Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON – A suburban Houston man is set to appear on charges of filing fraudulent and false statements on his federal tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Joseph Patrick Butler is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray at 2 p.m.

A federal grand jury returned the four-count indictment April 4 which was unsealed upon his arrest. It alleges for tax years 2017 through 2020, Butler signed false joint Form 1040 U.S. individual income tax returns and received inflated tax refunds to which he was not entitled. 

According to the indictment, Butler’s joint tax returns include false entries showing he allegedly received hundreds of thousands in wages. His employers allegedly withheld over $100,000 per year. 

The indictment also alleges Butler falsely received over $260,000 in refunds for tax years 2013 through 2020. 

If convicted, Butler faces up to three years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine for each of the four counts as charged.

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year-old local man has been sentenced for distribution of child pornography depicting prepubescent minors via a social media messaging application, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Ryant Rodriguez pleaded guilty March 9, 2022.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now sentenced Rodriguez to 132 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. 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.

Rodriguez distributed multiple images and videos depicting child pornography as a member of a social media group chat dedicated to the trade and exchange of child pornography.

The investigation revealed he was also in possession of approximately 963 pornographic images depicting children between the ages of five to 10 on his phone at the time of his arrest.

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

The FBI and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

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

GALVESTON, Texas – A 42-year-old Texas City resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Shane Alan Flores pleaded guilty Nov. 9, 2021.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Flores to serve 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information regarding the 2.2 kilograms of cocaine Flores supplied to co-conspirators for the manufacture and sale of cocaine base aka “crack” and his role in the conspiracy.

During 2018, Flores supplied cocaine powder to a crack distribution ring operating in the La Marque and Texas City areas to manufacture into the cocaine base or “crack” and sold to locals.

Flores 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 conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Cusick prosecuted the case.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a Mexican citizen residing in San Benito for attempting to smuggle ammunition into the Republic of Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Fabian Osiel Flores-Morales, 30, attempted to depart the United States into Mexico via the outbound lane at the International Port of Entry in Los Indios March 21. Upon inspection of the 2009 Dodge Ram he was driving, authorities discovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition concealed throughout the vehicle. 

The indictment alleges he attempted to export approximately 250 rounds of 9mm, 150 rounds of .45 caliber and 200 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from the United States to the Republic of Mexico.

Flores does not have a license to export firearms or ammunition and has not applied for one, according to the charges.

Originally charged by criminal complaint, Flores-Morales remains in custody pending his arraignment.

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

Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado is prosecuting the case.

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

McALLEN, Texas – Three men have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to traffic and “cook” custom meth orders in the McAllen area, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Alfredo Duarte, 32, Fullerton, California, and Mexican citizens Abraham Pena-Quintero, 39, and Francisco Hernandez-Madrid, 49, each pleaded guilty April 24, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 135-month-term of imprisonment for Duarte, while Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid received 78 and 57 months, respectively. Duarte must also serve three years of supervised release following his sentence. Not U.S. citizens, Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid are expected to face removal proceedings following their respective terms of imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about how Duarte planned and orchestrated a scheme with undercover authorities to trade guns in exchange for drugs. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Crane noted the specialized methods of the scheme to “cook” exceptionally large crystals of meth and the dangerousness that such narcotics represent to the United States.

An undercover investigation around 2021 revealed Duarte and co-conspirators imported liquid meth from Mexico. They would then “cook” it into crystals to whatever purity level and size their customers wanted.

Through the course of the investigation, the individuals delivered over 11 kilograms of meth in the McAllen area. Duarte served as the customer-facing member of the conspiracy, while Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid were narcotics couriers.

Pena-Quintero and Hernandez-Madrid will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Duarte was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender at a later date.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation as part of a joint operation deemed “Operation: Knock Down.” Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert L. Guerra Jr. prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – Two Hidalgo residents have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jose Alfonso Trevino Jr., 46, and Rita Eva Moreno-Tinoco, 40, pleaded guilty March 23, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 120-month-term of imprisonment for Trevino followed by five years of supervised release while Moreno-Tinoco received 37 months and a three-year-term of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence explaining how agents located four firearms including an AR-15 style rifle inside the narcotics stash house. Judge Crane also heard how Trevino threatened arresting authorities when they transported him.  

On Jan. 19, 2021, Trevino was driving a pickup truck and failed to signal a turn, at which time law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. They searched the truck and found 10 kilograms of cocaine inside reusable grocery bags on the back seat and took him into custody.  

At the time of his arrest, Trevino requested to call his wife, Moreno-Tinoco. Law enforcement overheard him ask his wife to tell his son to “clean out the garage.” They then observed Moreno-Tinoco arrive at the couple’s residence and load two plastic storage bins from the garage into her vehicle.

After departing the home, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on Moreno-Tinoco’s vehicle and found 31 kilograms of cocaine within the bins previously removed from the garage.

Both Trevino and Moreno-Tinoco 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 Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and the Hidalgo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Fry prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 42-year-old San Juan resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Daniel Garza pleaded guilty Nov. 30, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Garza to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence of additional firearms Garza possessed.

Garza is a known member of the Vallucos criminal street gang. With several convictions for violent, weapons-related offenses, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law. Law enforcement believed he was in such possession of prohibited items and launched an investigation.

That led them to his residence June 27, 2023, where they executed a search warrant and discovered two firearms, body armor, a mask and a bag of firearm magazines. Authorities subsequently reviewed Garza’s social media and obtained recent photographs of him in possession of several other firearms including a belt-fed rifle and a firearm he claimed was fully automatic.

Garza 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; U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Department of Public Safety and police departments in Edinburg and San Juan 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 40-year-old Mexican citizen has been sentenced for transporting child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Luis Alberto Hernandez-Venegas pleaded guilty Nov. 30, 2023.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Hernandez-Venegas to serve 97 months in federal prison. He will also serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. Hernandez-Venegas will also be ordered to register as a sex offender and as a non-U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Hernandez-Venegas knowingly joined a Telegram group well-known for distributing child pornography. From this Telegram chat, he possessed 25 videos of child pornography which equated to approximately 1,875 images.  In handing down the sentence, Chief Judge Crane noted that Hernandez helped to provide for a family in Mexico with the intention of engaging in a relationship with their teenage child.

On Sept. 26, 2023, Hernandez-Venegas attempted to make entry into the United States from Mexico at the Donna Port of Entry. Authorities referred him to secondary inspection where a preliminary consensual search of his phone revealed images containing child pornography.

Law enforcement reviewed the contents of the phone and found multiple images, videos and chat messages depicting child pornography including prepubescent and pubescent male minors performing sexually explicit acts.

Hernandez-Venegas acknowledged communicating with male minors between the ages of 15 and 17. He also admitted to being in a relationship with a 15-year-old male who resides in Mexico and identified images of him on his cellphone.

He said he knowingly and intentionally possessed, received and viewed child pornography.

Hernandez-Venegas 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 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 32-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Vincent Andrew Gutierrez pleaded guilty Oct. 22, 2021.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Gutierrez to serve 84 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court found the sadomasochistic enhancement applied as some of the images and videos depicting prepubescent minors being forced to engage in sexual acts with adults.

Gutierrez was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and will serve five 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. Gutierrez will also be ordered to re-register as a sex offender.

