Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON - An Indian national is set to appear for his detention hearing on charges related to his alleged sale and shipment of counterfeit cancer pharmaceuticals into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Authorities arrested Sanjay Kumar, 43, Bihar, India, June 26. He is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray at 10 a.m.

According to the complaint, Kumar arranged to have shipped counterfeit versions of Keytruda, an oncology pharmaceutical Merck and Co. manufactures, to individuals in the United States on several occasions. He also allegedly did the same with counterfeit versions of other oncology pharmaceuticals.

Kumar is charged with conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods (drugs). If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $1 million fine.

Homeland Security Investigations and Food and Drug Administrations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Jeff Pearlman and Bryce Rosenbower of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old man residing in Mexico has pleaded guilty to his role in a conspiracy to launder money related to the purchase of over two million rounds of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Erving Alberto Sauceda aka Alberto Lizarraga Barrera admitted to conspiring with others to smuggle currency and monetary instruments from Mexico into the United States. Sauceda and co-conspirators planned to then place large scale ammunition orders through various internet retailers. 

As part of the scheme, Sauceda admitted he and others purchased approximately $1,057,464 worth of ammunition and magazines from approximately August 2021 through the time of his arrest this April. 

The ammunition included 1,760,010 rounds of 7.62x39mm, 278,000 rounds of .223, 111,000 rounds of 5.56, 30,000 rounds of .308, 1,000 rounds of 9mm and 504 AK rifle magazines. 

The items were subsequently shipped to various locations in the Rio Grande Valley for their intended unlawful export to Mexico. 

Sauceda admitted he knew the ammunition and magazines were purchased for the purpose of being unlawfully smuggled from the United States to Mexico in violation of federal law.

“Smuggling millions of rounds of ammunition into Mexico is astounding and historic, even for the Southern District of Texas, a district that is ground zero in the battle against Mexico’s cartels and the illicit supply of firearms and ammunition to cartels,” said Hamdani. “This prosecution holds accountable the individuals and transnational criminal networks financing and smuggling firearms and ammunition into Mexico. Today’s guilty pleas are a result of the close partnership between federal and state law enforcement.”

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing Sept. 12. At that time, Sauceda faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $500,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division are conducting the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Hidalgo County Constable’s Office and police departments in Mission, La Joya and Palmview. 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 Roberto Lopez Jr. is prosecuting the case. 

HOUSTON – Several local residents and others are now charged in six separate cases in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) with varying counts related to the Justice Department’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

“The enforcement actions, including one against a Houston-area lab that is alleged to have fraudulently billed Medicare hundreds of millions of dollars, represents our coordinated efforts to combat health care fraud and prosecute those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit,” said Hamdani.

Those charged in the SDTX include Houston residents Sharon Pickrom, 64, Darlene Burbridge, 65, and Carmalita Landry, 53; as well as Ijeoma Victoria Ehieze, 61, Katy; Michael Ogbebor, 43, Richmond; and Harold Albert “Al” Knowles, 56, Delray Beach, Florida, Chantal Swart, 49, Boca Raton, Florida, and Svitlana Meier, 50, Clearwater, Florida.

The charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against a total of 193 people nationwide for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. They allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. In connection with the enforcement action, authorities seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold and other assets.

A federal grand jury indicted Pickrom June 12 with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving kickbacks as well as receipt of kickbacks in connection with a $1.7 million health care fraud and kickback scheme. Pickrom allegedly controlled a purported nonprofit corporation, referred false and fraudulent prescriptions that prescribers issued without their knowledge in the name of Department of Labor - Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) claimants, often without their knowledge, to Custom Care Pharmacy in exchange for illegal kickbacks.

In a separate but related case, Burbridge and Landry were charged by information with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving kickbacks in connection with the same $1.7 million scheme. As alleged in the information, Burbridge owned Criterion Therapy Center, a physical therapy company that serviced DOL-OWCP claimants. She allegedly referred prescriptions to Landry, a pharmacist and owner of Custom Care Pharmacy, in exchange for illegal kickbacks and bribes.

Ehieze was indicted June 5 with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, five counts of health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks. The charges are in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain over $1.5 million in Medicare and Medicaid funds. Ehieze, the owner of Sanctified Home Health Services Inc., allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for home health services that were not provided and/or not medically necessary and based on illegal kickback payments to marketers and patients.

A federal grand jury indicted Ogbebor June 12 with health care fraud in connection with an alleged scheme to fraudulently obtain millions in private insurance funds. According to the charges, Ogbebor was the chief financial officer of Stafford Dialysis before being fired. Following his termination, the indictment alleges Ogbebor created a “phantom” business under the name “Stafford Renal” through which he billed private insurance for dialysis treatments that were never administered to people who were formerly patients of Stafford Dialysis. Ogbebor allegedly billed approximately $26 million to Cigna and Allegiance - private insurance companies - and caused them to pay over $5.1 million to Stafford Renal for services that were not rendered.

A federal grand jury indicted Knowles and Swart June 25 with conspiracy to defraud the United States and paying and receiving kickbacks. Knowles is also charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, while Swart also faces a charge of receipt of health care kickbacks. The allegations are in connection with a $359 million scheme to bill Medicare for medically unnecessary genetic tests that were induced by kickbacks. As alleged in the indictment, Knowles was the owner of two Houston-area labs, Bio Choice and Bios Scientific. He allegedly entered an agreement with Swart for the referral of Medicare beneficiary DNA samples and signed doctors’ orders for genetic testing Knowles used to bill Medicare through his labs. Knowles allegedly concealed his kickback arrangement with Swart through sham flat fee contracts. The charges allege Knowles knew Swart used call centers and telemedicine doctors to obtain the DNA samples and signed doctors’ orders, and that providers Swart used to obtain these orders were not the beneficiaries’ treating physicians and did not use the genetic testing results to treat the beneficiaries. 

The final case against Meier was indicted June 12. She is charged with money laundering and unlawfully operating a money transmitting business in connection with a pharmacy at the center of a health care fraud scheme. Meier allegedly owned Kim Long Pharmacy in Houston that billed private insurance companies for medicines the pharmacy never provided to alleged patients. During the course of the conspiracy, the pharmacy received approximately $4.3 million of fraudulent funds from the insurance companies, according to the charges. At the direction of others, Meier then allegedly transferred approximately $3.6 million of the fraudulent proceeds to overseas accounts in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks carry possible five-year prison sentences. If convicted of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, paying and receiving kickbacks, health care fraud, receipt of health care kickbacks or money laundering, those charged face up to 10 years, while unlawfully operating a money transmitting business carries a possible five-year prison sentence. They could also be ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in fines.

FBI, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Attorney General’s Office – Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Department of Homeland Security, DOL-OIG, Veterans Affairs – OIG and U.S. Postal Service – OIG conducted the various investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Grace Murphy of the SDTX and Trial Attorneys Ethan Womble, Devon Helfmeyer, Andrew Tamayo and Monica Cooper of the Department’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force are prosecuting the respective cases.

An information or indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old Laredo resident has been charged with possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment June 25 against Roberto Ortiz Jr. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga July 5 at 10:15. 

On March 23, law enforcement allegedly received four child pornography files from a Laredo IP address. The indictment alleges it was associated with Ortiz, and he shared them through a peer-2-peer application (P2P).

On June 4, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Ortiz’s residence, according to the charges. Ortiz allegedly gave authorities access to his computer and showed them where his downloaded content is saved in his computer. The charges allege they discovered several files containing child pornography, including the four files law enforcement received.

Ortiz is a teacher at a local high school. There is no evidence his activities are linked with his employment at this time.

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

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.

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

HOUSTON – Two men have been sentenced for aiding and abetting in the assault of a detention officer at the Joe Corley Processing Center, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Juan Ausencio, 24, Spring Branch, and Adin Delgado-Perdomo, 39, Honduras, both pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 30-month-term of imprisonment for Ausencio. The sentence will run concurrently to his 285-month sentence for carjacking, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence and destruction of federal property. Ausencio must also serve three years on supervised release following his prison term. Delgado-Perdomo received 70 months in federal prison to run concurrent to the 70-month sentence he also received for unlawfully re-entering the United States as a convicted felon. Not a U.S. citizen, Delgado-Perdomo is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

“No federal detention officer should have to suffer a bloody nose, swelling in the face and a concussion for simply doing his job," said Hamdani. "We have a duty to protect those who supervise and secure violent offenders. These documented gang members attempted to thwart security measures in the facility and then ganged up on the detention officer when he attempted to undo their handiwork. These prosecutions demonstrate that my office will seek justice when inmates decide to violently attack detention officers.” 

