Southern District of Texas

McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old McAllen resident has been charged with arson and possession of a destructive device, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Daniel Eduardo Rivera is expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker at 9:00 a.m.

According to the criminal complaint, Rivera has allegedly been targeting an individual since 2022 by setting multiple fires to the victim’s residence and vehicles.

The charges allege that in November 2022 at approximately 2:03 a.m., fire department officials responded to the victim’s residence due to a fire coming from a storage shed. They extinguished it, but authorities later determined it to be incendiary in nature, according to the complaint.  

At approximately 1:10 p.m. that same day, the fire department was allegedly dispatched to the victim’s house for a second time where they discovered the  porch to be fully engulfed with fire seeping into the home. The charges allege they were again able to extinguish it but not before it had caused significant damage to the home. They also found a Molotov cocktail at the scene, according to the complaint.  

According to the victim, Rivera had allegedly confronted him and threatened to kill his family at night and burn the victim’s house down.

The complaint further alleges that in May 2024, fire officials responded to a vehicle fire in McAllen. It has already been extinguished, but authorities allegedly determined another Molotov cocktail was used in an attempt to set the car ablaze. The investigation links Rivera to that incident, according to the charges.

If convicted, Rivera faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the arson and a maximum of 10 for possession of a destructive device.  

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and explosives is conducting the investigation with the assistance of the McAllen Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire and Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Devin V. Walker are prosecuting the case.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been ordered to prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Rosvel Gonzalez pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

On Sept. 5, 2024, an undercover law enforcement officer engaged in a controlled sale of a firearm to Gonzalez, a convicted felon. Authorities arrested him following the sale. A subsequent search of Gonzalez’s home revealed eight additional firearms and several amounts of ammunition.

The investigation revealed Gonzalez was previously convicted of felony possession of marijuana. He also had a prior felony conviction for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. 

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old man has been ordered to prison for possessing firearms while a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

David Michael Saenz pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Saenz to serve 60 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.

On Sept. 11, 2024, law enforcement stopped Saenz for a traffic violation, at which time they also smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Saenz admitted he was in possession of firearms.

A search revealed two handguns in his waistband and two additional firearms in his vehicle. Authorities also found meth and marijuana in the vehicle.

Further investigation revealed Saenz was previously convicted of aggravated robbery in 2021. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms per federal law. Saenz also admitted to possessing one of the firearms to protect himself while engaging in drug dealing.

Saenz has been and will remain in custody pending his transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration and Rio Grande City Police Department conducted the joint investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Alamo resident has admitted to charges of human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

On Dec. 13, 2024, Eusebio Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.

Authorities referred him to secondary where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else.

A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal re-entry.

Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.

He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.

“As we have unfortunately seen in prior instances, smuggling of people via a tractor trailer is extremely dangerous and can lead to mass casualties,” said Ganjei. “As the Department of Justice works to secure the border and bring down demand for smugglers, we simultaneously expect to see a decrease in the number of people transported through such means.”

U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing May 15. At that time, Cavazos faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.

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

Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old illegal alien and multiple-time felon has been ordered to prison after once again entering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

Jose Estrada-Corpus pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Estrada-Corpus to serve 54 months in federal prison.

At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Estrada-Corpus had been previously convicted of multiple felony convictions including assaulting a public servant and possession of marijuana with the intent to deliver. Estrada-Corpus was also previously removed on 13 different occasions and is a gang-member. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted Estrada-Corpus’s extensive criminal history and that Estrada-Corpus had previously received an lengthy sentence for the same offense. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.

“As the facts of this case demonstrate, the defendant has no respect for this nation’s laws,” said Ganjei. “His repeated disregard for our immigration laws has earned him a serious sentence. Hopefully this case will deter other aliens who might think that this country is not serious about defending its border.”

On Oct. 31, 2024, authorities arrested Estrada-Corpus as he attempted to illegally cross the Rio Grande River near Rio Grande City.

Estrada-Corpus was first removed in 2013 and had previously been convicted of immigration related offenses on six different occasions. Through the course of the investigation, Estrada-Corpus also admitted to being a member of the Paisas gang.

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON –A 25-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei.

The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Caleb Pickens guilty Nov. 8, 2024, following a four-day trial.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Pickens to serve 722 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the sentencing hearing, the court heard evidence of Pickens’ conduct while in jail and immediately after trial. Following the verdict, Pickens exhibited obstructive behavior by grabbing a full water bottle and slinging it at the prosecution table. He then threw the water bottle at the lead case agent. Pickens also fought with officers in the courtroom.

In handing down the sentence, the court noted Pickens’ abhorrent behavior, his lack of remorse, the court’s need to protect the public from him and his propensity for violence, as well as his violence towards officers while performing their duties. Judge Hittner said he believes Pickens to be a true danger to the public and recommended he be placed in a maximum security prison.

“Today’s sentence appropriately accounts for defendant’s violent nature and the seriousness of his offense,” said Ganjei. “Day after day, case by case, the Southern District of Texas and its law enforcements partners are striving to make Houston a safer place to live and work.”

In early January 2024, law enforcement began investigating a series of armed robberies at McDonalds and other fast-food restaurants and convenience stores which occurred during the month of January. This eventually led them to Pickens.  

At trial, the jury heard Pickens had worn either a red Nike sweatshirt or a black hooded jacket while committing a series of armed robberies at McDonald’s locations. He also brandished a pistol. Occasionally, he had held the gun to victims’ heads, backs or stomachs and demanded money from the safe. In one incident at a local McDonald’s, he fired his pistol into a microwave oven.

During the robberies, Pickens would order the manager to hand over the money from the safe before exiting through the restaurant’s back door. He then fled the locations in a stolen black Chevrolet Tahoe that had a broken left rear window, used scissors to start the ignition and drove away.

Law enforcement located the vehicle and began conducting surveillance. On Jan. 23, 2024, the Chevy Tahoe arrived at a McDonald’s in Houston where Pickens again committed another armed robbery. Authorities arrested him on scene. At that time, he was wearing the same Nike sweatshirt and hooded jacket from previous robberies and was in possession of a pistol.

At trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury the government had not proved a robbery of McDonald’s affected interstate commerce. They did not believe those claims and found Pickens guilty as charged.

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

The Houston Police Department’s Violent Crime Task Force and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill Stotts and Brian Hrach are prosecuting the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 37-year-old man has been sentenced for conspiring to distribute a large quantity of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Gavino Cadena pleaded guilty Nov. 10, 2022.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana has now ordered Cadena to serve a total of 194 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court considered Cadena’s extensive criminal record, including his involvement with Cartel del Noreste (CDN) and the Tango Blast gang. Records also showed that while in custody awaiting sentencing in this case, Cadena was involved in numerous altercations with rival gang members such as Hermano Pistoleros Latinos, including incidents involving weapons.

The court found Cadena to be a leader/organizer within the drug trafficking organization. He coordinated the drug loads, paid co-conspirators for their involvement and reported directly to cartel leaders in Mexico. Cadena was held responsible for organizing the offloading and transport of more than 8,000 pounds of marijuana from multiple tractor trailers in Laredo that had been imported from Mexico.

“The Department of Justice is going to use all available avenues to crack down on cartel activity operating inside our country,” said Ganjei. “The drug trade inevitably leads to violence, and so every drug dealer or cartel member taken off the street makes our communities a little bit safer.”

Throughout the course of this multi-year investigation, which includes two related indictments, authorities seized more than 17 tons of marijuana valued at approximately $16.4 million.

To date, a total of 22 people, including several Mexican nationals, have been convicted for their roles in the conspiracy to transport narcotics for CDN. Their sentences have ranged from 18 months to 168 months in prison.

Cadena will remain in custody pending a transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Laredo Police Department conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Border Patrol; Customs and Border Protection; FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. National Guard; Webb County District Attorney’s Office, Sheriff’s Office and Constable’s Office Precincts 1 and 4; Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Blue Indigo Task Force. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Day and Anthony Evans prosecuted this case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Laredo felon has been ordered to federal prison for possessing ammunition and firearms, one of which he hid under his son’s mattress, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.  

Miguel Angel Ferreyro Jr. pleaded guilty June 20, 2024. He was also convicted in 2022 of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana. As such, he was unable to possess weapons or ammunition per federal law. He was still on his term of supervised release when he was arrested on this case. 

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now ordered Ferreyro to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. 

In imposing the sentence, the court commented about him leaving firearms in his child’s bedroom, calling it “crazy” and “insane.” He further noted the circumstances were “fraught with the risk of danger.” 

Authorities arrived at Ferreyro’s residence Feb. 14, 2024, after learning there was a gun hidden there. At that time, they recovered three firearms, approximately 184 rounds of ammunition as well as three 30-round high-capacity rifle magazines and one rifle scope. They found one of the firearms, a Palmetto State Armory, Model Halloween-15, multi-caliber pistol, under the mattress of his 12-year-old son’s bed.

The rest of the items were found in the minor’s closet.  

Forensic examination of Ferreyro’s cell phone revealed he instructed another one of his minor children to hide two of the firearms, one of which was loaded. 