From December 2017 to December 2019, authorities conducted an investigation on BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file sharing platform. They soon  identified a device downloading child pornography videos and images connected to the IP addresses found to be associated with Guiterrez.  

Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for his home, at which time they seized a laptop and conducted a forensic examination. The investigation revealed the BitTorrent files Gutierrez possessed contained the title PTHC (pre-teen hardcore). PTHC normally refers to images or videos of prepubescent boys and girls engaged in hardcore sexual acts.

The investigation revealed Gutierrez had 412 images and four videos of child pornography.

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

Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task force conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia 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 35-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for sex trafficking of a minor on the “track,” announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka Jmoney pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2022.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Hilliard to 292 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Hilliard had offered to teach another person the “pimp game” who then allegedly turned around and victimized numerous vulnerable young girls and women using violence and manipulation. In handing down the prison term, the court stated that the Hilliard was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The court also noted that Hilliard destroyed the young victims’ lives for “nothing more than money” and that their lives would never again be the same. Hilliard was also ordered to 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. Hilliard will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

“No little girl dreams of growing up and selling her body for money,” said Hamdani. “Heinous things have happened to these victims that ultimately led them into the sights of the criminals who target and prey on them. What Hilliard did was reprehensible. It is no defense that a victim may have previously been involved in prostitution. Today, this victim blaming stops.”

From April 2019 to February 2020, Hilliard and others were involved in a sex trafficking conspiracy occurring on the Bissonnet “blade.” The “blade” or “track” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.

Hilliard 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 blade. Co-conspirators also passed around or reassigned victims amongst one another, coached each other on the “pimp game” and forced the young girls to walk the area while the traffickers kept the proceeds.

The victims were not allowed to switch between pimps unless they paid an exorbitant exit fee or were “beat out.” Some traffickers required daily quotas each night from their victims. If the girls did not meet those demands, the pimps and others severely punished victims through beatings and humiliation.

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

The Houston Police Department 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 Richard Bennett, Kate Suh and Anthony Franklyn are prosecuting this case.

HOUSTON – A deportation officer has been taken into custody on allegations he transported nearly $700,000 in what he believed to be drug proceeds, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Christopher Washington Toral, 48, Spring, is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison at 2 p.m. 

A federal grand jury returned the indictment April 9, which was unsealed upon Toral’s arrest.

Toral is an employee of Department of Homeland Security (DHS), working as a deportation officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On three occasions in 2023, Toral allegedly transported a total of approximately $700,000 in exchange for cash payments. In each instance, he believed the monies were proceeds from drug transactions, according to the indictment.

Toral transported $200,000 between Feb. 9 and 28, 2023, from Dallas to Houston, according to the charges. In early March 2023, he allegedly travelled from Newark, New Jersey, to Houston with $300,000 in U.S. currency.

If convicted, Toral faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine. 

FBI and DHS – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Ferko is prosecuting the case.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 62-year-old man residing in McAllen has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Luis Fabian Vela pleaded guilty Oct. 27, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Vela to serve 195 months in federal prison. The court enhanced the sentence after determining he was a repeat and dangerous offender against minors and because the offense involved a minor under the age of 16. In handing down the prison term, Judge Alvarez noted how Vela had community support throughout his life but turned to illegal sexual conduct when he was stressed. Calling his behavior sexually deviant, Judge Alvarez expressed concerns for the safety of the community due to these crimes occurring in the dark. Vela 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.

“Vela is a prominent business owner who used his significant means to coerce minors into producing pornographic material of children for his own gratification, even going as far as instructing them how to take photographs of specific areas,” said Hamdani. “He boasted about his wealth to get what he wanted, but there won’t be much of that now…at least for the next 16 years.”

From Sept. 29, 2022, through Oct. 5, 2022, Vela operated a financial account listed under Birdiebistro, a business he owns, and began communicating with a 15-year-old child. Even after the minor told Vela their age, he continued to engage in those conversations which were at times sexual in nature and extremely vulgar. He then instructed the minor on how to produce child pornography and utilized the Birdiebistro account to pay for the files.

At the hearing, Vela expressed his apologies to his own family for all that has happened to him.

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

HOUSTON – A Nigerian man who resided in Fulshear is set to appear in court on allegations he conspired to defraud over a dozen elder Americans who thought they were in romantic online relationships and sent millions to a network of fraudsters, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.  

Darlington Akporugo, 46, is scheduled for a detention hearing at 9 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison.

Akporugo allegedly conspired with Jasmin Sood, 35, also of Fulshear, to commit wire and mail fraud.

Between approximately 2015 and 2022, the fraudsters allegedly used fictitious personas and sought out and contacted elderly victims online who were often widowed. The indictment alleges they used social networking and internet dating platforms and communicated with victims using email, text message and telephone to gain their trust. The scammers would then ultimately deceive them into transferring large sums of money to various fraudster-controlled or influenced mailing addresses and bank accounts, many Akporugo and Sood owned or controlled, according to the charges.

After establishing trust with the victim online, Akporugo and Sood approached at least one victim in the Houston area in person, according to the allegations. They then allegedly drove the victim to banks for the purpose of sending money to the fraudster network, convincing her to give Akporugo control of the victim’s banking access devices.

The indictment also charges Akporugo with aggravated identity theft and fraud in connection with an access device.

The scheme allegedly resulted at least 13 victims being defrauded of an approximate $3,123,073. The indictment includes notice of forfeiture for all illegally derived proceeds from the fraud scheme.

If convicted, both face up to 30 years imprisonment for each of the wire fraud counts and conspiracy. Akporugo faces an additional 10 years on the fraud in connection with an access device and another mandatory two years if convicted of the aggravated identity theft.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Grace Murphy 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.

LAREDO, Texas – The owner of Rick’s Armory LLC has been taken into custody for allegedly selling a firearm to a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Ricardo Estevis Jr., 31, Laredo, is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga April 11 at 9:30 a.m.

According to the criminal complaint unsealed upon his arrest, Estevis had applied for a federal position. As part of the employment process, the investigation allegedly revealed he had sold a Sig P365 handgun to someone be knew to be a felon. The charges also indicate Estevis further attempted to circumvent the appropriate procedures by conducting the purchase as a private sale.

The complaint alleges the buyer had five felony convictions and has been prohibited per federal law from possessing a firearm or ammunition since 2004.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, Laredo Police Department and other federal, state and local agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez is prosecuting the case.

This 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.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A Three Rivers resident and former Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employee is expected to appear in federal court on two counts of bribery of a public official, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Justin Matthew Gonzalez, 26, is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton at 9:45 a.m.

According to the indictment, returned April 4 and unsealed upon his arrest April 8, Gonzalez formerly served as a corrections officer at the Federal Correctional Institution Three Rivers. The charges allege he accepted cash as payment to smuggle contraband into the correctional institution.

If convicted, Gonzalez faces up 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

Department of Justice – Office of Inspector General South Central Region conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Collins and Carolyn Ferko 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 45-year-old Nigerian national previously extradited from the United Kingdom has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorneys Alamdar S. Hamdani and Dena J. King for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and Western District of North Carolina (WDNC), respectively.

Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo aka John Edwards and John Dayo arrived in the United States in August 2022 after he was extradited from the United Kingdom to face criminal charges brought against him by federal prosecutors in Charlotte and Houston. Adeagbo has now pleaded guilty for his criminal conduct in both cases following the transfer of the case in the U.S. District Court in the SDTX to the U.S. District Court in the WDNC.

A business email compromise scheme, also referred to as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam that often targets individuals, employees or businesses involved in financial transactions or that regularly perform wire transfer payments. Fraudsters are usually part of larger criminal networks operating in the United States and abroad.

There are many variations of BEC scams. Generally, the schemes involve perpetrators gaining unauthorized access to legitimate email accounts or creating email accounts that closely resemble those of individuals or employees associated with the targeted businesses or involved in business transactions with the victim businesses. The scammers then use the compromised or fake email accounts to send false wiring instructions to the targeted businesses or individuals, to dupe the victims into sending money to bank accounts controlled by perpetrators of the scheme. Generally, the money is quickly transferred to other accounts in the United States or overseas.

The BEC scheme in the SDTX

According to information contained in court documents, from November 2016 until July 2018, Adeagbo conspired with others to participate in multiple cyber-enabled business email compromises in an attempt to steal more than $3 million from victim entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies and a Houston-area college. As with the scheme in North Carolina, Adeagbo and his co-conspirators registered domain names that looked similar to legitimate companies. They then sent emails from those domains pretending to be employees at those companies to clients or customers of the companies they impersonated and deceived those customers into sending wire payments to bank accounts the co-conspirators controlled.

The BEC scheme in the WDNC

According to filed plea documents and court proceedings, from Aug. 30, 2016, to Jan. 12, 2017, Adeagbo, his co-conspirator - Donald Ikenna Echeazu, 42, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom extradited to the United States - and others defrauded a North Carolina university (the victim university) of more than $1.9 million via a BEC scheme.

Court records show that Adeagbo and his co-conspirators obtained information about significant construction projects occurring throughout the United States, including an ongoing multimillion dollar project at the victim university. To execute the scheme, Adeagbo, Echeazu and others registered a domain name similar to that of the legitimate construction company in charge of the university’s project and created an email address that closely resembled that of an employee of the construction company. Using the fake email address, the fraudsters deceived and directed the university to wire a payment of more than $1.9 million to a bank account controlled by an individual working under the direction of Adeagbo and his co-conspirators. Upon receiving the payment, Adeagbo and his co-conspirators laundered the stolen proceeds through a series of financial transactions designed to conceal the fraud.

Adeagbo remains in federal custody. At sentencing, he faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison on each count. According to the plea agreements, Adeagbo will be required to pay a money judgment to be determined by the court and restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which is alleged to be at least $14,185,847.42. A sentencing date has not been set.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell in the WDNC sentenced Echeazu to 18 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release and ordered him to pay $655,408.87 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney King and U.S. Attorney Hamdani commended the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office for handling the North Carolina investigation and the FBI’s Houston Cyber Task Force for conducting the investigation in Texas with the assistance of the FBI’s Cyber and Criminal Investigative Divisions. They also thanked the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, the Metropolitan Police Service, the City of London Police, and the Crown Prosecution Service for their substantial assistance, and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs for securing the arrest and extradition of Adeagbo and Echeazu.

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Graham Billings of the WDNC in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution. AUSA Rodolfo Ramirez of the SDTX handled the criminal proceedings in Houston, along with Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS).

If you suspect you are a victim of a BEC scheme, you can file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Complaint Crime Complaint Cetner (IC3) at  bec.ic3.gov. The IC3 staff reviews complaints to detect patterns or other indicators of significant criminal activity for potential criminal prosecution. 

HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment against a former Houston resident for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud and conducting a monetary transaction in criminally derived property, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

According to the indictment, unsealed upon her appearance in court, Kristen Fenrick, 52, now of Dallas, was the owner of Klearly Kristen Inc., a business engaged in the sale of jewelry and accessories. The charges allege she submitted a fraudulent loan application via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fenrick grossly inflated the number of employees her business purportedly had as well as its average monthly payroll expenses, according to the charges. In support of her application, Fenrick allegedly submitted fraudulent IRS documents to the lender. She also allegedly paid a co-conspirator to assist her in the preparation and submission of the false application.

Based on her misrepresentations, the indictment alleges a third-party lender with delegated authority from the Small Business Administration (SBA) approved a loan to Klearly Kristen in June 2020 for $405,340. According to the allegations, the SBA fully guaranteed and subsequently forgave the loan based on continued misrepresentations about the business’s employee headcount and payroll expenses.

The charges allege Fenrick used the PPP funds for her own personal benefit, such as the lease of a luxury vehicle, and not for the purpose for which the loan was intended.

Both before and after the PPP loan, Fenrick also allegedly made several unsuccessful attempts to secure an Economic Injury Disaster Loan for Klearly Kristen and several other purported businesses.

If convicted, Fenrick faces up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, a maximum of 20 years on each of the substantive wire fraud counts and up to 10 years imprisonment for conducting a monetary transaction in criminally derived property. She could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines.

The SBA-Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh 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 – A 47-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Salek admitted to his involvement in a fraudulent scheme to obtain more than $1 million and falsely informing an investor the funds would be used to develop real estate.

During the plea, Walter Salek admitted between 2019 and 2021, he entered into agreements with an investor to develop real estate in the Houston area. As per the agreement, Salek was to contribute real estate, and the investor was to provide cash to develop the properties. Once developed, properties were to be either leased or sold.

The investor believed the funds would be used for the developments and deposited over $1 million into business bank accounts that Salek controlled through use of interstate wire communications. However, Salek diverted at least $571,000 of the investment funds for his own personal use on mortgage payments and luxury vacations. 

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake will impose sentencing July 11. At that time, Salek faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A local resident has been indicted on 15 counts for making a false claim and subscribing to false tax returns based on a fictitious income and withholdings, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

David Gauna appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton at 10 a.m.

The indictment alleges in 2019, Gauna falsely claimed on his income tax return for estates and trusts (Form 1041) that his trust had received $620,891 in interest income, which had been withheld and paid to the government. At the time of filing, he allegedly knew the return was incorrect and untrue.

The indictment further alleges in 2020, Gauna filed another Form 1041, claiming his trust was owed a tax refund of $3,346,693. Later that year, he allegedly assisted in filing 13 additional 1041 forms, requesting refunds totaling $4,960,434, all of which he knew were fraudulent.

If convicted, Gauna faces up to three years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for subscribing to a false tax return as well as up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine for each of the 14 counts of making false claims against the United States.

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck 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.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A local resident has been indicted on 16 counts for failure to pay employment taxes to the IRS, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Timothy Gaines Pollard appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie K. Hampton today at 10 a.m.

According to the indictment, Pollard owned and operated Tim Pollard Construction, a residential remodeling and fence installation business in Kingsville and Bishop. Pollard was allegedly responsible for determining which expenses to pay and exercised control over all aspects of the business.

As owner and operator, Pollard was allegedly held liable for collecting and withholding employment taxes from his employees’ paychecks. Such employment taxes allegedly include federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare taxes. It is alleged Pollard withheld these taxes from employees but failed to pay them over to the United States.