On Sept. 15, 2022, several inmates housed in the same dorm at the Joe Corley Processing Center intentionally and forcibly assaulted a detention officer while he was assisting federal employees in the performance of official duties.

The officer was in the process of clearing a bar of soap stuffed into the locking mechanism of the door leading to the dorm, which prevents the door from working properly. At that time, the officer received multiple punches and kicks to his body and his head.

He sustained various injuries resulting in cuts and bruises, swelling on his face and head, a bloody nose and mouth as well as a concussion. Corrections officers witnessed the incident and identified the inmates who participated in the assault.

Earlier this year, three others received sentences for their roles in the physical assault of the detention officer - Edwin Paz-Cuevas, 23, Honduras, and Houston residents Victor Enrique Orellana, 36, and Juan Alberto Viera, 32.

All will remain in custody.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston woman has been sentenced for her role in a scheme to cash stolen tax checks, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Whitley Rachelle Carter pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. 

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Carter to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Carter was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,483,987.89 to Regions Bank and PNC Bank. 

“A stolen Lamborghini, stolen checks, fake identities, fake bank accounts and callous criminals working together. Those are the ingredients for a scheme to steal almost $4 million in IRS refunds,” said Hamdani. “Carter brazenly entered banks with counterfeit identification documents and stolen checks on multiple occasions - one check as large as $2.9 million. Thanks to law enforcement’s efforts, Carter won’t be anywhere near a bank (or a check) for years to come.”   

In approximately January 2022, authorities discovered that a couple in Houston had not received their expected $2,932,446.84 IRS refund check in the mail.

An investigation revealed Kuljinder Singh Hunjan and Carter used fake IDs with the victims’ personal information to open accounts at Regions Bank in January 2022.

On Jan. 18, 2022, Hunjan and Carter deposited the victims’ refund check into the fraudulent bank account.

Bank surveillance footage helped authorities identify Hunjan and Carter, with Hunjan’s fingerprints also found on the check. The investigation linked Carter to Hunjan and co-conspirator Benjamin Thomas through phone calls and CashApp transactions.

On April 13, 2022, authorities arrested Thomas while he was driving a stolen Lamborghini. At that time, they discovered two debit cards in his possession which were linked to fraudulently created accounts used to receive the proceeds of the nearly $3 million check. The co-conspirators used stolen identities to open the accounts and launder the proceeds.

Thomas also had an ATM receipt showing a withdrawal of $800 from the Regions bank account that received the check.

Toll records from the cellphone Thomas had at the time of his arrest indicate he contacted Hunjan numerous times during the course of the conspiracy. 

Co-conspirators Hunjan, 38, Spring Valley, New York, and Thomas, 39, Richmond, pleaded guilty to the same charges Feb. 16, 2023, and Oct. 2, 2023, respectively. Hunjan was sentenced to a 42-month federal prison sentence while Thomas received 90 months. 

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

IRS Criminal Investigation, Treasury Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Secret Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.

GALVESTON, Texas – A 45-year-old La Marque resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Ronnie LaShawn Allen pleaded guilty Feb. 24, 2022.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Allen to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.

Between February 2017 and February 2019, Allen distributed cocaine base or “crack” for a crack distribution ring operating in the La Marque and Texas City areas. He was held responsible for 2.224 kilograms of crack cocaine.

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

The FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Force in conjunction with the La Marque Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Cusick prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old Edcouch resident has been sentenced for receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Servando Diaz pleaded guilty March 19.

U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton has now sentenced Diaz to 144 months. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including that Diaz admitted to downloading child pornography to numerus personal devices for his own use online and offline. In addition, the court heard that his collection of child pornography included a wide range of content including videos that ranged in length, sadistic and masochistic files and bestiality. Diaz was further ordered to pay a $5,000 special assessment 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. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

From approximately Nov. 30, 2022, to approximately Dec. 7, 2022, Diaz downloaded child pornography from links he purchased by utilizing cryptocurrency.

Law enforcement conducted an ongoing investigation of offenders engaging in a commercial sexual exploitation ring where child pornography was sold and paid for through cryptocurrency. In return, links were provided to the purchaser via MEGA, a file hosting service.

Authorities identified an individual who purchased child pornography directly from the commercial sexual exploitation ring through their transaction information. An open-source database check confirmed the deposit address in Edcouch belonged to Diaz.

On Aug. 15, 2023, Diaz agreed to an interview with law enforcement and admitted to viewing, purchasing and downloading child pornography for approximately 10 years.

Diaz utilized various platforms including Telegram and MEGA to purchase the links with cryptocurrency. Additionally, Diaz paid approximately $50-150 via PayPal to gain access to a private group known to distribute child pornography on either Discord or Telegram.

Law enforcement conducted a forensic search on his digital devices which resulted in the discovery of 360 videos and 178 image files depicting child pornography including prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

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

FBI conducted the investigation.

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

HOUSTON – PetroChina International America Inc. (PCIA) has entered into an agreement to pay a fine and monetary forfeiture totaling $14.5 million for violations of U.S. export law, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani along with Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) - Houston, and Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish, Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) Office of Export Enforcement (OEE) - Dallas.

PCIA is a subsidiary of PetroChina International Co. Ltd., one of the largest oil and gas companies in the world. It was incorporated in New Jersey in 2003 and is principally located in Houston.

PCIA agreed to pay the fine and forfeiture after authorities discovered evidence they had reported inaccurate information in the Automated Export System (AES), an electronic database that exporters use to declare international exports from the United States. Specifically, PCIA misclassified more than $32 million of ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel as mineral oil mix for certain export transactions to Mexico that took place in 2019 and 2020. 

“From its bustling port to its proximity to Central and South America, Houston is a lucrative hub for international commerce. The city’s continued growth depends on companies playing by the rules, in this case export and import regulations,” said Hamdani. “The potentially false or misleading valuations PetroChina International America input into a government database gave it an unfair competitive advantage while also harming the integrity of global trade with nations like Mexico. The $14.5 million forfeiture and fine assessed against PCIA should send a message to all those companies still not playing by the rules – The Southern District of Texas will hold you to account.”

The investigation that led to fine and forfeiture began in December 2019 after Mexican authorities discovered discrepancies between importation documents for a Panamanian oil tanker after it made entry in Port Veracruz, Mexico. Mexican authorities contacted U.S. trade officials for assistance in clarifying the discrepancies.

Authorities conducted a historical analysis of export data PCIA provided, which revealed additional exports that were misclassified and/or undervalued at the time of export and then entered into AES.

“PCIA misclassified or undervalued millions of dollars in petroleum exports using the U.S. electronic database that is trusted throughout the global marketplace for timely, accurate and reliable data and information,” said Dawson. “These actions helped facilitate illegal activity abroad and damaged America’s reputation as a leader in global trade. The entry of false or misleading information into export systems is a serious law violation. Working in conjunction with our domestic and international partners, we were able to uncover these violations of U.S. export law and levy a fine and forfeiture totaling $14.5 million to level the playing field for competitors and deter similar unlawful conduct in the future.”

“Today’s forfeiture is a prime example of the U.S. government’s strong interagency partnerships working together to effectively target entities engaging in illicit activities abroad, especially those attempting to use the country’s own systems to facilitate that activity,” said McClish. “BIS will continue to identify and disrupt those who attempt to profit from and circumvent U.S. export controls and regulations.”

PCIA has fully cooperated with the investigation into the export violations and has enhanced its compliance program. It has agreed to provide the U.S. Attorney’s Office with details of its efforts in a yearly report for the three-year-term.

HSI, BIS and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is handling the matter along with HSI’s embedded counsel.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI Houston actively encourage the submission of voluntary self-disclosures (VSDs) from parties who suspect they may have violated U.S export law. VSDs serve as a strong indication of a party's commitment to complying with U.S. export law and regulatory controls. To prevent unfair trade and ensure a level playing field, HSI also encourages the reporting of suspected or known third-party violations of U.S. export law. To self-disclose a potential violation or report a suspected third-party violation, please contact HSI.  

HOUSTON –  A 21-year-old Houston resident has been handed a significant sentence for his role in a poly-drug distribution conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.   

