Southern District of Texas

McALLEN, Texas – A 30-year-old Edinburg resident has been sentenced following his conviction of importing meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Oscar Salazar pleaded guilty Aug. 4, 2022.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Salazar to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence of Salazar’s prior criminal history including a felony conviction for trafficking marijuana through a Border Patrol checkpoint.

On Dec. 11, 2020, Salazar drove to the Hidalgo Port of Entry attempting to enter the United States from Mexico. Law enforcement conducted a search of his vehicle and found multiple packages of meth hidden within the center console, glove compartment and a pair of shoes within his vehicle.

The meth weighed approximately three pounds with an estimated street value of $5,000.

Salazar 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 Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – The leader of a transnational drug trafficking organization has been imprisoned for his involvement in an international heroin trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Malam Bacai Sanha Jr., 52, pleaded guilty Sept. 6, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance for the purpose of unlawful importation.

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison has now ordered Sanha to serve an 80-month-term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard Sanha was the son of the former president of Guinea-Bissau and was intending to use drug proceeds to finance his future campaign for president in 2025 and a coup in that country. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Sanha was a leader and organizer in the heroin trafficking conspiracy and was directly involved in its importation from Europe to the United States. The court also found his drug trafficking activities to be extensive.

“The expansive reach of transnational criminal networks, like the one Sanha ran, presents a serious threat to the safety and health of all communities,” said Hamdani. “Sanha and his associates intended to distribute kilograms of heroin to the United States at a time when Americans lose their lives to drug overdose every day. This prosecution represents our office’s unwavering determination, together with our U.S. and international partners, to target and bring to justice violent criminals who lead transnational drug trafficking organizations that continue to flood our country with dangerous drugs.”

“The success of this investigation is the result of careful coordination between our federal, state, local and international partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division. “Our goal is to keep the citizens of the United States safe from the terrors of drug traffickers, whether they reside on our soil or foreign land.” 

“Malam Bacai Sanha Jr. wasn’t any ordinary international drug trafficker,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “He is the son of the former president of Guinea-Bissau and was trafficking drugs for a very specific reason - to fund a coup that would eventually lead him to the presidency of his native country where he planned to establish a drug regime. Fortunately, FBI Houston agents and our partners at the DEA thwarted his attempts, with the cooperation of our international partners. Crime has a global reach and impact, and so does the FBI.”

Sanha was the leader of a transnational criminal organization and worked with co-conspirators and international individuals to import heroin from various countries into Portugal.

With the assistance of co-conspirators, Sanha provided 4.7 kilograms of heroin to an undercover member of law enforcement in Lisbon, Portugal, in February and March 2022. He further agreed to deliver the heroin on at least three occasions, believing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States.

On July 23, 2022, Tanzanian law enforcement arrested Sanha pursuant to domestic criminal charges, along with a co-conspirator, upon their arrival in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania. The United States presented a formal request for Sanha’s extradition to the government of Tanzania, which the Tanzanian courts granted Aug. 5, 2022. The Tanzanian Minister of Constitutional and Legal Affairs signed the formal surrender order Aug. 16, 2022. Sanha and his co-conspirator arrived in the Southern District of Texas Aug. 26, 2022. 

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

DEA Houston, FBI Houston and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative with the assistance of DEA Special Operations Division in Washington D.C., DEA Romania, DEA Portugal and DEA Tanzania as well as Portuguese Judicial Police. Thanks are also extended to the government of the United Republic of Tanzania. These OCDETF cooperative matters provide for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Houston Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that are designated as Consolidated Priority Organization or Regional Priority Organization Targets and that impact Houston and south Texas. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Tanzanian authorities to secure the arrest and extradition of Sanha. The Justice Department thanks the government of the United Republic of Tanzania, including the Drug Control and Enforcement Authority, Tanzanian Police Force Airport Interdiction Unit, Director of Public Prosecution and the Ministry of Constitutional and Legal Affairs, and the Portuguese Judicial Police.

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

HOUSTON – A 37-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to assault of a federal officer after damaging two downtown buildings, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

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

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

“Brandishing a long metal pole, Prophet displayed a blatant disregard for public safety,” said Hamdani. “It is my office’s mission to protect federal facilities and Houston’s citizens, and with the help of local and federal partners, Prophet is now off the streets destined for a room full of metal poles—a prison cell.”

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has set sentencing for June 20. At that time, Prophet faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Prophet has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The Department of Homeland Security - Federal Protective Service and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John M. Lewis is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A Houston-area doctor and his diagnostic facilities have agreed to pay to resolve False Claims Act (FCA) allegations regarding the submission of claims to Medicare and Medicaid that were medically unnecessary and in violation of the Physician Self-Referral Law (aka Stark Law), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

From July 22, 2014, through July 10, 2017, Dr. Mohammad Athari, 80, Houston, and United Neurology P.A. allegedly engaged in a pattern and practice of falsely billing Medicare Part B. The claims were for services that were not reasonable or medically necessary because the patients’ diagnoses or medical records did not support them or unlicensed and untrained technicians had incorrectly or inadequately rendered them.