The indictment further alleges Pollard diverted corporate funds to cover his personal salary and expenses. Pollard still owes more than $400,000 in employment taxes on behalf of his company’s employees, as alleged in the indictment.

If convicted, Pollard faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count of in the indictment.

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck 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.

LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old man has pleaded guilty for attempting to transport a two-year-old child from Mexico further into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Julio Chavez-Olan admitted to making an agreement with another person to transport the girl in exchange for financial gain.

On Nov. 23, 2023, Chavez-Olan arrived at the Juarez Lincoln Bridge Port of Entry in Laredo driving a grey Honda sedan with a two-year-old child in the backseat. He attempted to enter the United States by claiming the girl was his own daughter and presented law enforcement with her birth certificate.

Upon primary inspection, Chavez-Olan showed family photographs to authorities, claiming the photos included the child in the backseat.

Law enforcement then referred Chavez-Olan to secondary inspection where further investigation determined the photographs did not depict the two-year-old girl and were instead of his daughter and niece.

The investigation also revealed the minor was not related to Chavez-Olan and was not accompanied by a parent, legal guardian or family member during the smuggling attempt.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing July 16. At that time, Chavez-Olan faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Chavez-Olan was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence Andrew Check Jr. is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – Two individuals are expected to appear in Houston federal court in relation to a smuggling event that turned fatal in March 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Lorie Lin Flowers, 25, and Santiago Hernandez Jr., 26, are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m.

The Houston residents had evaded law enforcement for over nine months until authorities recently apprehended them following their removal from Mexico back to the United States.

The charges allege that on March 17 and 18, 2023, a human smuggling operation resulted in the armed kidnapping of three migrants along I-10 East in Waller County. Three other victims were shot and left at the scene, according to the allegations. The alleged perpetrators held the victims hostage at two Houston area hotels and began requesting ransom money from their families. The charges allege the victims were beaten and threatened while held for ransom.

According to testimony presented in court, the kidnappers released two hostages after their families paid the ransom and law enforcement conducted an operation to rescue the remaining victim.

The scheme led to the death of one of the alleged perpetrators.

Brian Martinez, 24, and Christian Hernandez, 26, both of East Bernard, Miguel Gonzalez, 34, Richmond; and Houston residents Zachary Austin Palomo, 29, Alex Anthony Fisher, 27, and Brenda Roxana Serrano Figueroa, 25, were previously indicted and all but Miguel Gonzalez have remained in custody on various charges.

Santiago Hernandez, Flowers, Palomo, Figueroa and Fisher are charged with aiding and abetting kidnapping. If convicted, they face up to life in prison. For bringing in and harboring certain individuals, Gonzalez, Cristian Hernandez and Martinez could receive up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction. All charged also carry a potential fine of $250,000.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the sheriff’s offices in Harris and Waller Counties, Houston Police Department and the State Attorney General of the State of Michoacán as helping in the arrest of the fugitives. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Lewis is prosecuting the case.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 45-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition in addition to possessing meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal jury convicted Roberto Moya Dec. 12, 2023, following a two-day trial.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Moya to serve 75 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony that described the extent of Moya’s involvement in drug dealing. Evidence was also presented that depicted Moya fighting with guards at the jail. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Moya’s gang affiliations and his associations with known drug dealers resulted in the position he is in today.   

On May 25, 2022, law enforcement conducted a search at Moya’s residence as part of a narcotics investigation. Although he was not the target, the investigation led them to that location.

During the search, authorities discovered a Glock pistol and a fully loaded magazine along with five other bullets of various calibers. Law enforcement found them between the mattress and box spring of the bed inside Moya’s bedroom. Law enforcement also found three pistols throughout the house, a shotgun and five shotgun shells in the garage, to which only Moya had a key.

The investigation further revealed Moya was a convicted felon for robbery and failure to register as a sex offender. As such, he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old man residing in San Juan has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jorge Eduardo Naranjo pleaded guilty July 8, 2023, admitting he utilized a social media application and made arrangements to engage in a sexual encounter with a nine-year-old child.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane ordered Naranjo to serve 300 months in federal prison. The sentence was enhanced after the court determined Naranjo was a repeat and dangerous offender against minors, the offense involved a minor under the age of 12 and it was a commercial sex act. During the hearing, the court also heard argument that Naranjo crafted a life where he had access to children through employment at a children’s store and even expressed a desire to have his own female child so he could sexually assault her. The court also heard additional information that Naranjo was in possession of hundreds of child pornography files and further distributed those files. In handing down the prison term, Judge Crane noted that despite Naranjo’s age, his behavior was alarming and expressed the need to protect children in our community from this danger. Naranjo will also 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.

“Naranjo exhibited some of the most dangerous behavior for our society,” said Hamdani. “He is a predator – he made specific inquiries about how to prevent children from reporting sexual abuse and if a nine-year-old could become pregnant. Thankfully, our partners put a stop to his threat and, together, we have taken another step in keeping our community safe from these reprehensible crimes.”

Naranjo, who operated several accounts with the username “Bored Dude” on a social media site, began communicating with an individual he believed had a nine-year-old child. Naranjo exchanged multiple messages clarifying his intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with the individual’s child who he referred to as “little.” Additionally, he sent files containing child pornography to the individual, messages inquiring how to keep children from reporting sexual abuse and if it was possible the child would become pregnant.

Naranjo traveled to an Edinburg hotel and intended to engage in the criminal sexual activity. Law enforcement took him into custody immediately upon his arrival at the hotel.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 34-year-old Mission resident has been sentenced following his conviction for transportation of undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Simon Garcia III pleaded guilty Dec. 15, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Garcia to serve 24 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding the circumstances of the crime such as the heat and cramped conditions. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the number of people transported in the horse trailer.

On Sept. 15, 2023, Garcia approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint driving a black Dodge Ram 3500 truck with an attached horse trailer and four horses. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle and authorities referred him to secondary inspection.

Upon further investigation, law enforcement discovered 32 people hidden within a storage compartment inside the trailer. All were illegally present in the United States and cramped into a small area.

After refusing to get inside the trailer, one person recalled that he was forced into the trailer. Some described how they crossed into the United States and were held at stash houses before masked individuals told them to get into the horse trailer, not move and be quiet. Another person said he was sweating excessively, had a hard time breathing, had no way to escape and feared for his life.

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

Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Crosby resident has been taken into custody for trafficking fentanyl on multiple occasions that resulted in death and serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Joshua Ray Stebelton is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m.

The indictment, returned March 27 and unsealed upon Stebelton’s arrest, alleges he was a member of an ongoing four-year conspiracy to distribute more than 440 grams of fentanyl. According to the indictment, the conspiracy allegedly resulted in the deaths of two and serious bodily injury to a third victim.

In November 2020, Stebelton allegedly distributed less than 40 grams of fentanyl that resulted in the death of an individual. Less than two months later in January 2021, he is alleged to have distributed fentanyl again which resulted in the death of another victim.

In addition to the conspiracy, Stebelton is charged with seven counts of distributing fentanyl from November 2020 through June 2023.  