Dhevani Mitchell pleaded guilty Dec. 4, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Mitchell to 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Mitchell’s conduct had destroyed lives and families and was a threat to the community. The court also found Mitchell continued to deal drugs and “do harm” after having multiple chances and would continue to do so if given the opportunity.    

At the time of his plea, Mitchell admitted to supplying large quantities of meth, cocaine and fentanyl from his residence in February and March 2021.

During a search of the residence March 31, 2021, authorities seized a total of approximately 10.9 kilograms of meth, 1.267 kilograms of China white heroin/gray death heroin, 260 grams suspected fentanyl, large quantities of various pressed pills and five firearms. While securing the location, they found Mitchell in a back bedroom along with a black Stoeger Cougar 9-millimeter handgun under a pillow next to him. They also discovered a Remington 5501 .22 caliber rifle and ammunition.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative with the assistance of Houston Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety. These such cooperative matters provide for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Day and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON - A 68-year-old man has been sentenced for orchestrating a $6 million Medicaid fraud and kickbacks scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Rene Fernandez Gaviola pleaded guilty Jan. 26.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Gaviola to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In addition, Judge Crane ordered Gaviola to pay $4,908,957.89 in restitution to Medicaid and a personal money judgement of $2,996,092. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Gaviola involved his own son in his “crooked” fraud scheme. Judge Crane also emphasized that Gaviola had failed to make any attempt to pay back restitution even though he has $2 million in assets stashed away in the Philippines.

Gaviola was the operator of Floss Family Dental Care clinic in Houston. From 2018 until April 2021, Gaviola submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for pediatric dental services, including numerous cavity fillings which Floss did not provide or unlicensed individuals provided.

Gaviola illegally employed his son, who was not a licensed dentist, to provide dental services to Medicaid-insured children and occasionally operated Floss without any licensed dentists present. Floss then fraudulently billed Medicaid for these services.

Gaviola also paid kickbacks to marketers and caregivers of Medicaid-insured children to bring them to Floss for dental services. Ultimately, he admitted to laundering Medicaid monies from the Floss business bank account to his personal bank account in several transactions exceeding $100,000.

From 2019 to 2021, the dental clinic billed Medicaid nearly $6.9 million in claims for pediatric dental services. Medicaid paid approximately $4.9 million on those claims.

Gaviola’s co-conspirator, Mia Diaz, 48, Cleveland, a manager at Floss, was previously sentenced to 21 months imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release April 16.

Previously released on bond, Gaviola was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

FBI, Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Lauren Valenti prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old woman from Mission has been sentenced for importing cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Brenda Bazaldua-Mariscal pleaded guilty May 22, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Bazaldua-Mariscal to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the organizational structure of the drug trafficking organization. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted her a previous 60-month sentence.

On Aug. 12, 2021, Bazaldua-Mariscal approached the Pharr Port of Entry driving a Lincoln MKX. Authorities noted inconsistencies in her travel itinerary and referred her to secondary inspection. There, a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics in the front of the vehicle.

Authorities then discovered the front bumper was lined with a non-factory compartment containing 16 bundles of cocaine with a total weight of 18 kilograms and an estimated street value of $234,000.

Further investigation revealed text messages indicating Bazaldua-Mariscal was aware she was importing narcotics.

She 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 A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (BSLMC), Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Surgical Associates of Texas P.A. (SAT) have jointly agreed to pay $15 million to resolve claims they billed for concurrent heart surgeries in violation of Medicare teaching physician and informed consent regulations, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.     

BSLMC is a joint venture between CommonSpirit Health, a national hospital chain, and BCM, a medical school in Houston. BSLMC operates a teaching hospital, formerly known as St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital, in its Medical Center. BCM employs teaching physicians and residents who perform services at BSLMC, including Dr. Joseph Coselli, 71, Houston, and Dr. Joseph Lamelas, 63, Miami, Florida. SAT is a medical practice group affiliated with various cardiothoracic surgeons, including Dr. David Ott, 77, Houston. 

The investigation began Aug. 7, 2019, upon the filing of a sealed qui tam lawsuit aka whistleblower complaint. The whistleblower alleged Coselli, Lamelas and Ott - three heart surgeons who performed at St. Luke’s - engaged in a regular practice of running two operating rooms at once and delegating key aspects of extremely complicated and risky heart surgeries to unqualified medical residents. The heart surgeries at issue are some of the most complicated operations performed at any hospital including coronary artery bypass grafts, valve repairs and aortic repair procedures. These surgeries typically involve opening a patients’ chest and placing the patient on the bypass machine for some portion of time.  

Medicare regulations dictate when teaching physicians can leave the operating room for any operation, no matter how complex. 

The settlement resolves allegations that from June 3, 2013, to Dec. 21, 2020, Ott, Coselli and Lamelas violated these rules in various respects. Surgeons often ran two operating rooms at once and failed to attend the surgical “timeout”— a critical moment where the entire team would pause and identify key risks to prevent surgical errors, according to the allegations.

Additionally, surgeons would allegedly enter a second or occasionally a third operation without designating a backup surgeon. At times, the surgeons allegedly hid these activities by falsely attesting on medical records they were physically present for the “entire” operation. In addition, medical staff did not inform patients the surgeon would be leaving the room to perform another operation. 

“Patients entrusted these surgeons with their lives - submitting to operations where one missed cut is the difference between life and death,” said Hamdani. “Allegedly, the patients were unaware their doctor was leaving for another operating room. This settlement reaffirms the importance of Medicare requirements governing surgeon presence and ensuring that no physician - no matter how prominent or successful - can skirt around the rules.”

“The complete disregard for patient safety exhibited by these three doctors put patients at risk and violated Medicare regulations for their own convenience and greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This record settlement demonstrates our steadfast commitment to protecting Medicare beneficiaries and working with our law enforcement partners to utilize all the tools in our arsenal to hold accountable those who steal from Medicare and other federal health care programs.”

“Any time any one of us goes under the knife as a vulnerable patient, we implicitly trust that the surgeons and medical professionals have our best interest at heart, especially here in Houston’s world-renowned hospitals,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI - Houston field office. “In this case, doctors gambled with their patients’ care, during complicated open-heart surgeries no less, compromising quality of care over quantity and then falsely billed Medicare for reimbursement of services they improperly delegated. We hope today’s civil settlement announcement represents accountability for doctors and hospitals everywhere.”

The $15 million recovery is the largest settlement to date involving concurrent surgeries.

The False Claims Act entitles the private whistleblower who commences the suit to a portion of the recovery. In this case, the whistleblower will receive $3,075,000.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, DHHS-OIG and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Andrew Bobb are handling the case.

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

McALLEN, Texas – Three residents of San Antonio have been sentenced following their convictions of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute a total of approximately five kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Lucille Nicole Mendoza, 43, Debra Ann Sauceda, 54, and Julian Santiago Espinoza Jr., 32, pleaded guilty Jan. 5, 2022.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Mendoza and Espinoza to serve a total of 70 months each, while Sauceda received a 60-month-term of imprisonment. All were further ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their term of incarceration.

On May 31, 2020, law enforcement encountered the three as they attempted to cross into the United States from the Pharr Port of Entry in a GMC Yukon. At that time, authorities sent them to secondary inspection, which resulted in the discovery of approximately five kilograms of meth hidden in the battery.

All have 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 conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – Two Edinburg residents have been sentenced following their admissions of benefitting from a victim’s free labor which allowed the couple to have gainful employment, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Eduardo Javier Gomez, 32, and his former partner Margarita Alvarez, 42, pleaded guilty March 1, 2023.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 70-month-term of imprisonment for Gomez, while Alvarez received two years of probation. Gomez must also serve three years of supervised release following his sentence.

From June 24 until July 8, 2021, Gomez and Alvarez benefitted from a victim’s free labor which allowed the couple to have gainful employment. Gomez also earned money from a fireworks stand where the victim provided free labor.

Law enforcement discovered the victim had been illegally smuggled to the Rio Grande Valley. Gomez was holding her against her will. Gomez was requesting further payment from family members in exchange for the victim being moved further north. When the family was unable to pay, the couple took the victim’s phone and forced her to work as a nanny and housekeeper in the home Gomez and Alvarez shared. Gomez also managed a fireworks stand where she forced the victim to work.

They never paid her.

Two days after learning of the victim, authorities were able to locate and rescue her.

