea necesario. Cuando cualquier miembro de nuestra comunidad sea amenazado con violencia u odio, el FBI trabajará a su lado para luchar por la justicia y responsabilizar a los culpables”.
“Esperamos que esta sentencia traiga algo de justicia a aquellos afectados por esta masacre de personas inocentes atacadas por ningún otro motivo más que su identidad y nacionalidad hispanas”, dijo la fiscal general adjunta Kristen Clarke de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia. “Este delito de odio, que acabó con la vida de 23 personas inocentes, se destaca como uno de los actos más espantosos de violencia fundada en el nacionalismo blanco que se ha registrado en los tiempos modernos. Honraremos el legado de aquellos que perdieron la vida y aquellos que sobrevivieron a esta tragedia, y nos aseguraremos de que nunca sean olvidados. No se equivoquen: los delitos de odio de los nacionalistas blancos no tienen lugar en nuestro país actualmente y debemos usar todas las herramientas que estén a nuestro alcance para hacer frente a esta amenaza”.
“Este acusado atacó sistemáticamente y asesinó a 23 personas inocentes, hirió a otras 22 y cambió para siempre la vida de muchas otras personas que presenciaron este hecho espantoso, dejando una cicatriz imborrable en la comunidad de El Paso/Ciudad Juarez y los alrededores”, dijo la primera fiscal federal adjunta del Distrito Occidental de Texas Margaret Leachman. “Si bien la sentencia de hoy no puede devolver las vidas perdidas ni reparar el daño causado a los sobrevivientes y aquellos afectados de otras formas por este espantoso hecho, esperamos que esta sentencia de 90 cadenas perpetuas consecutivas traiga algo de paz a los afectados y les permita cerrar una etapa. La Oficina del Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Occidental de Texas continuará procesando enérgicamente a todos aquellos que cometan violencia motivada por prejuicios u odio, para buscar justicia en nombre de las víctimas y sus seres queridos”.
Según los documentos judiciales, Crusius había admitido que asesinó e hirió a las personas en el Walmart debido a la nacionalidad real y percibida de las personas que esperaba encontrar en el Walmart. Además, admitió que su intención era asesinar a todas las personas a las que les disparó.
Crusius también admitió que escribió un manifiesto llamado “Una verdad incómoda” y lo subió a internet unos minutos antes de comenzar el ataque. En él, se describía a sí mismo como un nacionalista blanco, motivado a matar hispanos porque inmigraban a Estados Unidos. Crusius admitió que había seleccionado El Paso, una ciudad fronteriza, como su objetivo para disuadir a los mexicanos y otros inmigrantes hispanos de venir a los Estados Unidos.
El FBI investigó el caso, junto con el Departamento de Policía de El Paso; la Agencia de Alcohol, Tabaco, Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (ATF); el Departamento de Seguridad Pública de Texas; la Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de El Paso; la Oficina del Médico Forense del Condado de El Paso; el Departamento de Policía de Allen; y el Departamento de Policía de Dallas.
El caso fue procesado por los fiscales federales adjuntos Ian Hanna, Gregory McDonald y Patricia Acosta para la División de El Paso del Distrito Occidental de Texas, y los abogados litigantes Kyle Boynton de la Sección Penal de la División de Derechos Civiles y Michael Warbel de la Sección de Casos Capitales de la División Penal.
Para obtener más información sobre los esfuerzos del Departamento para combatir y prevenir los delitos de odio, visite www.justice.gov/hatecrimes.
Actualizado el 7 de julio de 2023.
Two Texas Medical Practices to Pay More Than $500,000 to Resolve False Claims Act Liability for Fraudulently Billing Medicare for P-Stim DevicesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO - U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas announced Wednesday, separate civil settlements totaling $513,168.10 to resolve allegations that two area medical practices violated the False Claims Act (“FCA”) by improperly billing Medicare for P-Stim devices. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas has now obtained more than $2 million related to improperly billed P-Stim devices since June 2021.
P-Stim is an electro-acupuncture device that is affixed behind a patient’s ear using an adhesive. Needles are inserted into the patient’s ear and affixed using another adhesive. Once activated, the device provides intermittent stimulation by electrical pulses. It is a single-use, battery-powered device designed to be worn for approximately four days until its battery runs out, at which time the device is thrown away. Medicare does not reimburse for P-Stim devices.
Alamo City Pain Consultants LLC, d/b/a The Institute for Functional Health, a San Antonio medical practice, billed Medicare for P-Stim devices between May 2018 and January 2020. Ronald Moore, DNP, Theresa Lambert, DNP, through their Austin area business entities Psych Dimensions Inc., and Lambert & Moore Enterprises Inc., billed Medicare for P-Stim devices to beneficiaries between December 2018 and March 2019. The United States alleged that the medical practices fraudulently obtained payment from Medicare by falsely claiming they had implanted neuro-stimulators, a surgical procedure that usually requires an operating room and is reimbursable by federal healthcare programs.
Under the terms of the separate settlement agreements in these cases, Institute for Functional Health has agreed to pay $357,913.18 and Moore and Lambert have agreed to pay $155,254.92 to resolve their respective liability under the FCA for these claims.