If convicted, Stebelton faces up to life imprisonment and a possible $10 million maximum fine.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal J. Alaniz, Casey N. MacDonald and Jimmy Leo 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.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Corpus Christi man has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, being a felon in possession of a firearm and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal jury sitting in Corpus Christi convicted Jason Ramirez May 10, 2022, following a two-day trial.

U.S. District Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Ramirez to serve 120 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and drug trafficking. He received an additional six-month sentence for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The prison terms will run consecutively for a total 126-month sentence of imprisonment. The sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.

At trial, the jury heard that on Feb. 29, 2020, law enforcement pursued Ramirez after he failed to yield at a stop sign. He soon crashed into a concrete fountain at a local park and fled on foot. Shortly after, they discovered Ramirez in a nearby neighborhood and arrested him.

At the time of arrest, authorities discovered a pistol and meth in Ramirez’s vehicle. Upon searching his phone, law enforcement discovered messages related to the selling of drugs and pictures of Ramirez posing with the firearm.

The defense attempted to convince the jury that the gun and meth found in the car did not belong to Ramirez. However, the jury saw video evidence of Ramirez fleeing from the vehicle and footage showing the discovery of the weapon and narcotics. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Corpus Christi Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John R. Lamont prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – Two Mexican nationals have been sentenced following their convictions of firearm smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Sadir Arvizu Velazquez, 40, and his son, Sadir Arvizu Barcenas, 19, both Mexican citizens residing in Querétaro, Mexico, pleaded guilty Oct. 11, 2023.

U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen has now imposed a 52-month-term of imprisonment for Velazquez, while Barcenas received 37 months. Not U.S. citizens, they are expected to face removal proceedings following their sentences. In imposing the prison terms, Judge Kazen stated that some degree of planning was evident since the men traveled from Mexico to the United States for the specific purpose of violating federal laws.

On Nov. 5, 2022, the father and son duo flew to Dallas from Mexico City, Mexico, to enlist the assistance of James Mwangangi Kiilu, 22, Denton, to buy 21 semi-automatic pistols between Nov. 6, 2022, and Nov. 9, 2022. Kiilu agreed to purchase pistols in his name and falsely certify on federal forms that the pistols were only for him.

After purchasing the weapons, Kiilu delivered them to Velazquez and Barcenas.

On Nov. 9, 2022, authorities observed Kiilu, Velazquez and Barcenas loading the pistols into a secret compartment of a small compact car, a Chevrolet Spark, modified with a secret compartment to conceal the pistols. The men then disposed of the pistol boxes, bags and receipts. Law enforcement subsequently conducted traffic stops on Kiilu, who drove a rented SUV, and Velazquez who drove the Chevrolet Spark. Authorities found the pistols in the hidden compartment within the compact car.

Law enforcement seized the firearms which have since been forfeited to the United States.

On Feb. 1, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Kiilu to serve 52 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.

Velazquez and Barcenas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future while Kiilu will remain on bond until ordered to self-surrender.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.

This 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 74-year-old Kingwood resident has been sentenced for possessing and watching sexually explicit material involving minors over a web video meeting, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Stephen Philip Keller pleaded guilty Nov. 27, 2023, to one count of accessing with intent to view child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. At the time of the plea, the court heard that Keller is a repeat offender against minors. He was convicted in 2001 for criminal solicitation of a minor.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Keller to serve two 120- month prison terms concurrently for the accessing with intent to view and possession of child pornography convictions. Keller was further ordered to serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Keller is also a registered sex offender and will continue to be so following his sentence.

In March 2021, Keller logged into in a web video meeting which included more than 20 minutes of child pornography videos. The investigation identified Keller as one of several participants in the meeting.

In February 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Keller’s residence. At that time, he admitted to participating in more than five web video meetings which involved the streaming of child pornography. Keller also admitted to receiving child pornography through encrypted messaging apps on his cellphone.

Authorities also conducted a forensic investigation and discovered several illicit images of minors on Keller’s phone.

Keller 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 with the assistance of Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’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 tab on that page.

LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old man has been indicted for possession of a machine gun, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal grand jury has now returned a one-count indictment against Francisco Isaias Rodriguez. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

The criminal complaint alleges on March 12, a member of law enforcement attempted to stop a truck for a traffic infraction. Rodriguez allegedly exited the truck seconds before the stop and fled from the scene on foot.

It is alleged during the subsequent chase, Rodriguez resisted arrest, ignored commands from authorities and allegedly threw a small bag he carried around his shoulder over a fence and into a backyard.

Law enforcement later recovered the bag from the backyard which allegedly contained a Glock 9-millimeter pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch.”

According to the complaint, this device altered the function of the firearm to shoot more than one round with a single pull of the trigger, making the firearm a fully-automatic weapon. The bag also allegedly contained an extended magazine with 40 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition.

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew is prosecuting the case.

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

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

LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Walter Wellington Somers admitted he possessed more than 2,000 pills containing fentanyl.

On Dec. 23, 2023, law enforcement responded to a call from the Embassy Suites Hotel in Laredo. Hotel staff found what they believed to be drugs in one of the rooms while trying to clean it.

Law enforcement arrived on scene and observed Somers attempting to get back into the room. He claimed he was only there to pay for a television he had broken.

Authorities conducted a search of the hotel room and discovered a silver zipper bag containing several clear plastic bags with a large number of small blue circular pills. They were imprinted with an “M-30” logo. Law enforcement confirmed Somers had been staying in the room and checked out earlier in the day before returning to the hotel.

A laboratory analysis later determined there were a total of 2,319 pills which contained fentanyl.

The investigation revealed Somers had traveled from Louisiana to meet a friend in South Texas. In phone messages between the two, they discussed collecting money and acquiring narcotics. In one audio message, the individual told Somers if he sent $700 or $800 that evening, someone would front them 3,000 pills.

The friend also sent Somers a video of him holding three bags of blue M-30 pills that were identical in size, shape and packaging to the pills seized Dec. 23, 2023. 

“One pill can kill – that’s the mantra of law enforcement when discussing the dangers of fentanyl-laced pills,” said Hamdani. “Laredo’s children are dying because of pills similar to the ones Somers possessed. This case exemplifies why we must educate our communities not just on the dangers of fentanyl, but how this lethal drug is disguised to fool people into believing it’s nothing more than ordinary prescription medication.”   

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Somers faces up to 40 years in federal prison and a possible $5 million maximum fine.

Somers will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany Jensen and Brian Bajew are prosecuting the case.

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

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

LAREDO, Texas – A 62-year-old Mexican man has pleaded guilty for attempting to smuggle 63.85 kilograms of pure meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

On Jan. 10,  Eleazar Vilchiz Alonso applied for entry into the United States at the Lincoln-Juarez Bridge in Laredo while on board a commercial bus. At primary inspection, law enforcement discovered several dozen jars of lard in his luggage.

As part of an agricultural inspection, authorities discovered a sandy substance within the lard which tested positive for meth. Law enforcement recovered a total of 48 jars in several suitcases. Alonso stated he was going to deliver them to an address in Houston.