Gomez 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 conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexa D. Parcell, Sherri Zack and Kim Leo prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 29-year-old Houston and former officer for the Arcola Police Department has been sentenced following his conviction for obstruction of justice and violation of civil rights, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Hector Aaron Ruiz pleaded guilty Jan. 19.

U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge has now sentenced Ruiz to a total of 20 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.

“Ruiz was not only a predator but a predator with a badge,” said Hamdani. “During a traffic stop, he raped a young woman he was sworn to serve and to protect, violently breaking a fundamental promise law enforcement makes with any community. The U.S. Attorney’s office is relentless in its pursuit to bring to justice officers who betray their uniform and oaths, committing heinous acts against members of our community. Today’s sentence is the fruit of that pursuit.”

“Hector Ruiz mistakenly believed he was protected by his uniform and badge and operated as a calculating predator who targeted and sexually assaulted his victim during a traffic stop,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “We thank the courageous woman who bravely confronted Mr. Ruiz in court to ensure he faced justice for his crime against her. As law enforcement officers, there’s nothing we despise more than those who disgrace the badge, betray the oath to protect our community and violate the public’s trust.”

On Nov. 16, 2019, Ruiz was on duty and pulled over a 23-year-old woman to conduct a traffic stop in the middle of the night. He told her to “convince” him to not take her to jail, then took her driver’s license and ordered her to follow him. When she tried to drive off, Ruiz pulled her over again and repeated his command. He eventually drove her to a neighborhood, which was under construction at the time, forced her to drink alcohol and coerced her to have sex with him.

The victim came forward the same day and identified Ruiz as her rapist.

The investigation revealed Ruiz had disabled his body microphone and the active recording system in his police cruiser. Authorities also found a text message the victim sent to a friend while Ruiz was making her follow him. In it, she said she thought she was going to die

Forensic analysis further confirmed Ruiz was her rapist.

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

The FBI and Texas Rangers conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad S. Khandelwal and Sebastian Edwards prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – Two Rio Grande City residents have been sentenced for being felons in possession of firearms and for attempting to sell multiple firearms and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jesus Maria Salazar Jr., 29, and Filiberto Martinez Jr., 42 pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa has now imposed a 30-month term of imprisonment for Salazar, while Martinez received 22 months. Both must also serve 2 years of supervised release following their sentences. At the hearing, the Court heard additional evidence including that both Salazar and Martinez had federal convictions for smuggling ammunition. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Hinojosa noted their prior convictions.

On March 2, 2023, Salazar sold three AK-47 variant rifles, one AR-15 variant rifle and approximately 5,900 rounds of ammunition to an ATF undercover agent.

The investigation revealed Martinez stored three of the firearms for Salazar prior to the sale.

Salazar and Martinez are both prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition following their respective federal convictions for illegally smuggling ammunition to Mexico.

Both 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan prosecuted the case as part of the joint federal, state and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man has been sentenced for committing fraud in connection with stimulus checks, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Ndem Oduu pleaded guilty March 14.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Oduu to serve 45 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Oduu was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,867. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that showed Oduu possessed thousands of pages of documents in his apartment related to his efforts to defraud the government through fraudulent loans and tax credits. In handing down the sentence, the court noted he hoped Oduu would lead a productive life upon release. 

At the time of his plea, Oduu admitted to appropriating a victim’s Economic Impact Payment, also referred to as a stimulus check, in the amount of $1,200 and depositing the check into his own account. 

The U.S. government offered these payments to the general public in response to the economic harm of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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

Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for assault of a federal officer after damaging two downtown buildings, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Justin Wade Prophet pleaded guilty March 25.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Prophet to serve 150 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Prophet’s childhood and mental health challenges made this sentencing one of the most difficult cases he has had. However, the court emphasized the seriousness of the offense warranted a higher term of imprisonment. The court felt the sentence was appropriate given the need to enforce respect for the law and to protect the public from future crimes.

On Oct. 26, 2023, Prophet was outside the federal courthouse in Houston during the early morning hours when he smashed a window with a long metal pole. He then walked to another building across the street, broke another window with the same pole and gained entry. While inside, he attempted to assault an individual who was on his way to work. He also damaged additional property.

Authorities from the federal courthouse confronted him shortly thereafter, at which time Prophet struck one of them with the pole. The officer shot Prophet in his lower extremities. Law enforcement immediately took Prophet into custody and transported him to the hospital.

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

The Department of Homeland Security - Federal Protective Service and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barri Dean handled the sentencing.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 33-year-old Mexican national residing illegally in the United States has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Juan Francisco Meza-Chavez pleaded guilty Sept. 5, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Meza-Chavez to serve 97 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court considered victim impact statements and ordered $45,000 in restitution to be paid to them. Meza-Chavez was further ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release to be served following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began in May 2022 following an investigation into the BitTorrent network in which they were able to identify the IP addresses of individuals sharing child pornography. They linked one of the IP addresses to Meza-Chavez.

On Oct. 13, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Meza-Chavez’s residence. There, authorities seized numerous electronic devices capable of storing child pornography.

A forensic analysis of the devices resulted in the discovery of 40 videos and 11 images of child pornography.

Meza-Chavez 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.

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 tab on that page.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 36-year-old U.S. citizen residing in Matamoros, Mexico, has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Gilberto Lugo pleaded guilty Feb. 15, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Lugo to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the prison term, Judge Olvera noted Lugo had a criminal history that included a felony assault upon a family household member.

On July 21, 2022, Lugo drove into the United States through the Veterans Port of Entry (POE) in Brownsville. Law enforcement noticed he appeared nervous and avoided eye contact. He was also the sole occupant and owner of the vehicle. Lugo claimed he lived in Matamoros and was making entry to search for a “welding course.” During inspection of his vehicle, law enforcement found 10.46 kilograms (or 23 pounds) of cocaine behind the door panels.

As the investigation continued, authorities discovered Lugo had owned the vehicle since December 2021 and had been crossing POE bridges since at least January 2022. A search of Lugo’s cellphone revealed photos of different vehicles crossing the POE, large bundles of cash and zip-lock baggies of a white powder believed to be cocaine.

Lugo 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 Oscar Ponce prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 41-year-old man has been sentenced following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute 100 kilograms or more of marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jeremiah Hawthorne pleaded guilty May 5, 2021.

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

On Sept. 9, 2020, law enforcement observed a suspicious GMC Yukon approaching the Rio Grande River at an area known for drug trafficking. Shortly thereafter, they noticed the vehicle returning from the river, then heading north. At that time, the vehicle appeared to be riding low as if it was carrying a heavy load.

Authorities attempted to conduct a traffic stop. However, the vehicle rolled over after trying to reverse in uneven terrain. The vehicle’s operator - Hawthorne - then attempted to flee on foot. Authorities successfully apprehended him after he had physically resisted. Inside of the vehicle, law enforcement discovered multiple bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 214 kilograms.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Phelps prosecuted the case. 

HOUSTON – A Houston doctor has been indicted for obtaining protected individual health information for patients that were not under his care and without authorization, announced Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The case against Ethan Haim, 34, Dallas, has now been unsealed, and he is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Yvonne Y. Ho in Houston at 2 p.m.

The four-count indictment alleges Haim obtained personal information including patient names, treatment codes and the attending physician from Texas Children’s Hospital’s (TCH) electronic system without authorization. He allegedly obtained this information under false pretenses and with intent to cause malicious harm to TCH.

According to the indictment, Haim was a resident at Baylor College of Medicine and had previous rotations at TCH as part of his residency.

In April 2023, Haim allegedly requested to re-activate his login access at TCH to access pediatric patients not under his care. The indictment alleges he obtained unauthorized access to personal information of pediatric patients under false pretenses and later disclosed it to a media contact.

If convicted, Haim faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.

FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S Attorney Tina Ansari 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.

HOUSTON — Colorado County has entered into a settlement agreement which resolves findings it violated Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by maintaining an election website that discriminates against individuals with vision or manual disabilities, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.  

“The right to vote is a right all American citizens exercise, including individuals with visual or manual disabilities,” said Hamdani. “Election websites provide crucial voting information and must be accessible so that voters with disabilities have equal access to information.” 

The county’s election website provides essential information about how to vote, such as registration requirements, identification requirements and voting information for people with disabilities. The website also links to other critical information, including details about early voting and voting on election day.