The settled civil claims are allegations only and do not constitute admissions of liability by the settling parties.
These matters were investigated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Van De Walle negotiated the settlements on behalf of the United States.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced to More Than Five Years in Prison for Deaths in Human Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – A Guatemalan national was sentenced in federal court in Pecos Monday to 63 months in prison for one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death.
According to court documents, David Alexander Gonzalez-Diaz, 24, of Santa Rosa, Guatemala, was transporting 14 undocumented noncitizens north of Van Horn on Oct. 29, 2021, when he lost control of the vehicle, crashing and ejecting several occupants. As a result, four of the migrants were killed and six were critically injured. Gonzalez-Diaz has remained in federal custody since his arrest the day of the crash.
“Human smuggling is extremely dangerous and, as displayed in this case, often results in serious injury or death,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “This sentence is a reminder that violators are committing a serious crime with serious consequences and will be held accountable.”
"This case drives home a harsh message to anyone considering trusting a smuggler to attempt to enter the United States illegally: Anytime you trust a smuggler, you’re putting your life in grave danger,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso Division. “Human smugglers have a total disregard for their clients’ safety, welfare, and lives. They see them simply as cargo and a means to make a profit."
HSI investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum prosecuted the case.
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Round Rock Pastor Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Georgetown man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin Tuesday to an enhanced charge of possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, David Lloyd Walther, 57, knowingly searched for, downloaded, distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material, including child pornography—some of which depicted prepubescent minors—using BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file sharing network. During a search of Walther’s home and vehicle in November 2022, two large computer hard drives were located and found to contain more than 100,000 images and more than 5,000 videos of child sexual abuse material. At the time of his arrest, Walther was the pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Round Rock.
Walther faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division made the announcement.
The FBI San Antonio Division's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with invaluable assistance from the Round Rock Police Department, is investigating the case. The FBI also appreciates the assistance received by the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and the Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Pecos Gun Thieves Sentenced for Selling Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALPINE, Texas – Two Pecos men were sentenced in a federal court in Pecos Tuesday for crimes related to the theft and subsequent selling of firearms.
According to court documents, Nathaniel Elijah Saenz, 19, and Raul Ivan Duarte, 31, were part of a local ring of criminals that were breaking into vehicles and stealing firearms from vehicles. After stealing the firearms, they would sell them to various buyers. Texas Department of Public Safety special agents and Pecos Police Department investigators conducted multiple undercover purchases throughout the investigation. On March 8, 2022, DPS and the Pecos Police Department executed search warrants and arrested Saenz and Duarte.
Saenz was sentenced Tuesday to 63 months in prison for one count of sale of a stolen firearm. Duarte was sentenced to 30 months for one count of possession of a firearm not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
“This case is a clear reminder of our commitment to collaborate with our law enforcement partners at every level to stop the illicit selling of stolen firearms and to hold firearm traffickers responsible,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.
A third defendant, Juaquin Osbaldo Munoz, 20, was sentenced on May 22 to 57 months in prison for one count of sale of a stolen firearm. Munoz has been in federal custody since his arrest on April 10, 2022.
The Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division and Pecos Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ellis prosecuted the case.
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Four More Arrested as Tractor-Trailer Smuggling Investigation ProgressesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Four Mexican nationals were arrested Monday in San Antonio, Houston and Marshall, Texas, for their alleged connection to the 2022 tractor-trailer smuggling incident, which resulted in the death of 53 and injury of 11 undocumented noncitizens.
A superseding indictment returned by a San Antonio Grand Jury on June 7, alleges that Riley Covarrubias-Ponce aka Rrili aka Rilay, 30; Felipe Orduna-Torres aka Cholo aka Chuequito/Chuekito aka Negro, 28; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal aka Cowboy, 37; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega aka El Don aka Don Gon, 53, participated in a human smuggling organization (HSO) which illegally brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico into the United States between December 2021 and June 2022. The superseding indictment alleges that the smugglers worked in concert to transport and facilitate the transportation of the migrants, sharing routes, guides, stash houses, trucks, trailers, and transporters in order to consolidate costs, minimize risks, and maximize profit. The HSO maintained a variety of tractors and trailers for their smuggling operations, some of which were stored at a private parking lot in San Antonio.
The indictment alleges that in the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, and others exchanged the names of undocumented noncitizens who would be smuggled in an upcoming tractor-trailer load. The four new defendants charged in the superseding indictment allegedly orchestrated the retrieval of an empty tractor-trailer and its corresponding hand-off to the driver on June 27. The driver, Homero Zamorano, Jr. of Elkhart, Texas, was previously charged in a July 2022 indictment along with Christian Martinez, of Palestine, Texas. Orduna-Torres allegedly provided the Laredo address at which Zamorano loaded the migrants into the tractor trailer. The indictment also alleges that Gonzalez-Ortega traveled to Laredo to meet the tractor-trailer, where at least 66 undocumented individuals, including eight children and one pregnant woman, were loaded for smuggling. According to the superseding indictment, Martinez, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, Rivera-Leal, and Gonzales-Ortega then coordinated, facilitated, passed messages, and made each other aware of the tractor-trailer’s progress.