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Oliver and Ann Booth prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – Two U.S. citizens have been ordered to federal prison for attempting to bring a 7-year-old Mexican minor into the United States for personal financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Sisters Naidelyn Yuliana Vielma Jimenez, 22, Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Bianca Jackeline Vielma Jimenez, 23, Laredo, pleaded guilty Sept. 17 and Oct. 17, 2024, respectively. 

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now imposed a 36-month-term of imprisonment for both sisters to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. 

On July 9, 2024, both women arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge at Laredo along with their 16-year-old sister and a 7-year-old male. At that time, they all purported to be one family unit and that the male was their 15-year-old brother.  

They showed authorities a video and photograph allegedly depicting the boy with their family. They also presented a copy of their 15-year-old brother’s documents as additional proof to convince them the child was their brother. 

However, law enforcement did not believe the boy was the same one depicted and that the child in the vehicle was much younger. Further investigation revealed that the child was not related to the women.

The two older sisters ultimately admitted they had made an agreement to smuggle the Mexican child into the United States and transport him to San Antonio for a fee of $3,000. 

“Prior open border policies have inflicted an incalculable human toll, much of which has unfortunately fallen upon innocent children,” said Ganjei. “The Department of Justice, and, in particular, the Southern District of Texas, will do whatever it takes to destroy the market for the trafficking and smuggling of children. For those who profit off this misery, you will be found and prosecuted.”

Both women were permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future

Customs and Border Protection conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted this case. 

HOUSTON – A 43-year-old man has admitted to laundering proceeds from a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Bun Khath admitted that from 2016 to 2021, he conspired with others in a bank fraud scheme involving dozens of loans totaling at least $40 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.  

As part of the plea, Khath acknowledged opening and maintaining shell companies and bank accounts to collect money from the scheme and then laundering the fraud proceeds by wiring them to bank accounts other co-conspirators controlled.

Khath and others accomplished the bank fraud by preparing loan applications that contained false and fraudulent information and documents, including fake equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.

U.S. District Keith Ellison will impose sentencing April 29. At that time, Khath faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 possible fine or twice the amount involved in the transaction.  

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

Another Houston resident charged in the case - Hugo Villanueva, 70, - is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency-Office of Inspector General (OIG), IRS-Criminal Investigation, FBI and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 42-year-old Laredo resident has pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Roberto Ortiz Jr. admitted he downloaded and possessed child pornography on his computer and an external hard drive.  

The investigation began March 23, 2024, when law enforcement downloaded files containing child pornography from an IP address linked to Ortiz. On June 4, 2024, authorities executed a search warrant at Ortiz’s residence. He gave them access to his computer and showed them where he saved his downloaded content. They saw images of child pornography and took Ortiz into custody.  

Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of over 3,000 files containing child pornography on Ortiz’s computer and external hard drive.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing May 19. At that time, Ortiz faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page. 

McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old San Juan resident has been ordered to federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Michael Gallegos-Martinez pleaded guilty Dec. 3, 2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered him to serve 41 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Gallegos-Martinez had been previously served as a police officer before being convicted of a felony for possession of a controlled substance. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted the significant amount of cash found in the vehicle as well as the narcotics.

On June 25, 2023, Gallegos-Martinez was driving a Cadillac CTS when he failed to come to a complete stop. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, at which time they noticed Gallegos-Martinez appeared nervous.

He claimed there were no firearms or narcotics within the vehicle. However, a K-9 alerted, and authorities ultimately discovered of a firearm Rossi, Model 461, .357 caliber magnum revolver in a grocery bag hanging from the gear shift. They also discovered 25 grams of cocaine, a bottle of Xanax pills and approximately $25,000 in cash.

Gallegos-Martinez has been and will remain in custody pending his transfer to the Bureau of Prisons.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Alamo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

LAREDO, Texas – A 48-year-old Mexican Mafia prison gang member has been ordered to federal prison after illegally being in the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Luis Regalado-Solis pleaded guilty June 5, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now imposed an 84-month sentence. Not a U.S. citizen, Regalado-Solis is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

At the hearing, the court noted his prior federal felony convictions for transporting aliens and trafficking drugs in the United States, further commenting that he had also pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to assault eight members of a rival gang at a detention facility in August 2023. Judge Saldaña noted that the assault was particularly serious because Regalado-Solis used a shank to commit it.

“This is a clear example of why border security is so essential,” said Ganjei. “People with this type of criminal history and affiliation should not be allowed to illegally enter the country and establish themselves. We will be working diligently together with our partners to identify similar offenders, prosecute them and seek their removal from our country.”

Regalado-Solis had most recently been removed from the United States March 2, 2021, after serving a sentence for a previous illegal reentry after removal conviction and violation of supervised release. However, authorities encountered him March 29, 2023, in the McKendrick Ranch area near Laredo.

He has other convictions for illegal reentry, as well as possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute it and transporting an illegal alien for private financial gain, for which he had been previously sentenced and removed from the United States.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing on his other case and ultimate transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose Homero Ramirez and Bryan Oliver prosecuted this case.

HOUSTON – A California man has admitted to operating an illegal money transmitting business, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Victor Rubio Jr. admitted that from 2021 to 2022, he operated an unlicensed money transmitting business that received and transmitted funds from a business email compromise (BEC) scheme. Rubio ran the unlicensed money transmitting business by using shell companies that existed only on paper. 

As part of the plea, Rubio acknowledged opening and maintaining bank accounts to collect money from at least two victims in a BEC scheme, including a healthcare liability insurance company headquartered in Georgia and a township in New Jersey. Then, for a fee, he transmitted the fraud proceeds to co-conspirators.

In response to fraudulent wire instructions from spoofed email accounts, victims sent interstate wire transfers for payment to Rubio instead of to the true creditors to whom the victims owed money.

More than 45 people in multiple states, including Rubio and seven others in the Southern District of Texas, have been charged in separate business email compromise schemes that affected numerous victims.

U.S. District Judge George Hanks will impose sentencing April 22. At that time, Rubio faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.  

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The FBI - Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Thomas Carter are prosecuting the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Laredo man has admitted guilt in a multi-year conspiracy to smuggle aliens for financial gain, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Since March 2023, Danny Nunez operated and coordinated an organization in Laredo that smuggled and harbored hundreds of aliens.

The investigation tied Nunez to coordinating numerous smuggling events such as one involving over 100 aliens Dec. 2, 2023. On that date, law enforcement observed several people being loading into a white trailer in a warehouse parking lot. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of 101 aliens locked inside the trailer, including 12 unaccompanied children. Multiple people reported they had difficulty breathing and feared for their life due to the conditions in the trailer.

Juan Manuel Aguirre, 49, Laredo, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle aliens in the United States, admitting his role in the transportation and smuggling of this group.

At the time of Nunez’s arrest, authorities also conducted a search of his residence resulting in the seizure of cell phones and ledgers documenting the aliens Nunez and others had smuggled over the course of the conspiracy. They also found over $36,000 in resulting proceeds and two illegal aliens on the premises.

“The road to a secure border runs through the Southern District of Texas,” said Ganjei. “Human smuggling is a terrible practice, one that the Department is focused on eradicating. My advice to those in the human smuggling business is to find a new line of work.”

Both Nunez and Aguirre face up to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to smuggle aliens in the United States. They could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines. 

They will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety. and Border Patrol conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, the Laredo Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and Webb County Sheriff’s Office. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 58-year-old Prairie View woman has been sentenced for embezzlement by a federal credit union employee, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Gloria Hall pleaded guilty April 23, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has now ordered Hall to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Additionally, Hall will be required to make full restitution of $211,563.12 to her victims who were all clients of the Prairie View Federal Credit Union. At the hearing, the court heard additional forensic accounting evidence that detailed the depth and length of her fraudulent scheme. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the cultural and historical significance of the Prairie View Federal Credit Union that Hall destroyed with her theft.  

“Protecting our most senior and vulnerable citizens from fraud is a vital mission of this office,” said Ganjei. “We cannot and will not let their life’s work fall prey to the greed and deceit of criminals.”

“Gloria Hall’s crimes upended more than just her victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Not only did Hall take advantage of her position to rob elderly bank customers of their life savings to enrich herself, but she also robbed the credit union of its 80-plus-years history when it was forced to merge with another institution as a direct result of her stealing. The small community she ingratiated herself in too was robbed of their life-long trust in the only bank they knew to safekeep their money.”

Hall was employed at Prairie View Federal Credit Union (PVFCU). From 2017 through 2019, while acting as manager, she purposefully maintained an antiquated business practice which would not allow customers to access their accounts online. Hall admitted she was able to and did access at least two elderly customer accounts and misappropriated $211,563.12 of their funds for her own personal gain.

PVFCU was one of the oldest continually operational federal credit unions a historically black college or university had established in the United States. It did not survive Hall’s embezzlement. PVFCU existed for approximately 85 years prior to its failure and merger with the Cy-Fair Federal Credit Union in early 2022.