Under the settlement agreement, Colorado County agreed to make all future and existing online election content accessible to people with disabilities. The county also agreed to hire an independent auditor to evaluate the accessibility of their election website’s content, provide notice to visitors and users of the website to solicit comments and requests about any accessibility barriers, designate an employee to coordinate its efforts, revise its procedures and train relevant personnel.

This investigation is part of the Department of Justice’s ADA Voting Initiative, which safeguards the voting rights of individuals with disabilities. To read more about the ADA and how it applies to voting, please visit Voting and Polling Places. This settlement agreement is also part of the Department of Justice’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology such as websites and mobile apps.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Elizabeth Karpati handled the matter.  

HOUSTON – A 37-year-old local man has entered a guilty plea to three counts of sending threatening communications through interstate commerce, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Joshua Guadalupe Magana admitted to sending bomb threats on multiple occasions to the White House, FBI and other organizations over the course of several years. Law enforcement had previously warned him that making such threats is a crime and could subject him to imprisonment.

Specifically, Magana pleaded guilty to the charge related to a threat made June 4, 2019, when he called the FBI and said he would blow up the White House. “There is a bomb. I’m going to blow up the White House,” he stated and then hung up. Magana admitted to making the call and claimed he picked the White House because it was the most important building he could think of and wanted a “big, serious” response.  

Magana contacted the White House directly Dec. 15, 2021, and sent an email with the subject line reading “Contact the President” and a message stating “Bomb the White House.” On Feb. 27, 2022, Magana contacted the White House again and sent a similar threatening email. 

“We take all threats seriously,” said Hamdani. “People cannot convey their political or social disagreements through threats or violence.”

U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing Oct. 2. At that time, Magana faces up to five years in federal prison.

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

Secret Service and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case. 

HOUSTON – June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), and the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) continues its aggressive prosecution and community relations efforts to address the issue, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Since 2006, people have commemorated WEAAD to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk.

Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, Hamdani emphasized the importance of awareness, education and prosecution.

“The eldest generation includes, for many of us, our grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles,” said Hamdani. “They were our teachers, coaches, mentors and bosses. And now they are too often targets of opportunistic criminals who try to advantage of their trust or their physical or mental sunset. Protecting and standing up for the most vulnerable of our citizens is why we come to work each day. That mission has particular resonance when the cases we work on involve elderly victims.”

Hamdani also provided additional information and guidance in a public service announcement.

Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual or psychological.

The SDTX continues to work with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes.

Just last month, the office charged several members of a religious-based company who allegedly took nearly the entire retirement savings of a WWII veteran in his 90s. A mother and son were also charged for purportedly tricking an elderly couple out of $1M as were romance scammers who allegedly targeted the elderly in $3M fraud. Meanwhile, recent convictions include two in McAllen in a multimillion-dollar daycare fraud scheme, while the leader of a nationwide fraud scheme targeting elderly victims is now serving a 188-month sentence and another was sentenced to the max for his role in laundering scam proceeds. 

The SDTX also continues its community relations efforts to promote understanding of the important issue of elder fraud.  

In April, SDTX personnel joined the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for an elder fraud prevention seminar a local church had hosted. Participants heard about common fraud scripts and tell-tale signs of a scam as well as the types of cases SDTX prosecutes, the limits of prosecution and the importance of sharing information about fraud schemes to try to prevent victimization. Several church members who had been victimized by telemarketing scams also shared their stories. Another similar seminar is expected in the future.  

In addition, on July 16, SDTX personnel will join the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for a joint presentation at another local church. Again, the focus of the presentation will be common fraud scripts and tell-tale signs of a scam as well as what to do if you or a loved one has fallen victim to a scam.

The SDTX is part of the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force which marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against the most common schemes, like tech support fraud and romance scams.

Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.

To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely report suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In tech support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer to “confirm” the non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties or taxes before they can claim their prizes.

To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.

To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov. 

HOUSTON - An Indiana man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in an international advance-fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria that defrauded victims worldwide of over $5.6 million, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for 45 minutes before convicting Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, Indianapolis, Indiana, following a six-day trial March 4 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering.

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Nwosisi to serve a total of 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He must also pay $905,945 in restitution. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Nwosisi was a knowing, willing participant in a criminal scheme with very real impacts to victims around the world, stating that “today is the day for accountability.”  

From at least February 2015 to January 2018, Nwosisi participated in an advance-fee scheme involving fraudulent offers of investment funding and inheritances to victims around the world. Nwosisi’s Nigeria-based co-conspirators induced victims to make large wire payments to bank accounts in the United States on the false belief that payment of the purported advance fees was necessary before the bank would release their funding or inheritance. Nwosisi served as a money launderer who accepted victim funds into his U.S.-based bank accounts and directed the proceeds to the ringleaders in Nigeria.

The FBI and Department of State – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Latham prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

An Indiana man was sentenced today to three years in prison for his role in an international advance-fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria that defrauded victims worldwide of over $5.6 million.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from at least February 2015 to January 2018, Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, of Indianapolis, participated in an advance-fee scheme involving fraudulent offers of investment funding and inheritances to victims around the world. Nwosisi’s Nigeria-based co‑conspirators induced victims to make large wire payments to bank accounts in the United States on the false belief that payment of the purported advance fees was necessary before the bank would release their funding or inheritance. Nwosisi served as a money launderer who accepted victim funds into his U.S.-based bank accounts and directed the proceeds to the ringleaders in Nigeria.

A federal jury in Houston convicted Nwosisi on March 4 of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Douglas A. Williams Jr. of the FBI Houston Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher Hileman of the Department of State Office of Inspector General (DOS-OIG) made the announcement.

The FBI and DOS-OIG investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Philip Trout of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christian Latham for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 26-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

From March 2020 until June 2021, Khalia Douglas conspired with others to submit false and fraudulent applications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), the U.S. government and a bank for financial assistance. 

As part of her plea, Douglas admitting to using her Instagram account “GoGettaKaee” to post multiple stories advertising her involvement in filing fraudulent SBA COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) applications. Such posts include “SBA is back open. $350 for method. Yes im doing applications $100 upfront & $2k when your money hit. You’ll need a real bank account.”

Douglas accepted payment for her services via CashApp where her clients would make payments to her and send a screenshot of the completed payment as proof.

She also submitted false EIDL applications for herself and false Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications for another. 

Further investigation revealed Douglas filed eight FEMA disaster assistance applications related to Hurricane Laura.

Additionally, Douglas committed several other fraudulent acts like filing false unemployment benefits in Kansas, using another person’s name to rent her apartment and using another person’s bank account to deposit counterfeit checks.

Authorities discovered her phone and computer contained a multitude of various documents and discussions of fraud in text messages, emails relating to fraudulent applications, false tax documents, images of counterfeit government identification documents and more.

Due to her actions, the EIDL, PPP and the bank lost a total of $351,007 with an attempted loss amount of $514,415.

Douglas received approximately $23,775 for her services.

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has set sentencing for Sept. 26. At that time, Douglas faces up five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

She was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

The Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 22-year-old local man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Avery Frank Bass Jr. pleaded guilty March 22.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Bass to serve the statutory maximum of 15 years in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Bass was a true danger to the community.  

Law enforcement arrested Bass as part of the Houston Violent Crime Initiative announced in September 2023.

“Removing violent individuals who use firearms from our communities is one of the top priorities of my office,” said Hamdani. “The Houston Violent Crime Initiative is an innovative program aimed at reducing violent crime by employing federal laws to prosecute gang members and associates in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. The result in this case demonstrates that we are making progress in our fight to reduce violent and firearms crimes in the Southern District of Texas.”

Local law enforcement was executing an arrest warrant for Bass for aggravated robbery in August 2023. At that time, they discovered a loaded American Tactical AR pistol and a loaded 9mm Glock 17 on the driver’s side floorboard where Bass had been sitting. A review of his criminal history showed that he had three prior felony convictions for robbery, all of which involved the use of a firearm. 

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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, FBI and the Houston Police Department conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Zenon-Matos prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Shelia Lafferty of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.

HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Houston area resident has pleaded guilty to fraudulently applying for and receiving a newly rebuilt house worth $314,000, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Christopher Montealegre admitted to one count of theft of government funds after he knowingly applied for relief intended for victims the hurricane impacted through a program the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administered. Montealegre received assistance in the form of a newly re-built house. The home was rebuilt using federal funds which were intended for victims of Hurricane Harvey.