Laboratory analysis later confirmed the substance in the jars was 100% pure crystal meth or “ice” totaling 63.85 kilograms with a value of more than $1.29 million.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing July 9. At that time, Alonso faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine for each count.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Office of Field Operations. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence Andrew Check Jr. prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 44-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for bank fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Rhett Dean Stringer pleaded guilty Feb. 15, 2022.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Stringer to serve 105 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,475 to Amegy Bank and $6,515.27 to Wells Fargo. At the hearing, the court heard evidence detailing Springer’s nine previous felony convictions. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hanks noted Stringer’s sentence is based on the actions of the person he has been, not the person he can be.

“Stringer, a serial mail thief and habitual criminal, possessed over 1,000 stolen checks,” said Hamdani. “One hundred and five months in a federal prison is wholly appropriate for the thousand times he decided to steal from the mail, violating an important and sacred trust, one as old as America - a trust in the U.S. mails.”

Law enforcement arrested Stringer on three different occasions. Each time, he was found in possession of checks that were stolen from the mail. Authorities also found counterfeit ID cards with the names and personal information of others, with Stringer’s photo, as well as credit cards in the names of others and various items of stolen mail. 

At the time of his last arrest, Springer was found in possession of over 1,000 checks totaling more than $2.6 million that had been stolen from the U.S. mail. The checks he cashed totaled nearly $8,000.

U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.

GALVESTON, Texas – A total of 23 people were taken into custody following the return of a 50-count indictment alleging cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth trafficking and related crimes in the Houston and Galveston areas, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The indictment alleges they all operated under the overall control of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. 

From Dec. 28, 2018, to April 22, 2020, the conspirators allegedly operated in and out of the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and distributed drugs smuggled into the United States from Mexico.

The leader of one of these groups – Roque Zamudio-Mendoza, 52, Mexico, was the main source of drugs smuggled into the United States, according to the charges. Other co-conspirators allegedly distributed the narcotics in the Houston and Galveston areas to other locations throughout the United States, including New Orleans, Louisiana; Pensacola, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Chicago, Illinois. 

During the law enforcement operation that spanned multiple jurisdictions to include the Houston, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and McAllen areas in Texas as well as Louisiana, Colorado, Washington and California, authorities arrested a total of 20 people. They join three individuals who were previously in custody. Two are now deceased. Zamudio-Mendoza, who is believed to be in Mexico, and 15 others are still at large and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.   

Some have already made their appearances in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison. Others are set for April 2 at 10 a.m. in Galveston or in Houston April 3 at either 11 a.m. or 2 p.m.

The indictment, returned Dec. 14, 2023, also seeks forfeiture of any illegal proceeds of the alleged crimes, estimated at $10 million. To date, records indicate authorities have seized approximately 550 kilograms of meth, 249 kilograms of cocaine, 34 kilograms of heroin, five kilograms of pentobarbital and 22,600 fentanyl-laced pills. As part of the arrests, they also allegedly found nine firearms and several luxury Rolex watches and large amounts of U.S. currency to include $190,000 seized during a traffic stop in Porter.

All are charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth and face up to life in prison. Each is also charged in varying counts to include conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, laundering of monetary instruments, possession with intent to distribute meth, heroin, fentanyl and/or cocaine.

The arrests are the culmination of a 63-month Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation (OCDETF) dubbed Operation Rainmaker that began in 2019.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the OCDETF investigation along with Houston Police Department, Galveston Police Department and the 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. Attorneys Kenneth Cusick and Rick Hanes 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 42-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Juan Carlos Munoz met a 14-year-old girl from South Carolina on a social media/video chat site. He utilized a fake name and claimed to be a 19-year-old teenager and requested nude photos and videos of the girl.

Local law enforcement in South Carolina were able to determine his true identity and report the allegations to Texas authorities.

On Dec. 16, 2022, they located him at a local high school where he was employed as a substitute teacher. At that time, Munoz admitted to communicating with the minor victim and requesting sexually-explicit photos.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa will impose sentencing July 19. At that time, Munoz faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Munoz has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations-Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of York County Sheriff Office in South Carolina.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 23-year-old man has pleaded guilty to attempting to coerce and entice a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

From January to February 2020, Israel Ruiz used Instagram to solicit explicit images from children as young as nine.

The investigation revealed he used several tactics to obtain the pornographic materials including contacting the minor victims via the social media platform. He also intimidated the minors by threatening to post other nude images of them or their friends online if additional images were not given to him.

U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa will impose sentencing July 19. At that time, Ruiz faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cahal P. McColgan and 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 link on that page.

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

Roberto Rivas aka Scarface pleaded guilty Jan. 3, 2023. 

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Rivas to serve 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding his lengthy criminal history which began when he was just 12 years old including the facts surrounding his arrest and his role in narcotics trafficking in Mathis. The court also heard how Rivas was a poly-substance, multi-kilogram narcotics distributor who had been operating for years in the Mathis area. 

The investigation began when Rivas sold meth to an informant for law enforcement. When authorities executed the arrest warrant for that sale, Rivas attempted to flee by running out of the back of his girlfriend’s house and hiding in the brush. 

Rivas then attempted to dispose of two duffel bags containing almost four kilograms of cocaine, over 2.5 kilograms of meth, 133 grams of heroin, 600 grams of marijuana and more than $90,000 in cash by throwing the additional evidence into the brush. The estimated street value of the cocaine and meth was approximately $114,000.   

However, law enforcement located Rivas and the duffel bags, and he was subsequently charged and pleaded guilty to the larger quantity of narcotics he attempted to throw away. 

Additionally, while executing a search of the residence, authorities located a hidden closet concealed as a bookshelf. Rivas admitted he had it built in the house to help him hide from authorities when they came to arrest him. 

Rivas’ girlfriend was also charged and convicted of harboring a fugitive for her role in helping him evade arrest in her home.

Rivas 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 the Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance the U.S. Marshals Service, Sheriff’s Offices in Live Oak and San Patricio Counties, George West Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – Four Mission residents have entered guilty pleas for their roles in a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and a related conspiracy to transport aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Luis Enrique Moctezuma-Acosta, 36, Elizabeth Acosta, 52, and Keysi Fuentes-Gavarrete, 27, admitted to laundering over $2 million in monetary instruments. Scarlett Fuentes-Gavarrette, 35, entered her plea March 26 to the same charge. She and her husband - Moctezuma-Acosta - also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. All four are either related through blood or marriage.

“In the heart of South Texas, where the borders converge, we confront the stark reality of money laundering and the smuggling of undocumented individuals,” said Hamdani. “From the distant lands of Honduras to the bustling streets of Boston, Massachusetts, this illicit network spans continents, but our resolve to dismantle it remains unwavering. By safeguarding against these criminal enterprises, we not only uphold the rule of law but also ensure the safety and dignity of all members of our community.”

The conspiracy involved a sophisticated network of alien smugglers across the United States utilizing commercial airplanes, tractor-trailers and various other smuggling methods.

An investigation began in November 2019 and revealed the smuggling organization brought approximately 300 undocumented migrants from the Southwest border regions further into the northern parts of the United States. The network spanned from Honduras to as far north as Boston, Massachusetts, with a heavy emphasis on smuggling Brazilian nationals.