Hall was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI – Bryan Resident Agency conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old man has been sentenced for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Brian Edward May, Rohnert Park, California, pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered May to serve 136 months in federal prison. The court enhanced the sentence after determining May was a repeat and dangerous offender against minors. The court also heard that May continued to engage in predatory sexual conduct against children after he was released on bond from state custody on related charges. May will serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

“In today’s online world, predators can gain near-instantaneous virtual access to children,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas office is working hand in glove with our federal and state law enforcement partners to identify and pursue these predators before they can victimize innocent children.”

“Children must be protected from sexual exploitation, and we remain committed to investigating the coercion and enticement of a minor,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “Today’s sentence means this defendant is no longer free to prey upon the most vulnerable among us. HSI will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who seek to victimize children.”

On April 19, 2023, May operated an online account under the name of “dirtyman” and contacted whom he believed to be a 14-year-old child. May made arrangements to meet the child to engage in illegal sexual activity at a park in McAllen.

He had been in McAllen working as a contractor at the time of the crime.

During a subsequent review of May’s electronic devices, authorities found numerous messages that indicated May had attempted to pay adults to access children to engage in illegal sexual activity. They also recovered files containing child sexual abuse material.

May will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations and McAllen Police Department conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 28-year-old Roma man has been sentenced for conspiring to smuggle illegal aliens resulting in multiple deaths, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Refugio Torres pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2023, admitting he conspired to transport illegal aliens from the Rio Grande Valley to destinations within the United States.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now imposed a 36-month-term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the severity of human smuggling involving death and admonished Torres that should he ever return to the smuggling business, he could be facing potential life in federal prison.

“As this case sadly demonstrates, human smuggling is a crime that takes lives and puts the public at risk,” said Ganjei. “Securing the border is the Southern District of Texas’ number one priority, and breaking up these smuggling rings is a key component of that. We will continue to use all available resources to aggressively pursue those that flout our immigration laws and put profit ahead of human lives.”

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is dedicated to collaborating with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and security of citizens across all communities in the United States,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge, Craig Larrabee. “We will remain focused on investigating and dismantling transnational criminal organizations that jeopardize the well-being of individuals.”

Jose Refugio Torres was involved in the attempted smuggling of illegal aliens in March 2019 by motor vehicle from the Rio Grande Valley to destinations within the United States. During this failed attempt in Duval County, a vehicle rolled over and caused the deaths of four people with serious injuries to six others.

The victims included citizens of Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and Ecuador as well as a 17-year-old boy from Ecuador.

Torres was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol; Coast Guard; Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations; police departments in Port Mansfield and South Padre Island; Texas Rangers; Texas Game Wardens; sheriff’s offices in Kenedy, Duval and Willacy Counties; and the Willacy County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jose E. Arreola Jr. and Jose Esquivel Jr. prosecuted the case. 

CORPUS CHRISTI – A 41-year-old Newark man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identify theft, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Cory Scott Becker pleaded guilty Oct. 24, 2024.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now imposed a 36-month-term of imprisonment for Becker. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence of his and others’ roles and the scheme to steal funds. 

Christopher Carr, 37, Corpus Christi, previously received 12 months and a day in prison, while Joseph Aguilar, 37, Corpus Christi, and Emmett Jimenez, 45, Yoakum, received 12 and 18 months, respectively.

The investigation began after a complainant reported $30,000 was taken out of her account at a credit union in Corpus Christi. The bank’s risk management team discovered that from Feb. 16, 2022, until approximately March 8, 2022, 44 unauthorized transactions occurred from approximately 18 accounts. 

Law enforcement interviewed account owners and verified the unauthorized withdrawals. The investigation revealed they were made through an interactive teller machine which allows fund withdrawals using a holder’s Social Security and bank account numbers.

Authorities subsequently discovered Becker, Carr, Aguilar and Jimenez conspired to use the numbers and accounts to illegally withdraw funds from credit union account holders. 

Becker was permitted to remain on bond pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 39-year-old man has entered a guilty plea to wire fraud for a Payroll Protection Plan (PPP) scheme involving the submission of a series of false applications under the name of a business that did not exist, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Antonio Jackson submitted false documents on four separate applications for PPP funds during the COVID-19 epidemic. Jackson claimed to have multiple employees at a business that was later found to have been entirely fictitious.   

To further the fraud, Jackson submitted false tax documents, bank statements and employee forms to the Small Business Administration (SBA), ultimately resulting in a loss of $491,711 to the SBA.  

As part of his plea, Jackson also admitted to several other frauds he had committed during this timeframe. One included a scheme to defraud a Washington D.C.-based federal credit union through a series of false home improvement loan applications. He also acknowledged a mortgage fraud by claiming honorable discharge for a Veteran’s Affairs Department backed loan, a scheme to avoid paying taxes on a residence in Brazoria County by claiming to be an fully disabled veteran and to committing credit card abuse in December 2024.

In total, losses associated with Jackson’s various frauds have exceeded $2 million.

“Going after fraudsters who take money meant for hard-working Americans is a priority for this office. Doing so both upholds the public trust and protects the taxpayer,” said Ganjei.

As part of his plea, Jackson has agreed to pay full restitution for his crimes.

U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing April 16. At that time, Jackson faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The SBA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Carter prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 35-year-old Mexican citizen who illegally resided in Palmview has been sentenced for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of a family member and coercing the production of CSAM using various chat platforms, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jesus Adrian Barraza-Vega pleaded guilty Oct. 9, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton has now sentenced Barraza-Vega to serve the rest of his life in prison. The court further ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and a total of $60,000 in fines.

At the hearing, the minor victim was present with family and provided a victim letter addressed to Barraza-Vega describing the harm he had caused her. In addition, the court heard that Barraza-Vega’s ongoing abuse of a minor family member continued until just days before his encounter with law enforcement.

“Our sincere hope is that the children who Barraza-Vega victimized can now have some measure of peace,” said Ganjei. “Crimes against children committed in the Southern District of Texas will be prosecuted to the fullest extent possible. The life sentence handed down today against Mr. Barraza-Vega should be a warning to other would-be abusers.”

“Children deserve to be safe. Whether online or in their own homes, we all have a duty to protect those most vulnerable to exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI works day and night to ensure predators like this are brought to justice. We hope this sentence might bring some sense of closure and healing for the victims and their families.”

On July 3, 2023, New York authorities discovered inappropriate images were being sent to an eight-year-old minor. A review of the conversation revealed the minor victim had sent sexually explicit videos of herself to an unknown individual using TextNow and WhatsApp. During the course of the conversation, the individual pretended to be a 13-year-old male. He sent images depicting a male’s genitalia and messages that were sexually explicit in nature, including requests for the minor victim to engage in sexual acts.

Law enforcement conducted a search and determined the subscriber information for the IP address information returned to addresses where Barraza-Vega had previously resided including his current location in Palmview.

During an interview with Barraza-Vega, he confirmed his prior residences, email addresses and phone number, and that he used TextNow and WhatsApp. All matched the information linked to the accounts used to coerce and entice the production of CSAM from the minor victim in New York.

In February 2024, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant for a cellphone identified as belonging to Barraza-Vega. The forensic extraction revealed CSAM including videos and images of a minor relative. The material included images and videos of Barraza-Vega engaging in various sexual acts with this victim. The videos and images dated from on or about Nov. 11, 2020, to on or about Jan. 18, 2024.

FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and police departments in Mission and Palmview.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.

McALLEN, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 33-year-old Mexican citizen for illegal reentry after a prior removal, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Hector Salvador Lozano-Davila is now in custody and is expected to appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

According to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case, on Jan. 11, authorities encountered Lozano-Davila near Roma. He allegedly entered the United States from Mexico that same date. A records check revealed Lozano-Davila was previously convicted of sexual assault of a child in 2019 then subsequently removed to Mexico in November 2021, according to the charges.  

If convicted, Lozano-Davila faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia is prosecuting the case.

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

McALLEN, Texas – Two Donna residents have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Robert Jae Franco, 23, and Alejandro Isaiah Gonzalez, 22, pleaded guilty to Hobbs Act robbery Oct. 18 and Nov. 8, 2024, respectively.  

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered both men to serve 48 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the sentencing, the court heard evidence that Franco had previously been convicted of aggravated assault and alien smuggling while Gonzalez had convictions for three separate burglary events.

"The Southern District of Texas is working around-the-clock to take repeat violent offenders off the streets," said Ganjei. "Thanks to the efforts of our law enforcement partners, we now have two less criminals out there terrorizing innocent citizens."

On Jan. 27, 2024, Franco and Gonzalez robbed two Smoke Shops in Pharr and Donna at gunpoint. Surveillance video from each location showed the masked and armed men enter the stores and rush the store employees while demanding money from the registers.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted the investigation with police departments in Pharr, Donna and McAllen as part of Operation: Knock Down. The initiative began in 2020 as a joint-ATF/U.S. Attorney’s Office program focusing on bringing federal resources to local prosecutions of armed and dangers felons.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Guerra Jr. prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old Laredo resident and two Mexican nationals illegally present in the United States have been charged with various federal firearm offenses, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jose Hernandez-Garza, 25, an illegal alien residing in Laredo, has made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos who ordered him detained pending further criminal proceedings. Fernando Patino Jr., Laredo, and Alberto Garcia-Guajardo, 32, also an illegal alien residing in Laredo are set to appear Feb. 4.