The superseding indictment alleges that some of the defendants were aware that the trailer’s air-conditioning unit was malfunctioning and would not blow any cool air to the migrants inside. When members of the organization met the tractor-trailer at the end of its approximately three-hour journey to San Antonio, they opened the doors to find 48 of the migrants were either already dead or had died on site, including the pregnant woman. 16 of the undocumented individuals were transported to hospitals—five of whom died.
Each defendant is charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death; one count of conspiracy to transport of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy; one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death; and one count of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Human smugglers prey on migrants’ hope for a better life – but their only priority is profit,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Tragically, 53 people who had been loaded into a tractor-trailer in Texas and endured hours of unimaginable cruelty lost their lives because of this heartless scheme. Human smugglers who put peoples’ lives at risk for profit and break our laws cannot hide for long: We will find you and bring you to justice.”
“One year ago today, an unthinkable crime perpetrated by human smugglers at our southern border caused the death of 53 human beings,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “But today’s arrests demonstrate that those who seek to profit from desperation will be brought to justice. Working with international partners, the Department of Justice is striking back at international organized crime and sending a clear message that there is no safe haven for trafficking in firearms, deadly narcotics, or human beings.”
“The allegations in the indictment are horrifying,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Dozens of desperate, vulnerable men, women and children put their trust in smugglers who abandoned them in a locked trailer to perish in the merciless south Texas summer. Thanks to our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal levels—with Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division leading the investigation—we are one step closer to delivering justice for those migrants and their families.”
“This horrific tragedy underscores the callous disregard criminal smuggling organizations have for human life, including the lives of children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments and arrests are another step forward in obtaining justice and accountability for these senseless deaths. Joint Task Force Alpha will remain steadfast in its efforts to thwart these deadly schemes driven by greed at the expense of safety and security.”
“These additional arrests are a result of the hard work and determination displayed by our agents and prosecutors in their efforts to identify those who were responsible for deadliest human smuggling event in U.S. history,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “HSI will continue investigating all leads to ensure that justice will be served for the deceased, the injured, and their families. We will remain committed to leveraging our broad range of authorities to dismantle all transnational criminal organizations engaged in human smuggling around the globe.”
HSI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and has received tremendous support from Customs and Border Protection; Border Patrol; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; the San Antonio Police Department; the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office; the San Antonio Fire Department; the Marshall Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Amanda Brown are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These charges resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is part of the JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Four Arrested for Tractor-Trailer Smuggling Incident that Resulted in 53 DeathsRead the Press Release
Four Mexican nationals were arrested yesterday in San Antonio, Houston, and Marshall, Texas, for their alleged roles in a tractor-trailer smuggling incident that resulted in 53 deceased and 11 injured undocumented individuals one year ago today.
“Human smugglers prey on migrants’ hope for a better life – but their only priority is profit,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Tragically, 53 people who had been loaded into a tractor-trailer in Texas and endured hours of unimaginable cruelty lost their lives because of this heartless scheme. Human smugglers who put people’s lives at risk for profit and break our laws cannot hide for long: We will find you and bring you to justice.”
“Today’s announcement is another important step in our unprecedented effort against smugglers,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “These indictments are the direct result of a whole of government effort to prevent these horrific crimes and is the largest campaign of its kind in U.S. history. Human smugglers will do anything to turn a profit, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to do everything possible to stop them. I am grateful for the leadership of our Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) team and U.S. Customs and Border Protection for seeking justice for the 53 lives lost last year.”
These charges resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which Attorney General Garland established in June 2021 in partnership with Secretary Mayorkas, to strengthen the departments’ overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA enhances U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
According to court documents, between December 2021 and June 2022, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, aka Rrili, aka Rilay, 30; Felipe Orduna-Torres, aka Cholo, aka Chuequito/Chuekito, aka Negro, 28; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, aka Cowboy, 37; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega, aka El Don, aka Don Gon, 53, are alleged to have participated in a human smuggling organization which illegally brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico into the United States. The alleged smugglers worked in concert to transport the migrants by sharing routes, guides, stash houses, trucks, trailers, and transporters to consolidate costs, minimize risks, and maximize profit. The organization maintained a variety of tractors and trailers for their smuggling operations, some of which were stored at a private parking lot in San Antonio.
“One year ago today, an unthinkable crime perpetrated by human smugglers at our southern border caused the death of 53 human beings,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa O. Monaco. “But today’s arrests demonstrate that those who seek to profit from desperation will be brought to justice. Working with international partners, the Department of Justice is striking back at international organized crime and sending a clear message that there is no safe haven for trafficking in firearms, deadly narcotics, or human beings.”
“This horrific tragedy underscores the callous disregard criminal smuggling organizations have for human life, including the lives of children,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These indictments and arrests are another step forward in obtaining justice and accountability for these senseless deaths. Joint Task Force Alpha will remain steadfast in its efforts to thwart these deadly schemes driven by greed at the expense of safety and security.”