On March 9, 2023, Authorities executed multiple search warrants at the properties of Scarlett Fuentes-Gavarrette and Moctezuma-Acosta, at which time they seized over $1.5 million in cash. The locations included their residence and a purported car dealership they operated as a front business. Throughout the investigation, law enforcement also seized approximately $2.69 million in assets and several luxury vehicles, such as a 2023 Escalade, 2021 Ford Shelby Truck, jewelry and several pieces of real property.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing June 6. At that time, they all face up to up to 20 years in federal prison. Scarlett Fuentes-Gavarrette and Moctezuma-Acosta also face an additional 20 years. Both convictions also carry fines up to $250,000.

All will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Insurance and McAllen Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric D. Flores prosecuted the case. Assisting with forfeiture proceedings is Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Foster.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 30-year-old Mission resident has been sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to transport non U.S. citizens via commercial tractor-trailers, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Daniel Cantu Jr. pleaded guilty Aug. 23, 2022. He was originally set to be sentenced in late 2023, but failed to appear. He remained a fugitive until February.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Cantu to serve a total of 110 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence about how Cantu was directly involved in the transportation of more than 65 people via commercial tractor-trailers in 2021. Additionally, the court heard that Cantu has continued his involvement in criminal activity in the Rio Grande Valley, including additional alien transporting attempts while on bond in this case. In handing down the sentence the court noted the seriousness of the offense due to the large number of undocumented individuals the organization attempted to smuggle into the United States as well as the dangerous way in which they were doing so.

“The transportation of undocumented migrants across the U.S. southern border is a rapidly growing threat,” said Hamdani. “It is made worse by traffickers such as Daniel Cantu Jr., whose organization uses the cover of legitimate traffic to mask this criminal conduct and attempts to profit by transporting migrants.”

The organization as a whole is responsible for transporting over 200 aliens from South Texas and further into the United States as part of the conspiracy.

From August 2021 through December 2021, law enforcement intercepted five related smuggling attempts at the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint and identified four men responsible for coordinating these smuggling events. Those men – Cantu, Jose Guadalupe Garcia Jr., Jesus Francisco Mares and Jose Antonio Cardona - were responsible for finding trucks, trailers and drivers as well as loading the vehicles with undocumented aliens.

Over the course of the conspiracy from July 2021 through April 2022, authorities estimate this trafficking organization transported or attempted to transport over 200 people further into the United States, most concealed in commercial trailers.

Garcia, 23, Alton, and Mares, 23, Mission, previously received 36 and 15 months, respectively, while Cardona, 30, Mission, is currently a fugitive. A warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. 

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

Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – The son of a local dentist has pleaded guilty for failing to pay taxes withheld from employee wages, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Jonathan Louis Lepow was the manager of his father’s dental practice, Kenneth A. Lepow DDS Inc., located in Houston. The clinic had approximately 51 employees during the relevant time period from 2015 to 2017. Lepow was involved in the financial decision making at the clinic. In particular, he was responsible for accounting for and paying employment taxes to the IRS. 

As part of his plea, Lepow admitted during the first quarter of 2015, he failed to pay $544,272 in IRS trust fund taxes collected from the clinics’ employees. Instead of paying these amounts to the IRS, Lepow used the money to pay vendors and transferred funds to accounts of other entities he was involved in establishing. 

Lepow has agreed to pay $495,847 as part of his plea.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has set sentencing for Aug. 22. At that time, Lepow faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Quincy Ollison prosecuted the case, and Assistant AUSA Adam Goldman handled the plea hearing.   

McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Orlando Candelario Almanza pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Almanza to serve a total of 75 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about Almanza’s high ranking position at UPS. He was not only a driver but was also responsible for delivering packages directly to UPS carrier airplanes for outbound delivery. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Almanza played a key role in the drug trafficking organization.

“Almanza chose to break not only the trust of his company but that of the community,” said Hamdani. “These men chose to help drug traffickers, in the end causing them to trade their brown uniforms for orange jumpsuits.”

Almanza was a UPS employee of over 20 years and used his knowledge to help circumvent security protocols and ship the cocaine filled packages on behalf of drug traffickers.

Law enforcement seized several packages of cocaine from across the country which were traced back to the McAllen UPS facility and to Almanza and another employee - Fidencio Salinas Jr.

In October 2022, after several months of investigation, authorities observed Almanza receive a package from drug traffickers while on shift. The package was destined for Tennessee and contained 10 kilograms of cocaine.

Drug traffickers paid Almanza approximately $300-$500 dollars per cocaine-filled package shipped.

Salinas Jr., 51, Pharr, a UPS employee for over seven years, previously received 27 months in federal prison.  

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration along with FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – Two Mission men have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Eddie Perez, 29, and Juan Alberto Mendez Jr., 29, pleaded guilty April 24, 2023, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 20 kilograms of cocaine.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 120-month-term of imprisonment for Perez, while Mendez received 96 months. Both must also serve five and three years of supervised release, respectively, following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the criminal history of Perez including his three prior felony convictions.

In October 2022, Perez was to deliver narcotics to another individual on behalf of his friend Mendez.

Authorities conducted surveillance at a Best Buy parking lot in McAllen in anticipation of the narcotics deal. They saw vehicles approach, after which Perez removed bags containing bricks of cocaine from the trunk of his vehicle.

Mendez was parked in another vehicle with his wife and six children observing the transaction.

Law enforcement approached arrested Perez and Mendez and immediately seized a total of 20 kilograms of cocaine.

A subsequent search of Mendez home yielded another kilogram of cocaine.

Mendez was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Perez has been and will remain in custody.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas - Three South Texas men have been sentenced following their conviction for a home invasion that led to the death of a homeowner, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Juan Antonio Moreno, 41, and Jesse Joe Mata, 32, both of Donna; and Alberto Vela, 43, Mercedes, pleaded guilty Aug. 4, 2012, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Moreno to serve a 115-month-term of imprisonment for the drug charge in addition to another 120 months for the firearms offense which must be served consecutively for a total 235-month federal prison sentence. Mata received a total of 212 months, while Vela was ordered to serve 12 years. His prison sentence will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release while the other two serve four years.

“For most of us, our homes are our sanctuaries,” said Hamdani. “We could never imagine, not for one moment, armed gang members breaking down doors and shooting us to death in such a sacred place. This case illustrates how the dirty, greedy and violent business of drug trafficking takes no prisoners and has no redeeming value. Our office will not rest until we can put drug traffickers out of business and eradicate this type of violence from our communities.”

“Our citizens deserve to feel safe in their homes, and the violent acts committed by the defendants in this case deprive everyone in the community of that right,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We would like to thank our partners with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), McAllen Police Department (MPD), Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) for their collective efforts to ensure every person has the opportunity to live and work in a safe community.”

Moreno had contacted members of the Tri-City Bombers, a violent criminal enterprise, to assist him and the others a home invasion to steal marijuana he believed was stored in the home.

On April 12, 2012, Moreno, Mata, Vela and others broke into the Edinburg residence. The homeowner was present and confronted them with a firearm. A struggle ensued and the homeowner was shot and killed. Vela was also shot.

FBI led the OCDETF investigation with the assistance of TABC, MPD and Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anibal J. Alaniz and Casey N. MacDonald prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 67-year-old resident of Guadalajara, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle multiple firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in vehicle roof rack, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

On Jan. 11, Jose De Jesus Pena 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 potentially put lives at risk for his own personal gain - intending to profit by selling firearms illegally smuggled out of the United States,” said Hamdani. “These crimes not only affect our residents, they also endanger innocent Mexican citizens. It’s an international issue, and we remain relentless in our efforts to bring safety and security in taking these traffickers off the streets. Put simply, try to take guns to Mexico and you will pay for it with your freedom.”