Over the course of a month-long investigation, Patino and Garcia-Guarjardo allegedly sold several machine guns to undercover authorities as well as other controlled substances, such as cocaine.

On Jan. 31, authorities executed a search warrant on the 3000 block of Monterrey Street in Laredo, according to the charges. At the location were Garcia-Guajardo and Hernandez-Garza. Law enforcement allegedly discovered several firearms, narcotics and a scale and immediately took the two men into custody.

Garcia-Guajardo and Patino face up to 10 years in federal prison for possession of a machine gun, while Hernandez-Garza faces up to 15 years if convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. Both could also be ordered to pay up to a $250,000 fine. 

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Border Patrol Tactical Unit, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory R. Sailer is prosecuting the case.

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

GALVESTON, Texas – A 41-year-old Alvin man has entered a guilty plea to child pornography charges as trial was set to begin, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Franklin Joseph Perkins previously worked at the Kuk Sool Won martial arts studio and Gulf Coast Gymnastics, both located in Alvin.

The investigation revealed a user with a Google account had uploaded files possibly depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) onto their servers. Law enforcement linked Perkins to that account and determined he had been using various Google accounts and his cell phone to receive and possess child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown accepted the plea and set sentencing for April 15. At that time, Perkins he faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years for receiving CSAM and up to 10 years for possessing it. He could also be ordered to pay up to a $250,000 fine as well as a $5,000 special assessment under the Justice for Trafficking Act, a maximum of a $35,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act and mandatory restitution in an amount of no less than $3,000 per victim.

He will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation along with Pearland Police Department, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Leo, Carrie Wirsing and Colton Turner are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood - a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

HOUSTON – A clothing business owner has admitted he made fraudulent and false statements on his federal tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Philip Ogbeide made his initial appearance and immediately pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan.

Ogbeide signed false U.S. individual income tax 1040 forms from 2018 through 2022 to receive inflated refunds to which he was not entitled.

Ogbeide’s tax returns included false entries claiming fraudulent itemized deductions and credits for which he was not entitled. He also omitted income from his clothing business and from the proceeds of a fraud scheme.

Ogbeide admitted that because of the false deductions and unreported income, he owes the U.S. Treasury $166,929 for tax years 2018 through 2022.

Sentencing has been set for April 15 before U.S. District Judge George Hanks. At that time, Ogbeide faces up to three years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine. 

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The FBI - Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Thomas Carter are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a local company owner for failing to file employment tax returns and failing to pay over taxes his company withheld from employee paychecks, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei and Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Criminal Matters Karen Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.

Joseth Limon is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.

According to the indictment, Limon allegedly owned Platinum Employment Group Inc., a company that supplied laborers to businesses in the Houston area. The indictment alleges that between 2016 and 2018, Platinum paid its employees over $3.5 million and withheld over $450,000 from their paychecks. During that period, however, Limon allegedly failed to pay to the IRS the employment taxes that Platinum withheld from its employees’ paychecks and failed to file any employment tax returns on behalf of Platinum.

If convicted, Limon faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 possible fine.  

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh and Trial Attorney Curtis Weidler of the Department of Justice’s Tax Division are prosecuting the case.

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

The Justice Department today announced the coordinated seizure of 39 domains and their associated servers in an international disruption of a Pakistan-based network of online marketplaces selling hacking and fraud-enabling tools operated by a group known as Saim Raza (also known as HeartSender). The seizures were conducted in coordination with the Dutch National Police.

According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, Saim Raza has used these cybercrime websites since at least 2020 to sell phishing toolkits and other fraud-enabling tools to transnational organized crime groups, who used them to target numerous victims in the United States, resulting in over $3 million in victim losses.

The Saim Raza-run websites operated as marketplaces that advertised and facilitated the sale of tools such as phishing kits, scam pages, and email extractors, often used to build and maintain fraud operations. Not only did Saim Raza make these tools widely available on the open internet, it also trained end users on how to use the tools against victims by linking to instructional YouTube videos on how to execute schemes using these malicious programs, making them accessible to criminal actors that lacked this technical criminal expertise. The group also advertised its tools as “fully undetectable” by antispam software.

The transnational organized crime groups and other cybercrime actors who purchased these tools primarily used them to facilitate business email compromise schemes wherein the cybercrime actors tricked victim companies into making payments to a third party. Those payments would instead be redirected to a financial account the perpetrators controlled, resulting in significant losses to victims. These tools were also used to acquire victim user credentials and utilize those credentials to further these fraudulent schemes. The seizure of these domains is intended to disrupt the ongoing activity of these groups and stop the proliferation of these tools within the cybercriminal community.

Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Houston Field Office is investigating the case. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance law enforcement partners in the Netherlands have provided.

Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A total of 39 domains and their associated servers have been seized in a coordinated effort involving an international disruption of a Pakistan-based network of online marketplaces selling hacking and fraud-enabling tools a group known as Saim Raza (aka HeartSender) operated, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei along with Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI.

The seizures occurred Jan. 29 and were conducted in coordination with the Dutch National Police.

According to the affidavit filed in support of these seizures, Saim Raza has used these cybercrime websites since at least 2020 to sell phishing toolkits and other fraud-enabling tools to transnational organized crime groups who used them to target numerous victims in the United States, resulting in over $3 million in victim losses. 

“Almost everyone has a friend or loved one that has been affected by these types of computer hacks,” said Ganjei. “These scams not only target businesses but individuals as well and cause significant hardship to the victims. Even though these people reside abroad, the use of these websites made it easy for them to spread their malicious hacking tools for a fee. However, today we have significantly disrupted their ability to harm others.”

The Saim Raza-run websites operated as marketplaces that advertised and facilitated the sale of tools such as phishing kits, scam pages and email extractors often used to build and maintain fraud operations. Not only did Saim Raza make these tools widely available on the open internet, it also trained end users on how to use the tools against victims by linking to instructional YouTube videos on how to execute schemes using these malicious programs, making them accessible to criminal actors that lacked this technical criminal expertise. The group also advertised its tools as “fully undetectable” by antispam software.

The transnational organized crime groups and other cybercrime actors who purchased these tools primarily used them to facilitate business email compromise schemes wherein the cybercrime actors tricked victim companies into making payments to a third party. Those payments would instead be redirected to a financial account the perpetrators controlled, resulting in significant losses to victims. These tools were also used to acquire victim user credentials and utilize those credentials to further these fraudulent schemes. The seizure of these domains is intended to disrupt the ongoing activity of these groups and stop the proliferation of these tools within the cybercriminal community.

The FBI Houston Field Office is conducting the investigation. The Justice Department appreciates the cooperation and significant assistance law enforcement partners in the Netherlands have provided.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez and Trial Attorney Gaelin Bernstein of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – Acting Attorney General James McHenry has named Nicholas J. Ganjei as U.S. Attorney of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). 

“I am humbled by the honor and am excited to lead the SDTX,” said Ganjei. “This opportunity to once again serve the American people is both a tremendous responsibility and a great privilege. This office will play a critical role in ensuring our border is secure and the American people are kept safe. I look forward to working alongside some great prosecutors, staff and law enforcement partners.” 

U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton swore in Ganjei just after 12 p.m. before SDTX staff, several federal judges and court personnel.

Ganjei is a former longtime federal prosecutor who previously served as acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas.

He joined the Department of Justice in 2008 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) on the U.S. – Mexico border. As an AUSA, Ganjei prosecuted organized crime, immigration, narcotics and human trafficking cases, as well as fraud, public corruption and white collar matters.  

As U.S. Attorney, Ganjei will be the chief law enforcement officer for one of the largest districts in the United States. The SDTX typically prosecutes more cases against more defendants than most other USAOs nationwide, representing 43 counties and nine million people and covering 44,000 square miles. This district currently comprises seven U.S. District Court divisions with federal district courts in Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo. The U.S. Attorney's office, headquartered in Houston, has branch offices in all seven divisions.

Before joining the Department, Ganjei clerked for the Honorable Richard Allen Griffin and Ralph R. Erickson of the Sixth and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, respectively. Ganjei has also taught on the subjects of civil, criminal and constitutional law at both the collegiate and law school level.

Most recently, Ganjei was chief counsel to U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, where he oversaw all legal matters related to criminal justice, border security, judicial nominations, antitrust, intellectual property and religious liberty.

CORPUS CHRISTI – A Greek shipping company has pleaded guilty and was sentenced for violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS) and falsification of records, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Eurobulk Ltd. admitted to violating APPS in April 2023 during a port call by the Good Heart in the port of Corpus Christi as well as falsification of records during that same port call.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered the company to pay a criminal fine of $1.125 million. The company must also serve a four-year-term of probation during which it will be subject to an environmental compliance plan with a monitorship to ensure future compliance.

“It is crucial that we strive to eliminate threats to our waters through holding overseas corporations accountable,” said Ganjei. “Our office will continue to seek justice when foreign vessels fail to comply with the APPS and then seek to cover it up. The environmental harm inflicted and falsification of records merit the sentence imposed today.”