The indictment alleges that in the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, and others exchanged the names of undocumented individuals who would be smuggled in a tractor-trailer. The four new defendants charged in the superseding indictment allegedly orchestrated the retrieval of an empty tractor-trailer and its corresponding hand-off to the driver on June 27. The driver, Homero Zamorano Jr. of Elkhart, Texas, was previously charged in a July 2022 indictment along with Christian Martinez, of Palestine, Texas. Orduna-Torres allegedly provided the Laredo, Texas, address at which Zamorano loaded the migrants onto the tractor trailer. The indictment also alleges that Gonzalez-Ortega traveled to Laredo to meet the tractor-trailer, where at least 66 undocumented individuals, including eight children and one pregnant woman, were loaded into the back to be smuggled. Martinez, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, Rivera-Leal, and Gonzales-Ortega then allegedly coordinated, facilitated, passed messages, and kept each other updated on the tractor-trailer’s progress.
“The allegations in the indictment are horrifying,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Dozens of desperate, vulnerable men, women, and children put their trust in smugglers who abandoned them in a locked trailer to perish in the merciless south Texas summer. Thanks to our law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal levels – with the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division leading the investigation – we are one step closer to delivering justice for those migrants and their families.”
Some of the defendants charged were allegedly aware that the trailer’s air-conditioning unit was malfunctioning and would not blow any cool air to the migrants inside. When members of the organization met the tractor-trailer at the end of its nearly three-hour journey to San Antonio, they opened the doors to find 48 of the migrants, including the pregnant woman, were already dead. Sixteen of the undocumented individuals were transported to hospitals, and five of them died there.
“One year ago today, HSI responded to a mass casualty human smuggling event that occurred in San Antonio, which resulted in the death of 53 undocumented noncitizens from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of Deputy Director PJ Lechleitner of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). “The indictments announced today emphasize that we will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who are responsible for this horrible tragedy. HSI continues investigative efforts with Joint Task Force Alpha and international partners to dismantle smuggling networks that demonstrate no regard for human life.”
Each defendant is charged with one count each of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death, and transportation of illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. If convicted on the top counts, they each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.
HSI is investigating the case with valuable assistance from Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, FBI, ATF, San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, San Antonio Fire Department, Marshall Police Department, and Palestine Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears, and Amanda Brown for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations that have the most significant impact on the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. JTFA is comprised of prosecutors from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California. Dedicated support for the task force is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA – led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS). JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from the DHS, FBI, DEA, and other partners.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Cuatro detenidos por el incidente de tráfico de personas en un tráiler que resultó en 53 muertesRead the Press Release
Cuatro ciudadanos mexicanos fueron detenidos ayer en San Antonio, Houston y Marshall, Texas, por su presunta participación en un incidente de tráfico de personas en un tráiler que resultó en 53 personas indocumentadas fallecidas y 11 lesionadas hoy hace un año.
“Los traficantes de personas se aprovechan de la esperanza de los migrantes de una vida mejor, pero su única prioridad es obtener ganancias”, señaló el fiscal general Merrick B. Garland. “Trágicamente, 53 personas que habían sido hacinadas en un tráiler en Texas y soportaron horas de inimaginable crueldad, perdieron la vida debido a este plan despiadado. Los traficantes de personas que ponen en riesgo la vida de las personas para obtener ganancias e infringen nuestras leyes no podrán esconderse por mucho tiempo: Los encontraremos y los llevaremos ante la justicia”.
“El anuncio de hoy es otro paso importante en nuestro esfuerzo sin precedentes contra los traficantes”, expresó el secretario de Seguridad Nacional, Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “Estas acusaciones formales son el resultado directo de todo un esfuerzo del gobierno para prevenir estos horribles crímenes y es la campaña más grande de este tipo en la historia de los Estados Unidos. Los traficantes de personas harán cualquier cosa para obtener ganancias, y el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) continuará haciendo todo lo posible para detenerlos. Estoy agradecido por el liderazgo de nuestro equipo de Investigación de Seguridad Nacional (HSI) y la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de los EE. UU., por buscar justicia para las 53 vidas perdidas el año pasado”.
Estos cargos fueron el resultado de los esfuerzos coordinados de la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alfa (JTFA), que el fiscal general Garland estableció en junio de 2021 en colaboración con el secretario Mayorkas, para fortalecer los esfuerzos generales de los departamentos para combatir estos delitos en función del aumento del tráfico prolífico y peligroso que proviene de Centroamérica y afecta a nuestras comunidades fronterizas. JTFA mejora los esfuerzos de las autoridades del orden público de los EE. UU., contra los grupos de tráfico y trata de personas más prolíficos y peligrosos que operan en México, Guatemala, El Salvador y Honduras.
Según documentos judiciales, entre diciembre de 2021 y junio de 2022, Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, también conocido como Rrili, también conocido como Rilay, 30 años; Felipe Orduña-Torres, también conocido como Cholo, también conocido como Chuequito/Chuekito, también conocido como Negro, 28 años; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, también conocido como Cowboy, 37 años; y Armando Gonzáles-Ortega, también conocido como El Don, también conocido como Don Gon, 53 años, están acusados de participar en una organización de tráfico de personas que traía ilegalmente adultos y niños de Guatemala, Honduras y México a los Estados Unidos. Los presuntos traficantes trabajaron en conjunto para transportar a los migrantes compartiendo rutas, guías, escondites, camiones, remolques y transportadores para consolidar costos, minimizar riesgos y maximizar ganancias. La organización mantuvo una variedad de tractores y remolques para sus operaciones de contrabando, algunos de los cuales estaban guardados en un estacionamiento privado en San Antonio.