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

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing June 11. At that time, Dieguez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

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

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 is prosecuting 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. 

McALLEN, Texas – Several men have been sentenced for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Martin Vela-Alanis, 60, and Arlando Garcia-Garcia, 41, Martin Adrusbel Vela, 36, and Oscar Obed Manzanares, 23, all of Edinburg; and Mexican citizen Jose Santiago Luna-Duran, 46, each pleaded guilty Oct. 5, 2o23, for their respective roles in a conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute kilograms of cocaine.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 151-month-term of imprisonment for Vela-Alanis and 46 months for Garcia-Garcia. Vela, Manzanares and Luna-Duran received 87, 60, and 46 months, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, Vela-Alanis, Garcia-Garcia and Luna-Duran are expected to face removal proceedings following their release from prison.  

At the hearing, the court heard how this was an extensive and multi-level drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed narcotics on multiple occasions. The evidence indicated that the organization was receiving shipments of narcotics every 15 to 20 days. In handing down the prison terms, Chief Crane noted how this was a pervasive organization that included not just the importation and transportation of large quantities of cocaine, but also the transport and distribution of the drug proceeds.

On March 22, 2022, Manzanares traveled into the United States from Mexico in a GMC truck and parked it at a local business in McAllen. Luna-Duran then took the vehicle to a property in Edinburg.

There, authorities observed individuals exchange items between the GMC and a Ford pickup truck. Garcia-Garcia, a resident of the Edinburg property, then drove the Ford to a separate residence on the property where Vela and Vela-Alanis resided. Upon his arrival, Garcia-Garcia removed a large duffel bag from the truck.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the property and recovered a duffel bag containing 15 bundles of a white powdery substance. They also found over $90,000 and a black and gold Colt Model 1911 pistol.

Luna-Duran returned to the business where he had met Manzanares. There, authorities detained both men. A search of the GMC vehicle resulted in the discovery of over $238,000 in bulk cash.

Laboratory analysis later confirmed the bundles tested positive for cocaine and had a weight of approximately 15 kilograms.

They will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Jose Bernando Gonzalez-Gomez, 56, Mexico, was the mechanic who transferred the cocaine from one vehicle to another. He also pleaded guilty and is set for sentencing May 2.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in Hidalgo, Mission, McAllen, Alton, Pharr and Palmview. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lee Fry and Peter I. Brostowin prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A local tax preparer has been sentenced to federal prison for willfully preparing a fraudulent 2018 joint income tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Lynettia Profit pleaded guilty Oct. 6, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Lee H Rosenthal has now ordered Profit to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard how Profit and her business executed a long-running scheme to claim false credits on her clients’ behalf, and sought to evade IRS scrutiny. The court also ordered Profit to pay $336,847 in restitution.

Profit operated JNL Tax Services in Houston.

Profit admitted that between 2016 and 2019, she filed fraudulent tax returns for taxpayers. In those fraudulent returns, Profit knowingly reported false education credits and expenses on Schedule C forms to generate larger income tax refunds for her clients.

In 2019, she prepared an income tax return that contained two false $2,500 education credits as well as $70,743 in false expenses that were listed on Schedule C. As a result, the government suffered a tax loss of approximately $22,101. Profit also prepared a false return containing education credits and Schedule C expenses for an undercover agent in February 2020.

The fraudulent tax returns resulted in a loss of at least $336,847 to the United States. 

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

IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brad Gray and Andrew Swartz prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 38-year-old McAllen resident has been sentenced for transporting child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Oscar Ramirez Jr. pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Ramirez to serve 180 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including that Ramirez had approximately 2,070 files of child pornography, of which 64 were videos. Some videos were over 20 minutes long. In handing down the prison terms, the court reviewed victim letters and noted child pornography is not a victimless crime as these victims continue to suffer lifelong consequences as a result of the abuse they suffered now memorialized on the internet. Ramirez was further ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution to known victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet.

The court also heard that Ramirez was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault in 2010. He will again be ordered to register as a sex offender following this sentence.   

In July 2022, law enforcement received information involving an individual uploading multiple files of child pornography to a Google account on or about May 4, 2022. Authorities determined the IP address associated with this activity belonged to Ramirez. 

A review of the Google accounts associated with Ramirez revealed images and videos of child pornography. Ramirez also had images and videos of a nude minor victim Ramirez had recorded from outside a window as well as from a vent in the ceiling of a bathroom.

In September 2022, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at his residence in McAllen. At that time, Ramirez identified himself in videos on the Google accounts.

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

Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 46-year-old Chinese national has been sentenced for transporting child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Tong Sun pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now sentenced him to 144 months in federal prison. Sun was further ordered to pay $35,000 in special assessments and will serve five 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 and will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Not a U.S. citizen, Sun is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

On or about May 8, 2023, Sun attempted to illegally enter the country in an area near Roma. Law enforcement took him into custody, at which time they discovered several videos that constituted child pornography on his phone.

One of the videos depicted a child who appeared to be younger than five years of age.

Sun admitted to ownership of the phone and to possessing the child pornography.

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

Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan 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.

McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Alex Dominque Carrillo pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Carrillo to serve 96 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard that in addition to the fentanyl, law enforcement determined Carrillo was also linked to the seizure of multiple kilograms of meth.

“Just one pill can kill,” said Hamdani. “Mexican drug traffickers have no regard for the countless lives lost at the hands of fentanyl. Today’s sentence puts another fentanyl trafficker behind bars and thousands of lethal fentanyl pills off the streets.”

In May 2023, authorities began an investigation which determined Carrillo was a drug courier working on behalf of a Mexican drug trafficker. Carrillo was tasked to pick up the drugs once they were successfully imported by the Mexican smugglers and deliver the drugs to various buyers in the United States.

The following month, law enforcement seized 500 fentanyl pills in Pharr that Carrillo had transported.

In August 2023, law enforcement observed as Carrillo was attempting to transport drugs to a McAllen buyer. Noticing the law enforcement presence, Carrillo attempted to conceal the 3,500 fentanyl pills in a public parking lot trash can. Authorities successfully retrieved the pills and placed Carrillo under arrest.

Carrillo 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas –A 63-year-old Pharr resident has been sentenced following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute 11 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Gilberto Eloy Ramirez pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2020.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Ramirez to serve a 262-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing his extensive criminal history including seven prior convictions for drug trafficking. In handing down the sentence, Judge Crane noted Ramirez is a career offender who has spent a substantial amount of years in prison for his past crimes and yet continued to make poor choices.

In May 2019, authorities conducted a traffic stop on a Ramirez drove. He was found in possession of two plastic bags of cocaine in his pocket.

Law enforcement then searched his residence and property. They discovered multiple bricks of cocaine with a combined weight of 11 kilograms, a scale, plastic wrap, razor blades, heat seal bags and a loaded 9 mm caliber pistol.  

Ramirez 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 Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Alexis Garcia and Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.