Congress allocated funds to Texas as a special appropriation associated with a Presidentially Declared Disaster in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. The funds help to support communities working to build stronger and more resilient neighborhoods.

“Christopher Montealegre exploited a program intended to assist vulnerable victims of Hurricane Harvey and used those funds for his own personal enrichment,” said Hamdani. “Public resources for disaster relief should go to the victims that actually need them, not to enrich private actors like Montealegre.”

“Montealegre’s alleged conduct is disturbing, especially during this time when the public is reminded of the devastation that historic storms leave with thousands of victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Bertrand Nelson for HUD’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), Southcentral Region. “The taxpayer has no tolerance for those who steal from Federal public aid – the sole goal of which is to help victims rebuild and move forward with their lives. We will continue to work with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to aggressively pursue fraudsters who steal disaster grant funds to enrich themselves.” 

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison accepted the plea and has set sentencing for Aug 8. At that time, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Montealegre was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

HUD-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Lansden and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shalimar Addy prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – Multiple local residents have been sentenced for narcotics trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Gabriel Ortiz, 31, Francisco Ortiz, 53, and Adbento Guerrero, 62, all of McAllen; and Alonzo Rolando Garza, 42, Edinburg, had all previously pleaded guilty.  

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 144-month-term of imprisonment for Gabriel Ortiz, while Francisco Ortiz received 121 months. Guerrero and Garza previously received 30 and 120 months, respectively. All four must also serve five years of supervised release following their sentences.

“Gabriel Ortiz and his co-conspirators, with their irresponsible and criminal behavior, directly caused the death of a human being,” said Hamdani. “This case demonstrates the dangers of local drug dealing and narcotics usage. Thankfully, their lengthy prison sentences will ensure they can no longer traffic these deadly substances in our communities and bring such tragedy to our streets.”

The investigation revealed that in 2019 and 2020, the four men trafficked cocaine in the McAllen and Edinburg areas. The co-conspirators would purchase and sell multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine as well as smaller amounts of cocaine base aka “crack.” 

In November 2020, Gabriel Ortiz sold approximately three grams of cocaine base to a 53-year-old man who subsequently died after using the narcotic.

Throughout the investigation, law enforcement seized a total of over 10 kilograms of cocaine and 69 grams of cocaine base. The drugs had a combined estimated street value of approximately $260,000.

Law enforcement seized $294,520 in money and assets as part of the case.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Edinburg Police Department, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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 James Sturgis prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 39-year-old man has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of a converted machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Christopher Victor pleaded guilty Aug. 14, 2023, to possessing a loaded .40 caliber pistol which was located under his seat.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Victor to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the violent nature and circumstances of the offense and found Victor had a history of violent conduct, including prior convictions for aggravated assault and possession of a firearm.

Co-conspirator Melvin Wilkins, 41, Houston, pleaded guilty April 7 to unlawful possession of a firearm and was later sentenced to 59 months. At the time of his plea, Wilkins admitted to possessing an AR-15 style rifle between his legs while in the backseat of a vehicle that Victor drove.

Law enforcement discovered the rifle contained an extra part, which they determined to be a “switch.” A switch is an additional part added to a firearm to convert it into a machinegun or firearm that shoots more than one shot without manual reloading.

The rifle contained one round in the chamber and 74 rounds in the magazine. The safety was set to off and the rifle was in the fire position.

As both a machinegun and short barreled rifle, the firearm requires registration to the possessor in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). Authorities verified the firearm had no serial numbers or identification number printed, engraved or stamped on the lower receiver of the rifle. Wilkins cannot register the firearm in the NFRTR without serial numbers or identifying information.

As convicted felons, federal law prohibits Victor and Wilkins from possessing firearms or ammunition.

Victor and Wilkins 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 led the investigation in conjunction with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Southeast Crime Suppression Team and Houston Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 68-year-old resident of Guadalajara, Mexico, has been sentenced for attempting to smuggle multiple firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition on a vehicle roof rack, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jose De Jesus Pena Dieguez pleaded guilty March 27.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Dieguez to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Dieguez had previously exported firearms to Mexico on several prior occasions.

On Jan. 11, Dieguez attempted to enter Mexico through the Progreso Port of Entry in a Nissan Xterra. Upon inspection, authorities noticed tampering on the screws of a compartment connected to the vehicle's roof rack. An x-ray examination also showed anomalies within the compartment.

A subsequent search revealed 16 firearms, 31 firearm magazines, assorted firearm parts and 800 rounds of ammunition.

Dieguez admitted he purchased the firearms and intended to illegally export them to Mexico.

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

Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Customs and Border Protection 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. In May 2021, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced a new effort to reduce violent crime, including the gun violence that is often at its core. Integral to that effort was the reinvigoration of PSN, a two-decade old, evidence-based and community-oriented program focused on reducing violent crime. The updated PSN approach, outlined in the department’s Comprehensive Strategy for Reducing Violent Crime is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions.

HOUSTON – U.S. Attorneys for the Southern, Northern, Eastern and Western Districts of Texas announced “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative targeting illegal machinegun conversion devices, colloquially known as “switches.”

At simultaneous press conferences throughout the state, U.S. Attorneys Alamdar S. Hamdani, Leigha Simonton, Damien Diggs and Jaime Esparza, joined Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agents in Charge Michael Weddel and Jeffrey Boshek and lambasted switches, which transform commercially available firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade M4s.

“Today is an important step to put on notice those who traffic in switches and who use switches,” said Hamdani. “We will hold you to account. My office, combining forces with the ATF, and along with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern , Western and Northern Districts, will do everything in our power to continue to make our communities safer by stemming the flow of switches.”

“Today’s important initiative is aimed at raising awareness of illegal machine gun conversation devices also known as ‘switches,’ said Weddel. “Todays’ threat comes from MCDs that easily convert a firearm into a machinegun. These ‘switches’ as they are often called on the streets, not only pose a serious threat to those living in our communities but a unique and deadly threat to law enforcement. Simply possessing one of these devices is a federal crime and we will work endlessly in conjunction with our U.S. Attorney’s Office in addition to our  local, state and federal partners to identify and prosecute these criminals.”

About an inch long, switches may be made of metal or plastic and can be printed on commercially available 3D printers. They generally slot into the butt of a gun and allow the shooter to fire “full auto,” unloading dozens of rounds with a single pull of the trigger. (In contrast, regular semi-automatic firearms require a separate trigger pull for each round fired.) To date, switches have been used in numerous fatal shootings, including at least one juvenile mass shooting and multiple police killings.

Except in very limited circumstances, possession of a switch is illegal, as the National Firearms Act classifies the switch itself as a machinegun.

Yet the number of switches law enforcement recovered has risen dramatically in the past few years. Between 2017 and 2023, Texas-based ATF agents seized 991 switches; 490 of those - 50 percent - were seized just last year. They are often sold over social media, marketed to adults and juveniles alike.

At Monday’s press conferences, the U.S. Attorneys announced that as part of Operation Texas Kill  Switch, they are partnering with Crime Stopper programs statewide to combat the proliferation of these illegal devices.

From now until Aug. 31, local Crime Stopper programs will offer cash rewards for information leading to the apprehension or prosecution of those who possess switches or 3D printers being used to manufacture them. Tipsters may use **TIPS to be connected to a Crime Stoppers program in their area. Tips can be submitted 24 hours a day, and anonymity is guaranteed by law. Information may also be submitted directly to ATF at www.atf.gov/contact/atf-tips.

U.S. Attorneys Hamdani, Simonton, Esparza and Diggs also urged local law enforcement to partner with federal authorities on switch cases, which carry maximum sentences of up to 10 years in the federal system. They laid out their case in a joint op-ed published Monday in the Austin American Statesman, which you can read here.

A federal jury in the Southern District of Texas convicted a Texas pharmacist last Friday after a retrial for unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances at a now-shuttered pharmacy.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Hieu “Tom” Truong, 60, of Houston, was the pharmacist-in-charge at S&S Pharmacy in Houston. In just 18 months, Truong and his accomplices unlawfully distributed over 750,000 doses of controlled substances, including over 500,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone pills. Trial evidence showed that S&S Pharmacy unlawfully dispensed controlled substances in bulk for cash, based on forged prescriptions brought in by street-level drug dealers.

The jury convicted Truong of two counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances. Truong was originally convicted at trial in May 2022 and was granted a new trial due to a change in the law following the Supreme Court’s decision in United States v. Ruan. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.