“Hoy hace un año, un delito impensable perpetrado por traficantes de personas en nuestra frontera sur causó la muerte de 53 seres humanos”, señaló la fiscal general adjunta Lisa O. Mónaco. “Pero las detenciones de hoy demuestran que aquellos que buscan sacar provecho de la desesperación serán llevados ante la justicia. Al trabajar con colaboradores internacionales, el Departamento de Justicia responde a la delincuencia organizada internacional y envía un mensaje claro de que no existe un refugio seguro para el tráfico de armas de fuego, narcóticos letales o seres humanos”.
“Esta horrible tragedia pone de relieve el cruel desprecio que las organizaciones criminales de traficantes tienen por la vida humana, incluidas las vidas de los niños”, expresó el fiscal general adjunto Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia. “Estas acusaciones formales y detenciones son otro paso adelante para obtener justicia y rendición de cuentas por estas muertes sin sentido. La Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alfa se mantendrá firme en sus esfuerzos para frustrar estos planes mortales impulsados por la codicia a expensas de la seguridad y la protección”.
La acusación formal alega que en los días previos al 27 de junio de 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduña-Torres y otros intercambiaron los nombres de personas indocumentadas que serían traficadas en un tráiler. Los cuatro nuevos acusados imputados en la acusación formal supuestamente orquestaron la obtención de un tráiler vacío y su correspondiente entrega al conductor el 27 de junio. El conductor, Homero Zamorano Jr. de Elkhart, Texas, fue imputado previamente en una acusación formal de julio de 2022 junto con Christian Martínez, de Palestina, Texas. Orduña-Torres supuestamente proporcionó la dirección de Laredo, Texas, en la que Zamorano cargó a los migrantes en el tráiler. La acusación formal también alega que González-Ortega viajó a Laredo para localizar el tráiler, donde al menos 66 personas indocumentadas, incluidos ocho niños y una mujer embarazada, fueron subidos en la parte trasera para traficarlas. Martínez, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduña-Torres, Rivera-Leal y Gonzáles-Ortega supuestamente coordinaron, facilitaron, pasaron mensajes y se mantuvieron informados sobre el avance del tráiler.
“Las alegaciones en la acusación formal son espantosas”, dijo el fiscal federal Jaime Esparza para el Distrito Oeste de Texas. “Docenas de hombres, mujeres y niños desesperados y vulnerables confiaron en los traficantes, quienes los abandonaron en un tráiler cerrado para luego perecer en el despiadado verano del sur de Texas. Gracias a nuestros colaboradores de las fuerzas del orden público a nivel local, estatal y federal, con la División de Investigaciones de Seguridad Nacional de San Antonio a la cabeza de la investigación, estamos un paso más cerca de hacer justicia para esos migrantes y sus familias”.
Algunos de los acusados supuestamente sabían que la unidad de aire acondicionado del tráiler no funcionaba bien y que no salía aire fresco para los migrantes que estaban dentro. Cuando los miembros de la organización se encontraron con el tráiler al final de su viaje de casi tres horas a San Antonio, abrieron las puertas y encontraron que 48 de los migrantes, incluida la mujer embarazada, estaban muertos. Dieciséis de los indocumentados fueron transportados a hospitales y cinco de ellos murieron allí.
“Hoy hace un año, HSI respondió a una situación de tráfico masivo de personas con víctimas que ocurrió en San Antonio, terminó en la muerte de 53 no ciudadanos indocumentados de México, Guatemala y Honduras”, comentó el alto funcionario que desempeñaba las funciones del subdirector PJ Lechleitner de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE). “Las acusaciones formales anunciadas hoy enfatizan que trabajaremos incansablemente para llevar ante la justicia a los responsables de esta horrible tragedia. HSI continúa los esfuerzos de investigación con la Fuerza de Tarea Conjunta Alfa y los colaboradores internacionales para desmantelar las redes de traficantes que no demuestran aprecio por la vida humana”.
Cada acusado está imputado de un cargo de asociación delictuosa para transportar extranjeros ilegales con resultado de muerte, asociación delictuosa para transportar extranjeros ilegales con resultado de lesiones corporales graves y poner vidas en peligro, transporte de extranjeros ilegales con resultado de muerte y transporte de extranjeros ilegales con resultado de lesiones graves corporales y poner vidas en peligro. Si son condenados por los cargos principales, cada uno enfrenta una pena máxima de cadena perpetua.
HSI está investigando el caso con la valiosa asistencia de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza, Patrulla Fronteriza, Operaciones de Detención y Deportación de ICE, FBI, ATF, Departamento de Policía de San Antonio, Oficina del Alguacil del Condado de Bexar, Departamento de Bomberos de San Antonio, Departamento de Policía de Marshall y Departamento de Policía de Palestina.
Los fiscales federales adjuntos Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears y Amanda Brown para el Distrito Oeste de Texas están procesando el caso.