“This outcome directly reflects our dedication to holding those who violate laws designed to prevent pollution of the marine environment accountable," said Rear Admiral David Barata, commander of the USGC’s Eighth District. “The Coast Guard and our partners remain resolute in our mission to protect our waters, and we encourage the public to continue reporting any suspicious activities as every report is essential in our ongoing effort to preserve the health of our marine ecosystems.”

The charges arose out of a United States port call in which a crew member of the Liberia-flagged Motor Vessel Good Heart presented false records to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) to conceal illegal transfers and discharges of oily bilge water from the vessel.

The Good Heart’s former chief engineer, Greek national Christos Charitos, 72, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced for an APPS charge for failing to record discharges in the vessel’s Oil Record Book (ORB). Christos was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the Good Heart is an ocean-going bulk carrier registered in Liberia that Eurobulk operated. On at least two occasions in April 2023, Charitos ordered lower ranking engine personnel to discharge the contents of the duct keel (a pipe tunnel that begins in the engine room and runs forward under the cargo holds) directly into the sea without using the Oily Water Separator (OWS). The discharges contained oil.

Also in April 2023, Charitos ordered the second engineer to make a fresh water connection to the OWS. By making such a connection, the oil content meter on the OWS was “tricked” so that the OCM could not verify the actual oil content of the discharge from the OWS. All of these discharges should have been recorded in the ORB. However, no entries were made.

The USCG’s Investigative Service (CGIS) investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Liesel Roscher and Senior Trial Attorney Kenneth E. Nelson of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A former deputy with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office has been ordered to prison following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Baldemar Cardenas, 39, McAllen, pleaded guilty April 1, 2022.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Cardenas to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the his position as a deputy at the time of the offense and the serious issues with law enforcement authorities assisting drug traffickers.

At the time of his plea, Cardenas admitted that in January 2020, he conspired with a drug trafficking organization.

Members of the group would receive kilogram quantities of highly pure cocaine. They would then utilize small portions of the drugs to create sham cocaine with very low purity.

Cardenas ensured authorities seized the fake bundles by providing information to local law enforcement agencies. The information would enable authorities to conduct the seizure of the low purity cocaine, allow co-conspirators to avoid responsibility for stealing the cocaine from their source of supply and the distribution of the stolen cocaine for profit.

In order to further the scheme and in exchange for compensation, Cardenas provided information to local law enforcement in January 2020 in order to effectuate the seizure of approximately 33 kilograms of sham cocaine bundles. Cardenas falsely claimed a confidential source provided the information. Based on the information he gave, law enforcement seized the multi-kilogram sham bundles of cocaine in Mission.

Laboratory testing on the bundles revealed a cocaine purity level of only 1.5%.

Cardenas was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and Mission Police Department. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez Jr. prosecuted the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 19-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for stealing a car that was later used in an alien smuggling scheme, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Jesus Jonathan Rodriguez pleaded guilty to carjacking Sept. 23, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 42 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that Rodriguez stole the car in order to use it in an alien smuggling attempt. In handing down the sentence, Judge Ramos noted the seriousness of the offense.

On May 19, 2024, Rodriguez and Christian Hardy arranged to steal a Ford Fiesta in order to carry out an alien smuggling scheme. Outside a convenience store in Edinburg, they approached the driver of the car, and while Rodriguez spoke to the driver, Hardy climbed into the car. Rodriguez brandished a gun and threatened the owner of the car and both men drove away in the Ford.  

The following day, Rodriguez and Hardy approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint driving the Ford. Authorities had discovered the vehicle had been reported stolen and referred them to secondary inspection. There, they found two illegal aliens in the trunk. Law enforcement also found  a firearm on Rodriguez upon his arrest.

Hardy, 18, Richmond, also pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol and the Edinburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 39-year-old resident of Shreveport, Louisiana, has been sentenced for transportation of a child to engage in criminal sexual activity and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Isiah Lee Campbell Jr. pleaded guilty July 26, 2024.

Senior U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Campbell to serve 235 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release.

During a three-week span in 2019 over the course of several different trips, Campbell drove the then 16-year-old victim from Louisiana to Houston to engage in commercial sex with adult men. Campbell also posted the victim on a website advertising prostitution.

Law enforcement stopped Campbell in Harris County driving a reported stolen vehicle during the early morning hours of June 6, 2019. They found a handgun under Campbell’s seat. The victim was a passenger in the car whom authorities identified as a runaway child from Lousiana.

She described how Campbell threatened to kill her so that she would continue to engage in commercial sex at his direction. Campbell took all the money that the victim earned and also sexually assaulted her several times.

Campbell will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

FBI and Precinct 4 Harris County Constable’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Bauman prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A total of 29 people are now in custody for money laundering and drug trafficking criminal violations following a major law enforcement operation in Houston and other areas in the United States, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

The coordinated law enforcement effort spanned multiple jurisdictions and states to include Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina and other parts of Texas.

Those arrested in the Houston area have begun to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray.

The charges contained in four different indictments allege crimes occurred between April 2022 and October 2024.

Houston grand juries returned the indictments in October and November 2024. They allege the individuals engaged in a multi-national trade-based money laundering network operating in the United States and in international markets. Criminal organizations including the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) allegedly used the network to launder illicit funds through the purchase and sale of cellular telephones.

Francisco Jaramillo-Valdovinos aka Chico Jaramillo, allegedly a top CJNG commander, is one of those charged. He is considered a fugitive and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts or any of the other fugitives in the case is asked to contact the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at 713-693-3000.

The arrests are the culmination of a 21-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Noch. During the investigation, law enforcement allegedly seized multi-hundred kilograms of cocaine, heroin, meth, marijuana and alprazolam as well as millions of dollars in drug proceeds.

As part of the arrests, authorities also seized 85 kilograms of meth, 10 kilograms of cocaine, 17 firearms, $481,000 from a bank account and approximately $566,000 of bulk cash.

If convicted, many charged with drug trafficking offenses face up to life in federal prison and could pay millions in fines. Those charged with money laundering offenses face up to 20 years in federal prison.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation along with police departments in Houston and Galveston with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and local police departments and sheriffs’ offices throughout the country.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman, Sherin Daniel and Leo J. Leo III are prosecuting the case.

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

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 22-year-old Mexican citizen has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Kevin Alejandro Santos-Moya pleaded guilty May 30, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now sentenced Santos-Moya to 60 months in federal prison. The court further ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Santos-Moya will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

On June 30, 2023, Santos-Moya attempted to enter the United States through the Los Indios Port of Entry. Law enforcement referred him to secondary inspection where they conducted a search of his iPhone and located child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Forensic analysis of the phone resulted in the discovery of a total of 31 images and 37 videos of CSAM.

Santos-Moya will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.

HOUSTON – Northwest Anesthesiology and Pain Services (NWAP) has agreed to pay $999,999 to resolve potential violations related to the submission of claims for reimbursement to Medicare for services rendered by its independently contracted pain management practices, announced acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

NWAP is an anesthesiology service provider in Houston and surrounding areas.

The allegations include violations of the False Claims Act (FCA) and the physician self-referral law (aka Stark Law).

In 2019, NWAP’s former president Donald Carmichael hired Stacey Green and her company Remedy Physician Solutions as an independent contractor to manage NWAP’s pain management practices. NWAP gave Green authority over the practices’ compensation and discretionary productivity bonus payments.

Following an internal investigation, NWAP claims Green instructed NWAP’s billing company to calculate bonus payments based on lab referrals minus costs, fees and expenses rather than calculating bonuses properly based on the practices’ productivity as provided for in their agreements. NWAP suspected this was done to increase total collections, which formed the basis of Green’s management fee.

From Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2021, NWAP reported it paid approximately $1.8 million in bonus payments as a result of the contractor’s misconduct.

The government alleges such actions created improper financial relationships between NWAP and its independently contracted pain management practices as NWAP was paying bonuses to these practices from its lab revenue as allegedly thinly veiled kickbacks for referrals. 

“The Stark Law safeguards the integrity of the Medicare program by ensuring patients receive care based on their physician’s independent medical judgment and not any personal financial interests,” said Lowery. “Our office remains committed to protecting the program and reinforcing the public trust in our federal healthcare system, and we will continue to hold those accountable for violating these safeguards.”

“Prohibited referrals and financial incentives in health care jeopardize patient safety and drive unnecessary medical services. Additionally, submitting false claims to Medicare for services resulting from unlawful referrals undermines the integrity of federal health care programs and diminishes public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “DHHS-OIG remains resolute in holding accountable those who engage in fraud and disregard the patient-first values central to the medical profession.”

This settlement stems from NWAP’s self-disclosure to the U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) and DHHS-OIG. NWAP received credit for its self-disclosure and cooperation with the investigation.

The USAO conducted the investigation with assistance from DHHS-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Michelle Luong handled the matter along with former AUSA Andrew Bobb. 

McALLEN, Texas – A 55-year-old McAllen man has pleaded guilty to conspiring to pay kickbacks in exchange for prescription referrals, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

John Ageudo Rodriguez, a licensed pharmacist, owned and operated a pharmacy in Pharr called Pharr Family Pharmacy.