The DEA Houston Division investigated the case, with assistance from the Conroe Police Department, Houston Police Department, and Harris County Constable’s Office.

Trial Attorneys Devon Helfmeyer, Monica Cooper, and Andrew Tamayo of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,000 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $24.7 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

HOUSTON – A federal judge has returned a guilty verdict against a local man for making threats to injure a U.S. senator, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal, after careful deliberation, found Issac Ambe Nformangum, 24, guilty on one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure following a two-hour stipulated bench trial.

Nformangum called the senator’s office from his cellular phone and left a lengthy threatening message. He stated the senator would be found and killed.

The court heard evidence that Nformangum made a direct threat intended for the senator in which he disregarded the extent of the seriousness of his words.

“Nformangum called the office of a U.S. senator and made threatening comments.” said Hamdani. “It was a frightening call. This is never acceptable, and the Southern District of Texas will always seek to hold actors like Nformangum to account for their actions, to deter others like him, to protect the rule of law and to ensure a safe environment for all public servants. Today’s guilty verdict demonstrates that dedication.”

“You can criticize, refute and disagree with someone’s political view or vote, but you don’t get to threaten an elected official with violence just because you don’t like their political platform,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “Those actions are not protected under the Constitution. On the contrary, as Mr. Nformangum found out, they’re a crime.”

Judge Rosenthal has set sentencing for Oct. 2. At that time, Nformangum faces up five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

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.

FBI-Houston conducted the investigation with assistance from the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Imperato and Craig M. Feazel are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 32-year-old man has been sentenced for Hobbs Act robbery and related firearms charges, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Deonta Rashawn Brown pleaded guilty March 7.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Brown to serve 162 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Brown must also pay restitution to the victims. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the traumatic impact Brown’s crime had on his victims.

At the time of the plea, Brown admitted to aiding and abetting interference with commerce by robbery and aiding and abetting use, carry and brandish of a firearm during a crime of violence.

On Oct. 24, 2019, Brown robbed a Waffle House restaurant in the 1200 block of Wilson Road in Houston with Fabian Bradley. Bradley brandished a pistol during the attack. Together, the two stole an employee’s mobile phone and a small amount of cash from the restaurant.

This robbery was one of three that law enforcement believe the duo committed that night – including another Waffle House restaurant and a gas station convenience store.

The three robberies occurred within approximately one hour of each other, beginning at 10:57 p.m. and ending shortly after midnight. The robbery locations appeared to have been carefully chosen in either a low-traffic area or close to I-69 – which would allow the co-conspirators to make a quick getaway from each scene.

Bradley, 22, also pleaded guilty and previously received a sentence of 168 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.

Brown 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 along with police departments in Humble and Houston. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ganz and Joseph Porto prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 56-year-old Needville man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in an illegal kickback scheme and a commodities insider trading scheme involving natural gas futures contracts.

Matthew Clark pleaded guilty March 15 to honest services wire fraud, commodities insider trading and prohibited commodities transactions.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Clark to serve a total of 78 months in prison. He must also pay $7,709,509 in restitution and forfeit $6,532,360. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanks noted Clark made the calculated choice to commit these offenses despite the risk of being caught, and in doing so “gambled and lost.”

According to court documents, Clark conspired with others to direct his employer’s trades to Houston-based Classic Energy LLC, a brokerage firm Matthew Webb, 54, Tiki Island, owned and operated, in exchange for illegal kickbacks. As part of his prohibited trading, Clark conspired with John Ed James, 54 Katy, and Peter Miller, 49, Puerto Rico. Clark received more than $5.5 million in illegal kickbacks for his trades. 

Webb pleaded guilty in June 2021 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. James pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and commodities fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced July 1, while Miller admitted to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and is set for sentencing June 20.

In two other related cases, Marcus Schultz, 44, Houston, and Lee Tippett, 64, Jacksonville, Florida, pleaded guilty in July 2020 and August 2021, respectively. Schultz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and is scheduled to be sentenced July 1. Tippett pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and honest services wire fraud and was previously sentenced to 33 months in prison.

Clark was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined at a later date.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Murphy prosecuted the case along with Assistant Chief Leslie S. Garthwaite and Trial Attorneys Della Sentilles and David Hamstra of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

The former president of a Texas energy company was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for his role in an illegal kickback scheme and a commodities insider trading scheme involving natural gas futures contracts.

According to court documents, Matthew Clark, 56, of Needville, Texas, conspired with others to direct his employer’s trades to Houston-based Classic Energy LLC, a brokerage firm owned and operated by Matthew Webb, 54, of Tiki Island, Texas, in exchange for illegal kickbacks. As part of his prohibited trading, Clark conspired with John Ed James, 54 of Katy, Texas, and Peter Miller, 49, of Puerto Rico. Clark received more than $5.5 million in illegal kickbacks for his trades. 

Clark was also ordered to pay $6,532,360 in restitution and to forfeit $5,543,662.

Clark pleaded guilty on March 15 in the Southern District of Texas to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, prohibited commodities transactions, and commodities insider trading. Webb pleaded guilty in June 2021 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act. James pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1. Miller pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20.

In two other related cases, Marcus Schultz, 44, of Houston, and Lee Tippett, 64, of Jacksonville, Florida, pleaded guilty in July 2020 and August 2021, respectively. Schultz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1. Tippett pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and honest services wire fraud and was sentenced on Feb. 20 to two years and nine months in prison.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas; Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Houston Field Office investigated the case.

Assistant Chief Leslie S. Garthwaite and Trial Attorneys Della Sentilles and David Hamstra of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Murphy for the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old man has been sentenced for importing meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Juan Adame II pleaded guilty March 11, 2022.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Adame to serve 57 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence Adame had an integral role in smuggling illegal narcotics into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court noted traffickers could not succeed without the willing participation of transporters like Adame.

On April 8, 2021, Adame claimed he had no illegal drugs in his vehicle when arriving at the Progresso Port of Entry.

Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where a K-9 alerted to the odor of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed 25 bricks of meth, weighing approximately 24 kilograms and hidden in compartments within the vehicle’s wheel wells.

The meth had an estimated street value of approximately $60,000.

At the time of his plea, Adame admitted he knew he was smuggling narcotics and had done so on multiple occasions.

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

Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – Two individuals are now in custody for allegedly conspiring to submit numerous fraudulent applications for small business loans through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program provided through the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Authorities have arrested Shawn Nicholas Young, 41, Missouri City, and Trenikia Lashae Banks, 40, Houston. They will make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard Bennett at 2 p.m.

According to the 11-count indictment, Young and Banks devised a scheme to submit fraudulent PPP and EIDL applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and several banks authorized to approve and fund PPP loans the government backed. They allegedly submitted false tax documents, including fake personal and business tax returns, to support the loan applications.

The indictment alleges Young and Banks used the loan proceeds to make large cash withdrawals and to pay for unauthorized and non-business expenses such as residential mortgages, home improvement loans and the purchase of vehicles. Some of the money also went to Young as kickback payments for submitting fraudulent applications for the businesses Banks and others owned, according to the allegations.

If convicted, each faces up to 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy and wire fraud as well as a $250,000 maximum possible fine. The money laundering count carries a possible 10-year prison term and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.

Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Small Business Administration – OIG and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Shirin Hakimzadeh 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.

HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Spring resident has been sentenced for distributing, receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Oscar Barrios pleaded guilty Nov. 30, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett has now sentenced Barrios to 144 months for the distribution and receipt of child pornography counts and 120 months for the possession of child pornography count, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 144-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted Barrios violated a position of trust as a father with minor children in the household. Barrios was further ordered to pay $20,500 in restitution to the victims and will serve five years 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. Barrios will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Barrios distributed and received child pornography on multiple messaging applications such as Kik and Discord. He participated in chatrooms, including one named “Pedo Lives Matter,” where members engaged in trading child pornography. In these chatrooms, Barrios made statements proclaiming sexual interest in a minor female relative.

During a search of his electronic devices, law enforcement uncovered 66 videos and one image of child pornography.

Barrios 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 Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebekah Saunders and Christine Lu are 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.

HOUSTON – A 23-year-old man has been sentenced for conspiring to traffic a minor for commercial sex, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.