Desde su creación, JTFA ha aumentado con éxito la coordinación y la colaboración entre el Departamento de Justicia, el DHS y otros participantes interinstitucionales del orden público, y con colaboradores extranjeros del orden público, incluido en El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y México; se ha dirigido contra aquellas organizaciones que tienen el impacto más significativo en los Estados Unidos; y coordinando importantes acusaciones formales de tráfico y esfuerzos de extradición en las fiscalías federales de los Estados Unidos en todo el país. JTFA está compuesto por fiscales de las fiscalías federales de los EE. UU. en la frontera suroeste, incluido el Distrito Sur de Texas, el Distrito Oeste de Texas, el Distrito de Nuevo México, el Distrito de Arizona y el Distrito Sur de California. Numerosos componentes de la División Penal del Departamento de Justicia que forman parte de JTFA también brindan apoyo dedicado para el grupo de tarea, dirigido por la Sección de Derechos Humanos y Procesamientos Especiales (HRSP) y apoyado por la Oficina de Desarrollo Procesal, Asistencia y Capacitación (OPDAT), la Sección de Estupefacientes y Drogas Peligrosas (NDDS), la Sección de Blanqueo de Capitales y Recuperación de Activos (MLARS), la Oficina de Operaciones del Orden Público (OEO), la Oficina de Asuntos Internacionales (OIA) del Departamento de Justicia y la Sección de Delincuencia Organizada y Pandillas (OCGS). JTFA es posible gracias a una inversión sustancial en las fuerzas del orden público por parte del DHS, el FBI, la DEA y otros colaboradores.
Una acusación formal es simplemente un alegato. Todos los acusados se presumen inocentes hasta que se pruebe su culpabilidad más allá de toda duda razonable en un tribunal de justicia.
Man Who Sexually Abused Minor at Fort Bliss in 2014 Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Dallas man was sentenced in a federal courthouse in El Paso Tuesday to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing a prepubescent child—a penalty that will be served once he reaches the end of his current 20 year sentence on state charges.
According to court documents, Trevor Dylan Lehew, 28, sexually abused a minor under the age of 12 while serving in the Army at Fort Bliss between 2014 and 2015. The child victim disclosed the abuse in 2020 to a Child Adolescence Forensic Interviewer.
Lehew was remanded into federal custody on Jan. 6, 2022. He had been serving a 20-year sentence at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a separate incident involving indecency with a child/sexual contact, and the aggravated sexual assault of a child. On Aug. 8, 2022, Lehew pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child.
“The child victim in this case was extremely courageous to come forward about the horrible acts that this defendant committed years prior,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “That disclosure led to a successful investigation by our partners at the FBI, which has now resulted in the lengthy imprisonment of a dangerous child predator with repeat offenses.”
“A child should feel and be safe in their homes and community,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “I hope this sentencing brings some closure to the victims knowing this predator will be in federal prison for a very long time. I want to thank the members of the FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force for their work on this case and their commitment to protecting our most vulnerable population, our children, to ensure justice is served for them.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Hanna and Michelle Winters prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Former Dell City Employee Arrested for Allegedly Stealing Dell City FundsRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A City of Dell City woman was arrested Wednesday on a criminal charge related to her alleged theft of Dell City funds.
According to an indictment returned by an El Paso Grand Jury on June 14, Diana Suarez, 53, a former Dell City employee, used funds from the city’s bank accounts to make purchases and cash withdrawals for personal use between Sept. 13, 2020 and Sept. 12, 2021.
Suarez is charged with one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds. If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Arreola is prosecuting the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Acosta handling the forfeiture component.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Las Cruces Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso on Thursday to 60 months in prison for receipt and distribution of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, Robey Lynn Humphrey, 58, of Las Cruces, received child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from other individuals on the internet in October 2022. He was arrested on October 25, 2022, on a criminal complaint alleging Humphrey coerced and enticed a minor via a social messaging app. FBI agents executed a search warrant of Humphrey’s residence on November 2, 2022, seizing four tablet computers, one of which revealed the illicit files. Humphrey has remained in federal custody since his arrest.
“My office is committed to protecting our children and will continue to prosecute those who prey on them,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “I am grateful to the FBI for their diligent investigation, providing key evidence that contributed to this just decision and holding yet another child predator accountable.”
"The exploitation of innocent children is a heinous crime and demands our relentless focus on bringing these terrible subjects to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey for the FBI El Paso Field Office. "Thanks to the hard work of the FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, this sentencing sends a message that these horrible crimes will not be tolerated in our community."
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Federal Jury Convicts Former Midland Teacher, Lacrosse Coach of Five Counts Related to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – A federal jury in Midland convicted a Midland man Thursday for one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of aiding and abetting wire fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, William Logsdon, 54, used the trust he had built with community members during his time as a lacrosse coach and teacher in the Midland area, and even the trust he had established with members of his own family, to convince them to “invest” in a Ponzi scheme. Logsdon conducted the scheme in concert with his mother-in-law, Jamie Thompson, a former geologist in the oil and gas industry who had previously pleaded guilty.