Rodriguez admitted he paid kickbacks in excess of $24 million to various marketers. The marketers had relationships with physicians and clinics and could cause prescriptions for expensive compound drugs to be referred to Rodriguez’s pharmacy.

During the time of the conspiracy, from 2014 to 2016, Rodriguez’s pharmacy billed more than $110 million to various federal health care benefit programs for compound drugs.

Rodriguez’s guilty plea follows guilty pleas of numerous other marketers involved in the prescription drug kickback scheme.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for March 25. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to five in federal prison as well as a possible  $250,000 maximum fine.  

Rodriguez was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor – OIG, FBI, Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Veteran Affairs – OIG, Department of Health and Human Services - OIG and Texas Health and Human Services - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz is prosecuting the case.

A Texas woman and man were sentenced to 121 months and 135 months in prison and ordered to pay money judgments of $942,537.00 and $438,119.00, respectively, this week for their roles as the leaders of a human smuggling organization (HSO) that conspired to illegally transport, harbor, and conceal from law enforcement hundreds of undocumented individuals in the United States and launder the proceeds of their illicit human smuggling.

“The two defendants sentenced in this case were leaders of a human smuggling operation that endangered vulnerable migrants for profit,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Since I directed the formation of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) in 2021, the Justice Department has combatted the threats posed by dangerous human smuggling networks where they originate and operate. Since then, the Justice Department has made over 345 domestic and international arrests and secured 290 convictions.”

“As these sentencings make clear, human smugglers will ruthlessly and dangerously exploit vulnerable people for profit — intending migrants should not believe their false promises of safety and opportunity,” said Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will continue to work with our federal, state, and international partners to help track down these criminals, disrupt their illegal operations, and bring them to justice — the integrity of our lawful, orderly immigration system demands it.”

“The defendants exploited vulnerable migrants by leading a scheme to unlawfully transport them across the U.S. border, using dangerous methods that risked the migrants’ lives in order to evade detection,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Because of illegal operations like this one, more than three years ago we launched JTFA to combat the most prolific and harmful human smuggling organizations. The sentences and forfeitures announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to working with its JTFA partners to disrupt and dismantle smuggling networks that callously endanger human life for profit.”

“Confining individuals, including minors, in coffin-like spaces with no room to move or breathe, reveals this organization’s complete disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “Those who profit from such human suffering will face justice, and their ill-gotten gains will be stripped away to ensure that crime does not pay.”

According to court documents, Erminia Serrano Piedra, also known as Irma and Boss Lady, 33, and Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar, also known as Pelon, 41, were leaders of an illegal HSO that unlawfully transported, harbored, and concealed from law enforcement the detection of hundreds of undocumented individuals in the United States. These individuals were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, and elsewhere and they or their families paid members of the HSO to help them travel illegally to and within the United States. Serrano Piedra’s role included directing the operations of the HSO, recruiting members, ordering payments to be made related to the organization’s operation, and instructing members of the HSO to be lookouts for law enforcement. Monroy Alcibar coordinated the smuggling of undocumented individuals and movement of financial proceeds for the HSO.

The HSO used drivers to pick up undocumented individuals near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them further into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at “stash houses” along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin, Texas. Drivers for the HSO used various dangerous methods to transport undocumented individuals, including hiding them in suitcases placed in pickup trucks, cramming them in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers, and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. The methods used by the HSO to transport undocumented individuals placed their lives in danger, as they were frequently held in contained spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated and made it difficult to breathe, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle restraints in the back of trucks and tankers. Members of this HSO commonly referred to the undocumented individuals as “boxes,” “packages,” or “pieces.” Typically, the fee paid to the organization was approximately $8,000, with $3,000 paid up front to smugglers in Mexico and the remainder paid once the undocumented individuals entered the United States.

Further, Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar have admitted in court documents that they conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented individuals. The leaders of the organization recruited and utilized straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in the straw persons’ bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of work payments. The defendants also established businesses and opened business accounts in order to transfer the human smuggling proceeds. In addition, the defendants recruited individuals in the construction industry who accepted human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts. Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar, both leaders of the HSO, have admitted in court documents that they made significant money from their involvement in human smuggling. Moreover, Serrano Piedra admitted she was going to continue doing this for her lifetime and was not planning to retire.

In addition to the terms in prison, the court entered orders of criminal forfeiture of two properties belonging to one or both of these defendants, which were purchased with the illicit proceeds of human smuggling, recently estimated to have the value of approximately $2,275,000 and $515,000.

Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar were originally charged by indictment in August 2022 and then by superseding indictment in August 2023. Serrano Piedra pleaded guilty on Jan. 4, 2024, to conspiracy to transport and move illegal aliens, transporting aliens for commercial and private financial gain and placing the lives of aliens in jeopardy while doing so, and conspiracy to launder money. Monroy Alcibar pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2024, to the same charges.

Including Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar, 14 co-conspirators have been sentenced for their various roles in the HSO, including some for laundering illicit proceeds. The sentences ranged up to 135 months in prison, with money judgments totaling over $2.3 million and forfeiture of interests in real property, including residences located in Bastrop and Elgin, Texas. One other co-conspirator still awaits sentencing.

DHS Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Laredo, and Customs and Border Protection (CBP)’s U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector led U.S. investigative efforts on the case. HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco, and Corpus Christi, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; West Palm Beach, Florida; and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; along with CBP’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Enforcement and Removal Operations — Austin; the Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture; Police Departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin, and Round Rock, Texas, as well as Wiggins, Missouri and Bogalusa, Louisiana; the Webb County Constable’s Office; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; Sheriff’s Offices in Webb, Bastrop, and Caldwell County, Texas, Harrison County, George County, and Stone County, Mississippi, and Mobile County, Alabama; Jefferson Parish and Washington Parish, Louisiana; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and Louisiana State Police provided substantial assistance with the investigation.

Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Trial Attorney and JTFA Deputy Director Daria Andryushchenko of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara, and JTFA member Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from the Electronic Surveillance Unit of the Criminal Division’s Office of Enforcement Operations.

This and related convictions of co-conspirators are the result of the coordinated efforts of JTFA. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA 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 combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién in June 2024. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. attorneys’ offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, District of Arizona, District of New Mexico, and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP, and supported by MLARS, the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs; and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 345 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 290 U.S. convictions; more than 240 defendants sentenced, including significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Tomas Rodriguez pleaded guilty April 25, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Rodriguez to serve 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by a three-year-term of supervised release. At the hearing, the court saw body worn camera video of Rodriguez pointing a firearm at an officer and surveillance video of Rodriguez repeatedly assaulting a female. Judge Bennett also heard testimony from the police officer involved in the incident. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of Rodriguez’s conduct, particularly his vicious assault of a female victim and assault on a law enforcement officer.

On Sept. 5, 2021, a local police department officer responded to a report of an assault in a parking lot near a Houston bar. Witnesses directed him to Rodriguez who had fled towards an injured female lying face down on the ground. Rodriguez fell as he ran and the officer commanded him to remain on the ground.

However, Rodriguez got up and pointed a loaded .22-caliber pistol at the officer who responded by discharging his duty weapon in self-defense. Not struck, Rodriguez proceeded to flee and discarded the weapon. Authorities apprehended Rodriguez following a foot pursuit and subsequently recovered his firearm.

Rodriguez has multiple prior felony convictions. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition per federal law.

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

The Houston Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Byron H. Black prosecuted the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Hockley resident has been sentenced for her role in a scheme to steal more than $200,000 from her employer, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jennifer Lynn Thornton pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud July 20, 2023. 

Senior U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Thornton to serve 41 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. She was also assessed 10 $100 special assessments. Restitution will be determined at a later date. In imposing the sentence, the court  noted “I don’t believe you have proper respect for authority. The harm you caused to the victims was very personal.”

Thornton had been a financial coordinator in a dental office in Houston. The dentist had been in business for 38 years. In July 2021, he began a  detailed review of his company accounts to prepare for retirement. At that time, he discovered Thornton had been stealing from him.

She had created a shell company called SGS Healthcare and had payments intended for the dental practice diverted there. Insurance companies made checks payable to the dental practice which she then deposited into her own accounts.

She also manipulated the company books to allow her to take cash she had received from patients. The victim hired a private auditor who identified $243,597 in losses. 

Thornton was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation along with the Harris County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old resident of Laredo has been sentenced for providing fentanyl to a 15-year-old, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jose Antonio Carlos III aka Jose Carlos pleaded guilty Jan. 4, 2024, to distributing fentanyl resulting in death. 

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal has now ordered Carlos to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Carlos was also ordered to pay $5,400 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, the court noted how sad the facts of the case were and that the individual who died was only 15 years old.

“This case represents the tragic consequences of fentanyl’s infiltration into communities nationwide, a crisis that continues to devastate families, overwhelm healthcare systems and claim lives at an alarming rate,” said Hamdani. “By addressing the sources and networks that distribute this lethal substance, we aim to disrupt the cycle of devastation and send a clear message: those who endanger public safety for personal gain will face justice.”