Javon Yaw Opoku aka “Glizzy” pleaded guilty June 7, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr has now sentenced Opoku to 365 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the duty to the people Opoku harmed and that he had forfeited the right to be around other members of society for a very long time. Restitution will be determined at a later date. Opoku 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. Opoku will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

“Opoku spent years exploiting and victimizing little girls and other vulnerable members of our community,” said Hamdani. “Opoku will now spend the next 30+ years away from our community, unable to continue his exploitation and victimization of our daughters and neighbors.

From April 2019 to February 2020, Opoku and co-conspirators recruited young teenage girls and forced them to engage in sex acts with clients for money in cars and hotels around the Bissonnet “blade.”

The blade or “track” is an area near 59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.

Opoku and co-conspirators passed around or reassigned victims amongst one another, taught each other “the pimp game,” forced the young girls to walk the blade while Opoku and others kept the proceeds.

The young girls were required to pay an exit fee or get “beat out” to switch between pimps. Some traffickers required daily quotas each night from their victims. If the victims failed to meet their daily quotas, they were severely punished through beatings and humiliation.

Co-conspirator Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka “Jmoney” was sentenced April 12 to 292 months in federal prison.

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

Houston Police Department initiated the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Kate Suh and Anthony Franklyn prosecuted the case along with former AUSA Richard Bennett.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 21-year-old Mexican citizen has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

On June 30, 2023, Kevin Alejandro 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 pornography.

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

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. accepted the plea and has set sentencing for Sept. 5. At that time, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Santos-Moya has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano 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 link on that page.

McALLEN, Texas – A 20-year-old Mission man has been ordered to federal prison for obstructing justice by threatening communication and assault on a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Hector Reyes Jr. pleaded guilty March 18,2024.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered him to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release.

“The Gulf Cartel is a brutal and violent organization, one that this office seeks to disrupt and dismantle,” said Hamdani. “So, there is no patience in my office when criminals, like Reyes, use the cartels to intimidate law enforcement and scare witnesses. We take such attempts seriously and will vigorously pursue those who, through such intimidation, seek to subvert our system of justice.”

At the time of his plea, Reyes admitted he had uploaded a threatening message from Commandante Siete, a high-ranking member of the Gulf Cartel to SnapChat. This message was transmitted on handheld radios the Gulf Cartel used and warned certain people to stand down while they still “had time.”

Reyes posted this message intending to intimidate individuals who were searching for his father and hoped that it would impede his arrest. He also wanted the message to intimidate those individuals intending to cooperate with the government. 

Reyes also admitted that after a detention hearing for another individual, he spit at a federal officer in the courthouse parking lot. Reyes also admitted that in a jail house phone call he had bragged to his father that the agent had gotten scared, in part because of the things that were said at the detention hearing.

Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation with the assistance of local task force officers. 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 Patricia Cook Profit and Ted Parran prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 43-year-old man has been sentenced for possessing counterfeit or unauthorized access devices, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Wade Zollinger pleaded guilty Nov. 13, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Zollinger to serve 63 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted it had a duty to issue a fair sentence on behalf of Zollinger’s victims.

At the time of the plea, Zollinger admitted to fleeing from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle. They apprehended him and located numerous counterfeit identification documents. These included credit and debit cards, personal checks belonging to others, counterfeit U.S. currency as well as counterfeit U.S. currency plates used for the manufacture of currency. They also found multiple ledgers detailing the personal identifiable information of others. 

Shortly thereafter, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Zollinger’s residence and recovered additional evidence of the same type.

Secret Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace Murphy and James Hu prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 37-year-old resident of Sacramento, California, has been sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to import narcotics through the Rio Grande Valley for further distribution into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Shaun Michael Simmons pleaded guilty Oct. 11, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Simmons to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Simmons had an aggravating role by acting in a leadership capacity over other members of the organization. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane also noted Simmons’ criminal history.

On June 14, 2022, Dustin Oliver entered the United States from Mexico in a vehicle with an attached trailer through the Anzalduas Port of Entry in Mission. Upon initial inspection, law enforcement conducted an X-ray scan, observed anomalies in the trailer floor and referred Oliver to secondary inspection.

Through a physical search, law enforcement discovered 20 packages of narcotics concealed within aftermarket compartments located in the trailer floor.

The packages weighed approximately 22 kilograms and tested positive for cocaine.

The investigation revealed another co-conspirator, Ericka Iesha Thomas, recruited Oliver in Austin to import a controlled substance. Simmons had recruited Thomas to find an individual to transport narcotics from Mexico into the United States. Simmons coordinated and provided instructions for the pickup and drop off of the narcotics transport trailers and provided co-conspirators with money to make the trips to Mexico and back to the United States.

Both Oliver, 35, Indiana, and Thomas, 30, California, were previously sentenced to 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release for their respective roles in the conspiracy.

Simmons 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 Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON - A 39-year-old resident of Montgomery County has been sentenced for sexually exploiting a child and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

James Aubrey Zachary Wasson pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now sentenced Wasson to 360 months and 120 months for the sexual exploitation and production convictions, respectively. They will run concurrently for a total 30-year-term of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard from the victim’s mother detailing how Wasson’s actions caused the child to suffer nightmares. In handing down the prison terms, the court acknowledged that the sentence was “life altering for a reason,” noting that the victim’s life will never be the same. The judge also rejected Wasson’s excuse that he exploited the child because of a drug addiction, commenting that drug abuse does not lead preying upon children.

Wasson was further ordered to pay $29,000 in restitution to multiple 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. Wasson will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

“Wasson shattered a little girl’s life,” said Hamdani. “Today’s sentence cannot give her back the life she should have had, but it does ensure Wasson cannot hurt other children for a very long time.”

“Over the course of two years, this child predator uploaded more than 500 files of child sexual abuse materials to the internet, including over 50 files of himself sexually exploiting a minor victim,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston. “Thanks to the selfless bravery of one of his victims who worked with investigators to confirm his identity, we were able to obtain his conviction and ensure he is held accountable for his heinous actions.”

Authorities identified Wasson after discovering over 500 files of child pornography he had uploaded between March 2019 and March 2021. One folder contained a series of 51 photographs, all taken on a single date in December 2020. Some showed him in a state of sexual arousal next to a minor female child. He also appeared to be fondling her under her clothing.

A subsequent search of Wasson’s cell phone confirmed it was the device he used to produce the series of sexually explicit photographs. The cell phone also contained other files of child pornography taken between May 2020 and May 2021.

The minor victim also identified Wasson and recalled when he took the photographs.

Wasson 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 the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.

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

HOUSTON – A 48-year-old man has been sentenced for sex trafficking four women by means of force and of taking three women across state lines to engage in prostitution, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

On Oct. 10, 2023, a federal jury in Houston deliberated for approximately three hours before convicting Larry “Lavish” Lewis following a six-day trial.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Lewis to serve 480 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release. At the hearing, the government asked the court to consider the victims in the case and highlighted Lewis’s complete absence of remorse for his crimes.

“Today, the victims of  Lewis’s abhorrent crimes have finally received the answer they have been waiting to hear for years,” said Hamdani. “The message the court delivered in its sentence is clear: traffickers do not get to profit from the sale of victims’ bodies. They do not get to use drugs, beatings and threats to compel others to engage in prostitution. Traffickers, like Lewis, are not welcome in the Southern District of Texas, or anywhere outside of a federal penitentiary, and my office will see to that.” 

Lewis used physical force and coercion to compel four women to engage in commercial sex in the Bissonnet street area of Houston and various cities in Texas and Louisiana. The jury also found he coerced them to cross state lines to engage in prostitution.

At trial, the victims detailed how Lewis recruited them on false promises of good money and a good life. Lewis confiscated the identification cards of two women and tightly controlled access to their hotel rooms. The women were completely dependent on him for food, lodging and basic necessities.

Lewis’ rules dictated where and how long they worked. The women were required to give Lewis all money they earned after commercial sex dates.

The victims detailed the consequences of breaking Lewis’ rules. He kicked one victim in the head into a window because he believed she disrespected him. During another incident, Lewis whipped the same victim with an electrical cord following an attempt to escape using his vehicle. Another victim described how Lewis broke her ribs and left bruises all over her body after receiving many beatings.

The jury ultimately did not believe defense claims that the women sought out Lewis because of his marketing expertise in the commercial sex industry.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Christine J. Lu prosecuted the case.

Texas Department of Public Safety and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA).

HTRA law enforcement includes members of the Houston Police Department, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.

Established in 2004, the United States Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.