Together, Thompson and Logsdon told their victims that the money they were “investing” was being used to purchase royalty interests for various oil, gas and mineral projects located in Texas and New Mexico. The royalty interests were allegedly being purchased through an entity called the National Royalty Group, or NRG. In actuality, the National Royalty Group did not exist, and rather than purchasing royalty interests, Thompson and Logsdon used the money to primarily pay for personal expenses, as well as to advance the Ponzi scheme by providing some “distributions” back to earlier “investors.”
In total, Logsdon and Thompson are believed to have defrauded their victims out of more than $1,500,000.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The Midland Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.
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Commercial Real Estate Investor Natin Paul Indicted on Eight Counts in AustinRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment Tuesday, June 6, 2023, charging Natin Paul, aka Nate Paul, with making false statements for the purpose of influencing the actions of financial institutions on applications for loans.
The indictment, unsealed during his initial appearance in Austin today, charges Paul with eight violations of Section 1014 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which prohibits knowingly making a false statement or report for the purpose of influencing the action of a financial institution on an application for a loan. According to the indictment, the lenders were based in Ireland, New York, Connecticut and Texas. The alleged violations occurred between March 2017 and April 2018.
The defendant made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin Howell of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Each count of the indictment carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine up to $1,000,000. The magistrate judge ordered the defendant released on bond.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr., of the FBI San Antonio Division made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Almonte and Alan Buie are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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San Antonio ‘Boogaloo Boi’ Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison on Felon in Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Wednesday to 100 months in prison for one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court filings, Mark Ryan Hauser, 35, a three-time convicted felon, posted in an online chat group that he wanted to kill law enforcement officers and that he adhered to the “Boogaloo” ideology, which includes violent anti-government sentiment with a goal of hastening a second civil war. He posted that he wanted to purposely get pulled over by law enforcement so that he could go “pig hunting.” He also used his 3D printer to create gun parts, including “auto sears,” which unlawfully convert semi-automatic firearms to fully automatic.
On multiple occasions throughout June and July 2021, Hauser disclosed to FBI sources that he possessed various firearms and carried a concealed .45 caliber pistol. In July 2021, Hauser posted in an online chat group that he was selling an AR-15 rifle. On Aug. 12, 2021, he met with undercover FBI employees posing as people with connections to criminal organizations. The undercover FBI employees purchased the rifle and provided him with cash for materials needed to 3D print a firearm suppressor. Hauser subsequently boasted on-line that he would be selling the suppressors “to some cartel.” Agents arrested Hauser on Sept. 26, 2021. At the time of his arrest, Hauser was in possession of his .45 caliber pistol.
“We take seriously the threats to our law enforcement colleagues. This felon posed a real danger to the community, knew that what he was doing was illegal, and chose to ignore our federal laws which are designed to ensure peace and public safety,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our partners at the FBI and their task force for helping us bring this individual to justice and protect our communities.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to address violence, threats of violence, and criminal activity with every lever available,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Stephenson and Bill Lewis (retired) prosecuted the case.
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San Antonio Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Wednesday to 235 months in prison for distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Thomas McKay Beck, 46, used peer-to-peer file sharing software to distribute 14 files containing CSAM. The files contained sexually explicit videos of infants, toddlers and prepubescent children. A forensic analysis of Beck’s computer revealed 295 CSAM images. Beck was arrested April 28, 2022 and has remained in custody since. He pleaded guilty to count one of the two-count indictment Oct. 24.
In addition to the 235 month imprisonment, Beck was ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution. He will also incur a lifetime of supervised release following his sentence and register as a sex offender.
“This defendant engaged in reprehensible acts and his lengthy sentencing serves as a powerful demonstration of our dedication to protecting the vulnerable,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “With the valuable assistance of our law enforcement partners at federal, state, local and tribal levels, my office will continue to strongly prosecute anyone who exploits innocent children.”
“The significant sentence imposed on Thomas Beck sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those individuals who exploit children. Beck will serve the next 19 years in federal prison for his incomprehensible acts” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division. “We remain committed in working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, our children.”
HSI and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bettina Richardson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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El Paso Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Receiving, Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso today to 180 months in prison for receipt and distribution of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
According to court documents, Oscar Garcia Jr., 33, distributed child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via a global instant messaging app in July 2022. Already a registered sex offender due to a prior conviction, Garcia used a phone belonging to his father to download CSAM. An investigation revealed more than 317 images and 33 videos containing CSAM. Garcia has remained in federal custody since his arrest on Aug. 10, 2022.
“This defendant was a repeat offender who continued to pursue child sexual abuse material despite his previous conviction,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “With this lengthy prison sentence, we ensure he will no longer possess the means to access such material, preventing him from further victimizing so many innocent children as he had the years prior.”
“FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, along with our law enforcement partners around the nation remain committed in identifying individuals distributing child pornography on the internet,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Investigating those who prey on our most vulnerable population remains a top priority for the FBI. This sentence sends a clear message that there are severe consequences for those who exploit children in any way and the FBI will continue to dedicate our resources to identify these individuals and bring them to justice.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Dos Santos prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Central Texas Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Gatesville man was sentenced in a federal court in Waco on Wednesday to 240 months in prison for possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors.
According to court documents, Christopher Dallas Nelson, 43, possessed and uploaded images of prepubescent minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct to various social media platforms.