"Greed doesn't care about age. Regardless of how young the victim was, it still didn't stop Jose Carlos from selling deadly fentanyl to the victim," said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division. "Our DEA Laredo Overdose Taskforce will continue to aggressively pursue those who taint our communities for their selfish gains."

On May 17, 2023, authorities responded to an overdose call at a home in Laredo. Once on scene, they found the victim laying in his bed unresponsive and holding a rolled-up dollar bill with a white powder on it. The white powder later tested positive for fentanyl. A toxicology report and autopsy confirmed the cause of death to be fentanyl toxicity.

The investigation revealed text messages which showed the victim wanting to buy “pase” from Carlos. “Pase” was code for cocaine. Carlos indicated the price and provided an address off Longoria Loop.

On the evening of May 16, 2023, an individual drove the victim to that address. There, a person later identified as Carlos handed the victim a small baggie with a white powder inside it. The driver then dropped off the victim at his home, a home he shared with his aunt. 

The next morning, the victim’s aunt heard her nephew’s phone ringing. She thought the victim overslept, so she knocked on his door but heard no response. She then tried to open the door to the victim’s bedroom but was unable to, so she climbed in through one of the bedroom windows. 

Once inside the room, she noticed her nephew lying face down on the bed. When she touched him, his body was stiff and cold. Law enforcement responded to the residence and pronounced the victim dead on-scene. 

As part of his guilty plea, Carlos admitted to selling “pase” to the victim. He also acknowledged sending a text to the victim May 17, 2023, asking “What’s up was it good or no[?].”

Carlos will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future

DEA, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Medical Examiner. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Bajew and Leslie Cortez prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

More information on the dangers of fentanyl can be found on the DEA’s website. #OnePillCanKill

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 45-year-old Corpus Christi man has been sentenced to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth in Corpus Christi, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.  

Jose Humberto Morales pleaded guilty Oct. 24, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Morales to serve 130 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered additional evidence of Morales’ lengthy criminal history dating back to 1996 and including more than 10 state convictions for burglary. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the serious and recidivist nature of his criminal behavior.

On May 5, 2023, law enforcement observed Morales, an identified gang member they knew to have active arrest warrants, on the street outside a residence in Corpus Christi. They arrested him on those warrants and was found to have three separate baggies containing meth.

He possessed a total of over 50 grams of meth.

Morales was later recorded on a jail call admitted the meth was intended for distribution.

Morales will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations and Corpus Christi Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas - A Texas woman and her fiancé have been sentenced for their roles as leaders of a human smuggling organization that conspired to illegally transport, harbor and conceal from law enforcement hundreds of undocumented individuals in the United States and laundering the proceeds.

Erminia Serrano Piedra aka Irma or Boss Lady, 33, and Oscar Angel Monroy Alcibar aka Pelon, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and move illegal aliens, including placing the aliens’ lives in jeopardy, and conspiracy to launder money Jan. 4 and 9, 2024, respectively.

U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal ordered Monroy Alcibar to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release Jan. 15. The court sentenced Serrano Piedra Jan. 13 to 121 months in federal prison also immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Both will also be ordered to pay large money judgments as part of their pleas - $438,119 for Monroy Alcibar and $942,537 for Serrano Piedra.

The also entered orders of criminal forfeiture of two properties belonging to one or both that were purchased with the illicit proceeds of human smuggling, recently estimated to have the value of approximately $2.275 million and $515,000.

“The two defendants sentenced in this case were leaders of a human smuggling operation that endangered vulnerable migrants for profit,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Since I directed the formation of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) in 2021, the Justice Department has combatted the threats posed by dangerous human smuggling networks where they originate and operate. Since then, the Justice Department has made over 345 domestic and international arrests and secured 290 convictions.”

“Confining individuals, including minors, in coffin-like spaces with no room to move or breathe, reveals this organization’s complete disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. “Those who profit from such human suffering will face justice, and their ill-gotten gains will be stripped away to ensure that crime does not pay.”

“The defendants exploited vulnerable migrants by leading a scheme to unlawfully transport them across the U.S. border, using dangerous methods that risked the migrants’ lives in order to evade detection,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Because of illegal operations like this one, more than three years ago we launched JTFA to combat the most prolific and harmful human smuggling organizations. The sentences and forfeitures announced today underscore the Criminal Division’s commitment to working with its JTFA partners to disrupt and dismantle smuggling networks that callously endanger human life for profit.”

“This sentencing sends a clear message that those involved in human smuggling will be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D. of Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). “DHS-OIG is grateful for our continued partnership with our law enforcement partners as we continue to fight corruption along the Southern Border.”

According to court documents, Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar were the leaders of the human smuggling organization. Those smuggled were citizens of Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia and elsewhere and they or their families paid members of the organization to help them travel illegally to and within the United States.

Serrano Piedra’s role included directing the organization’s operations, recruiting members, ordering payments to be made related to the organization’s operation and instructing members to be lookouts for law enforcement.

Monroy Alcibar coordinated the smuggling of undocumented individuals and movement of financial proceeds for the organization. Serrano Piedra, Monroy Alcibar and their co-conspirators derived substantial profits from the proceeds of this illicit activity.

The organization used drivers to pick up undocumented individuals near the U.S.-Mexico border and transport them further into the interior of the United States, often harboring them at stash houses along the way in locations such as Laredo and Austin. The organization’s drivers used various dangerous methods to transport undocumented individuals, including hiding them in suitcases placed in pickup trucks, cramming them in the back of tractor-trailers, covered beds of pickup trucks, repurposed water tankers and wooden crates strapped to flatbed trailers. The methods the organization used to transport undocumented individuals placed their lives in danger as they were frequently held in contained spaces with little ventilation, which became overheated and made it difficult to breathe, and they were driven at high speeds with no vehicle restraints in the back of trucks and tankers.

Members of this organization commonly referred to the undocumented individuals as “boxes,” “packages,” or “pieces.” Typically, the fee paid to the organization was approximately $8,000 with $3,000 paid up front to smugglers in Mexico and the remainder paid once the undocumented individuals entered the United States.

Further, these defendants haves admitted in court documents that they conspired to engage in financial transactions designed to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership and control of ill-gotten proceeds of illicit human smuggling and the unlawful harboring and transportation of undocumented individuals. The leaders recruited and utilized straw persons to accept human smuggling proceeds in the straw persons’ bank accounts and then transferred these proceeds to the leaders under the pretense of work payments. They also established incorporated businesses and opened business accounts in order to transfer the human smuggling proceeds.

In addition, the two leaders recruited individuals in the construction industry who accepted human smuggling proceeds in the form of cash in exchange for checks from the recruited individuals’ business bank accounts. Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar have admitted in court documents they made significant money from their involvement in human smuggling. Moreover, Serrano Piedra admitted she was and she was going to continue doing this for a lifetime and was not planning to retire.

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is at the forefront of combating human smuggling on a global scale,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This week, these two defendants were sentenced for their involvement in this heinous crime. Fighting transnational human smuggling remains one of our top priorities. Our special agents work tirelessly alongside international law enforcement partners and task forces to dismantle criminal networks that commoditize human lives. HSI will continue to utilize every available resource to bring those responsible to justice.”

Including Serrano Piedra and Monroy Alcibar, 14 co-conspirators have been sentenced for their various roles in the human smuggling organization, including some for laundering illicit proceeds. The sentences ranged up to 135 months with money judgments totaling over $2.3 million, forfeiture of interests in real property, including residences located in Bastrop and Elgin. One other co-conspirator still awaits sentencing.

HSI Laredo, along with Border Patrol and DHS-OIG led U.S. investigative efforts on the case. HSI offices in Austin, San Antonio, Waco and Corpus Christi; New Orleans, Louisiana; Gulfport, Mississippi; Mobile, Alabama; West Palm Beach, Florida; and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; along with Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center; U.S. Marshals Service; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations ; Treasury Executive Office for Asset Forfeiture; Police Departments in Laredo, Killeen, Elgin and Round Rock as well as Wiggins, Missouri, and Bogalusa, Louisiana; Webb County Constable’s Office; Webb County District Attorney’s Office; Sheriff’s Offices in Webb, Bastrop and Caldwell County; Harrison, George and Stone County, Mississippi, and Mobile County, Alabama; Jefferson Parish and Washington Parish, Louisiana; Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Louisiana State Police provided substantial assistance in the investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney and JTFA detailee Jennifer Day is prosecuting the case along with Human Rights and Special Prosecutions (HRSP) Section Trial Attorneys Christian Levesque and Angela Buckner, Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS) Trial Attorney and Deputy Director of JTFA Daria Andryushchenko and MLARS Financial Investigator Kelly O’Mara with substantial assistance from the Department of Justice’s Electronic Surveillance Unit of the Office of Enforcement Operations.

This and related convictions of co-conspirators are the result of the coordinated efforts of JTFA. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with DHS, to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién in June 2024. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. attorneys’ offices along the southwest border including the Southern District of California, districts of Arizona and New Mexico and the Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions HRSP Section, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; MLARS; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs; and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in 34513 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 29051 U.S. convictions; more than 240 defendants sentenced, including 186 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets. 

LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old man has been sentenced for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual assault material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Kristopher Santos pleaded guilty March 28, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now sentenced Santos to 360 months and 240 months for the sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 360- month-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including the history of the case and vast collection of child pornography Santos possessed. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the severity of his actions in producing CSAM as well as the sheer volume of images he possessed. Santos was further ordered to pay $126,000 in restitution to the victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Santos will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

“This defendant is a textbook child predator,” said Hamdani. “He is the reason parents lose sleep at night, wondering if their kids are safe when not with them. He was a trusted family member, who violated that trust when he both abused and utilized the minors to create child pornography images of his own. Parents can sleep better tonight knowing there is one less child predator on the streets.”

"Today's sentencing marks a significant victory in our relentless pursuit of justice for the innocent victims of child exploitation. This 30-year sentence sends a clear message that those who prey on the most vulnerable members of our society will be held accountable for their heinous crimes,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “HSI remains steadfast in our commitment to protecting children and dismantling the networks that perpetuate these atrocities. We will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to ensure that justice is served and that no child suffers in silence."

Authorities identified Santos in 2019 when conducting a peer-to-peer network undercover investigation. It revealed Santos was sharing CSAM online.

On April 12, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home and discovered and seized several electronic devices. Authorities also discovered a trunk full of sex toys and children’s underwear.

Santos acknowledged he was sexually attracted to children, viewing the child pornography and that the trunk belonged to him. He also admitted to touching two minor relatives inappropriately and taking naked pictures of the children exposing themselves.

Law enforcement ultimately identified a total of 47,729 images and 7,667 videos containing child pornography on the seized electronic devices.

Santos will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Webb County Sheriff’s office conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 32-year-old Duval County resident has been ordered to serve 30 years in prison after admitting to abusing a child, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Oscar Luis Saenz Jr. pleaded guilty Sept. 26, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Saenz to serve 360 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including testimony from the mother of the victim detailing the profound impact Saenz’ conduct has had on the family. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted the egregiousness of the offense and the age of the victim. Saenz was further ordered to pay $15,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Saenz will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation into Saenz began when authorities discovered he was participating in chat rooms involving discussions of child sexual assault material (CSAM). During an online conversation, Saenz claimed he had recently sexually abused a child. On Aug. 28, 2023, Saenz sent a video of himself sexually abusing a young child. Law enforcement quickly acted and arrested him the same day.

After his arrest, Saenz admitted he had produced the video of himself sexually abusing the young child. Saenz was also in possession of a phone. Law enforcement discovered approximately 100 files depicting CSAM on the device.

Saenz will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of the Duval County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.

GALVESTON – A 46-year-old Alvin resident has been ordered to federal prison after his convictions of transportation and possession of child sexual assault material (CSAM), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

David Lopez Jr. pleaded guilty June 27, 2024.

Today, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown sentenced him to 360 months on each of the two transportation counts and 120 months for each of the two possession counts. They will run concurrently for a total 360-month-term of imprisonment. The court heard additional evidence regarding his lengthy criminal history and his sexual interest in children which dated back to 2014.

Judge Brown considered how Lopez committed this offense while he was registering as a sex offender for his 2006 convictions for sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. The court also took into consideration the victims through their impact statements read in court. He considered how his conduct affected those minors of whom he had collected images and videos that were found in his collection.

Lopez was furthered ordered to pay restitution to the victims and will be on supervised release following the completion of his prison term for the rest of his life. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to the internet. 

“This is an individual who has a deep-seated sexual interest in children that cannot be deterred,” said Hamdani. “After two decades of sexually exploiting children by his hands-on offenses and trading child pornography, he must be stopped. The only way to do that is by giving him to a lengthy prison sentence which is what the court did today.” 

“With today’s sentencing we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who has shown absolutely no remorse for his heinous actions two decades ago when he sexually assaulted a young child and destroyed an innocent life,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz. “Instead, while registered as a sex offender, he has actively engaged in trafficking the sexual abuse materials that force child victims to relive their worst nightmare in perpetuity. HSI Houston is committed to continuing to aggressively pursue anyone who preys on the vulnerability of our children and will not rest until we have eradicated southeast Texas of this pure form of evil.” 

In 2016, Lopez came to the attention of law enforcement after learning he was using social media to distribute files depicting CSAM. From 2016 until 2020, Lopez used multiple sites to upload CSAM to his accounts between Feb. 19, 2016, and Jan. 14, 2020.

Authorities arrested Lopez in February 2020 for failure to comply with his sex offender registration. At that time, he admitted to viewing child pornography. Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Lopez’s phone and found 100 images and 60 videos of young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images and videos depicted babies/toddlers and acts of violence such as the penetration of the victims, bestiality, bondage and sadistic and masochistic conduct.

After serving his sentence for the failure to comply with his sex offender registration and possession of a controlled substance, Lopez began transporting, distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography again.  Lopez was arrested in October 2022 and once again admitted to trading and viewing child pornography.

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

Homeland Security Investigations - Galveston conducted the investigation with the assistance of Pearland Police Department, Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page. 

McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old Pharr man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of hostage taking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Sixto Gonzalez Jr. pleaded guilty May 15, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Gonzalez to serve 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding Gonzalez’s prior violent criminal history and attempts to bribe a correctional guard while he was in custody for the instant offense. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the seriousness of the crime, injuries the victim sustained and Gonzalez’s continued engagement in criminal conduct.

“The victim in this case was lured into Mexico because Gonzalez assumed that authorities wouldn't bother to invest resources into a kidnapping that occurred there,” said Hamdani. “The United States will continue to work with law enforcement authorities around the world to protect American citizens abroad and bring to justice those that think foreign ground is a safe haven from prosecution.”

“U.S. citizens deserve to be safe from violence, no matter where they are,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office.  “The FBI relentlessly works to protect the American people whether they are here or abroad - and we do so with vigor, commitment and determination. We hope this sentence provides the victim some measure of comfort. As always, the public is urged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI or go online at tips.fbi.gov if they have information about violent crimes or other crimes against Americans overseas.”

Gonzalez admitted he unlawfully detained a 19-year-old Alamo man to force a ransom to be paid for his safe return.

On June 23, 2021, Gonzalez lured the victim into Mexico by purporting to have a potential job opportunity to give him. Gonzalez picked the victim up after the victim crossed into Mexico on foot. When they arrived at a house located in Reynosa, Mexico, Gonzalez and several co-conspirators beat and restrained the victim. Between June 23 and June 25, 2021, Gonzalez and his co-conspirators demanded $5,000 and a firearm in exchange for his return.

When the family could not immediately obtain the funds, conspirators sent a video to the victim’s family with footage of him being beaten with a wooden board until the board fractured.

Law enforcement eventually determined the location of the house where he was being held. They conducted a search of the home and found the victim bound with zip ties, covered with a blanket and with bruises throughout his body. They also discovered Gonzalez located inside the house.

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

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Reynosa State police in Tamaulipas, Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colton Turner and Roberto Lopez prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 49-year-old woman has been sentenced for her role in conspiring to import nearly six kilograms of cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Carmen Julia Carreon Segovia pleaded guilty June 12, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered Carreon Segovia to serve 120 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, she is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment.

"Even more insidious than smuggling a dangerous and highly addictive drug into the United States is bringing along your own minor child, exposing her needlessly to a dangerous underworld,” said Hamdani. “Segovia will now have 10 years in a prison cell to contemplate the consequences of her actions, actions that affect and endangered her teenage daughter.”

On Jan. 19, 2024, Carreon Segovia drove an SUV to the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge in Laredo to apply for admission into the United States. Her 16-year-old daughter was riding as passenger.

Authorities inspected the vehicle and found eight bundles containing 6.30 kilograms of cocaine with an approximate street value of $90,000. Law enforcement discovered the bundles hidden in the front fender areas of the SUV.

Carreon Segovia denied any knowledge of the drugs. After her arrest, authorities revoked her non-immigrant visa.

She subsequently admitted to knowing the other co-conspirators concealed drugs somewhere within the vehicle for her to attempt to smuggle them into the United States.

Carreon Segovia will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 75-year-old Edinburg physician and his 43-year-old son both pleaded guilty to conspiring to receive kickbacks in exchange for referring prescriptions to local pharmacies, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Dr. Tajul Shams Chowdhury, a licensed physician, owned and operated a medical practice in Edinburg called Center for Pain Management. His son, Mohammad Imtiaz Chowdhury, worked as a purported marketer for a local pharmacy.

According to court documents, prescriptions for costly compound drugs were referred from Dr. Chowdhury’s clinic in exchange for kickback payments made from the pharmacy to Mohammad Chowdhury. 

In total, Mohammad Chowdhury was paid $6.6 million in kickbacks as part of the scheme.

Both men were permitted to remain on bond pending their sentencing, which is currently scheduled for March 25 before Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.

At that time, both men face up to five years in prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine. 

The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Department of Labor – OIG, FBI, Department of Defense – Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Department of Veteran Affairs – OIG, Department of Health and Human Services - OIG and Texas Health and Human Services - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Swartz is prosecuting the case.