“The defendant in this case was dealt a significant and warranted prison sentence for his heinous actions,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Let this serve as a reminder and a warning to others that our society will not tolerate such vile abuse of vulnerable, innocent children. Sexual predators like Nelson will face the full force of the law and the consequences will be severe.”
"The FBI is committed to protecting children from abuse and exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division “Thanks to the hard work of the Southern Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the assistance our law enforcement partners, this individual is now off the streets."
The FBI and Temple Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Gloff prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Two Eagle Pass Trucking Company Employees Arrested for Alleged Wire FraudRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Two Eagle Pass women were arrested Friday, May 26, on a four-count indictment related to their alleged scheme to defraud and embezzle money from their employer, a Texas-based trucking company headquartered in Eagle Pass.
According to court documents, Dina Maldonado Morales, 42, and Laura Ballesteros Haby, 52, allegedly used their positions with MH Group to divert the company’s customer account receivable payments to their own bank accounts. The total amount of the embezzled, diverted and stolen funds between July 2017 and April 2019 is alleged to have been approximately $1.4 million.
Both Morales and Haby are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and three counts of wire fraud and aiding and abetting wire fraud. The defendants made their initial court appearances on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Collis White of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the conspiracy count and 20 years in prison on the three wire fraud and aiding and abetting counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of the Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division made the announcement.
HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rex Beasley and Izaak Bruce are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Texas Man Who Embezzled Nearly $10 Million from Employer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A Horizon City man was sentenced today to 60 months in prison and ordered to pay $9.8 million in restitution for wire fraud.
According to court documents, Ricardo Robles, 41, was employed in a position in which he was responsible for purchasing goods from suppliers. His employer would then resell the goods for profit. Robles created numerous sham companies beginning in 2010 and used those sham companies to purchase goods and inflate the prices along with his co-conspirators. On his employer’s behalf, Robles would then purchase from his sham companies and divert portions of those payments to his personal bank accounts.
“This case demonstrates the commitment of our prosecutors and our partners at the FBI to deliver justice to those who rob and defraud their own communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “These schemes have a devastating impact on businesses, as well as the employees and others who depend on those businesses for their livelihood.”
“The defendant violated the trust placed in him by his employer through the multi-year theft of company funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that those who engage in these types of fraudulent schemes will be held accountable. In this effort, one of our most important partners is the public, and we encourage citizens to continue to report corrupt activity to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or call us at (915) 832-5000.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Mangels prosecuted the case.
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Odessa Man Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Meth Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MIDLAND, Texas – An Odessa man was sentenced today to 235 months in prison for meth trafficking and firearm charges.
According to court documents, Odessa Police Department detectives surveilled Brandon Mendoza, 35, on Nov. 30, 2022, as he conducted multiple narcotics transactions. Detectives performed a traffic stop on Mendoza and recovered both methamphetamine and a semi-automatic firearm from Mendoza’s truck. Detectives later searched Mendoza’s apartment where they recovered additional methamphetamine, multiple baggies, and scales. In total, detectives recovered four firearms.
Mendoza was on federal supervised release for a 2021 firearm charge when he was arrested by the Odessa Police Department in November 2022. As a result, Mendoza was also sentenced consecutively to 24 months for violating his supervised release. In total, Mendoza will serve over 21 years in federal prison.
“This defendant demonstrated an inability to comply with the terms of his federal supervised release and continued selling methamphetamine,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “The substantial sentence ordered in this case is reflective of the dangers drug traffickers pose to innocent members of the community, especially when firearms are involved. I appreciate the efforts of our local law enforcement partners, helping us bring yet another trafficker to justice.”
The Odessa Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case.
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Dealer of Fake Oxycodone Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl DeathRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Cedar Park man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin last Friday to 20 years in prison for distribution of fentanyl causing death.
According to court documents, Jean Claude Meama-Kajue, 29, sold counterfeit Oxycodone containing fentanyl to a male subject in December 2020, coordinating the transaction over a social media app. Emergency Medical Service personnel found the victim unresponsive in his vehicle on Dec. 13, 2020. An autopsy revealed the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity. Investigators discovered records from a mobile banking app established a pattern of cash transactions between the two men, including a transaction the morning of the victim’s death.
As part of the investigation, an undercover officer made four separate Oxycodone controlled-buys from Meama-Kajue between February and April 2021. Laboratory analyses determined the tablets purchased in the investigation contained fentanyl.
“Fentanyl continues to be a considerable threat to our communities, ending the lives of our neighbors, friends and loved ones who, in many cases, aren’t even aware they’re taking the drug” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Thank you to our law enforcement partners for their work on this investigation, and I assure you we will continue to seek justice for fentanyl victims as long as this persists.”
“Jean Claude Meama-Kajue’s greed ended an unsuspecting victim’s life and took them away from their family and loved ones,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA Houston Division. “We hope this hefty sentence sends a strong message to anyone treating human lives as dollar bills. We will come after anyone supplying poison to innocent lives and bring them to justice. While we know this prison sentence doesn’t bring the victim back to their family, we hope it provides some closure.”
The DEA and Pflugerville Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall prosecuted the case.
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