This settlement also resolves allegations that from Jan. 7, 2014, through Jan. 8, 2021, Athari submitted or caused the submission of false claims to Medicare by billing for diagnostic imaging procedures in violation of the Stark Law. Athari allegedly referred his neurology patients to diagnostic centers he owns (Universal MRI Baytown, Universal MRI Humble and Universal MRI Conroe) in violation of the Stark Law.

The Stark Law seeks to safeguard the integrity of the Medicare program by prohibiting physicians from referring patients to receive “designated health services” Medicare pays from entities with which the physician has a financial relationship.

“The Stark Law was enacted to ensure that a physician’s clinical judgment is not corrupted by improper financial incentives,” said Hamdani. “Similarly, physicians that bill government healthcare programs must ensure they are billing for medically necessary services and not just maximizing their own income. Our office will continue to pursue cases that will protect the integrity of government healthcare programs and safeguard taxpayer dollars while ensuring that patients receive consistent and quality care.”

“Personal financial incentives corrupt the medical decision-making process, leading to harm for patients and depletion of funds from federally funded health care programs. Physicians who fraudulently submit medically unnecessary claims prioritize profit over their duty to patients,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows with the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (DHHS-OIG). “DHHS-OIG remains steadfast in holding accountable those who prioritize personal gain over delivering legitimate medical services.”

The settlement stems from a qui tam or whistleblower complaint filed under the FCA which permits a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is United States ex rel. Lisa Parker v. Mohammad Athari M.D., et al. (4:20-cv-02056). The whistleblowers will receive 18% of the proceeds from the settlement with Athari.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas and the Texas Attorney General’s Office – Civil Medicaid Fraud Division conducted the investigation with assistance from DHHS - OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Green handled the matter.

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

HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Missouri City man has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Emmanuel Babajide Awolaja pleaded guilty Nov. 3, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now ordered Awolaja to serve 138 months for the conspiracy as well as another 24 months for the aggravated identity theft which must be served consecutively. The total 162-month prison term will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $263,955.73 in restitution to the victims which included local merchants.

At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that determined Awolaja was responsible for more than $1.5 million in losses. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Awolaja’s criminal history dated back almost 20 years with this being his 13th felony offense. Judge Werlein noted how the previous sentences have not deterred him from criminal activity, and the court was imposing this sentence to protect the public from his continued criminal recidivism. 

Awolaja and Tia Nicole Chavis came into possession of credit card information for numerous Chase Bank customers along with personal identifying information of various individuals.

From February 2021 until October 2023, Chavis agreed to help Awolaja use the unlawfully obtained credit card information to purchase expensive jewelry, hotel rooms, rental cars, meals and various other goods or services. 

When they would first attempt to use the cards, the charges would be denied. However, Awolaja and Chavis persuaded merchants to manually enter the card numbers which typically resulted in approval, ultimately causing substantial loss for the merchants. 

The investigation revealed Awolaja used the stolen account information to make purchases in Iowa, Virginia and several other states. 

The scheme unraveled May 19, 2021, when they attempted to fraudulently purchase a $14,000 watch at Tomball Pawn and Jewelry. Law enforcement then worked with merchants throughout the country to identify Chavis and Awolaja from store video in other transactions. 

Chavis, 32, Houston, also pleaded guilty and it set for sentencing April 12.

Both have been and will remain in custody.

The Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 40-year-old resident of Mexico has been indicted for attempting to import almost 10 kilograms of cocaine into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment today against Ricardo Cantu-Vasquez. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

The criminal complaint originally filed in the case alleges that on Feb. 27, law enforcement stopped Cantu-Vasquez for a traffic violation. Authorities conducted a search of the vehicle and allegedly found 9.5 kilograms of cocaine hidden inside a concealed compartment under the rear seat of the vehicle.

The drugs have an estimated street value of nearly $115,000.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. 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.

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 21-year-old woman has been sentenced for selling wildlife, including a spider monkey, in violation of the Lacey Act, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Savannah Nicole Valdez pleaded guilty Feb. 8, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Valdez to serve 15 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. The court considered that Valdez was previously sentenced to two years of supervised release for smuggling a monkey into the United States and high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. The court revoked her supervised release in that case, and she received another month to run consecutively with this prison term.

“When Savannah Valdez sold a Mexican spider monkey, she contributed to endangering a species,” said Hamdani. “As the court heard today, those who traffic in infant spider monkeys shoot the mothers first and then pull the infants from their mother’s dead bodies before throwing them into cages for transport. Valdez’s actions helped sustain an illicit market that encouraged the needless death and suffering of endangered animals. Thankfully, now she will have to spend time in a cage of her making - a prison cell.”

In summer 2023, authorities discovered several advertisements posted to Craigslist offering exotic birds for sale including keel-billed toucans and yellow-headed amazon parrots. These are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act.

Law enforcement identified the personal cell phone number of Valdez during the initial investigation. They found the contact number listed for the animals was, in fact, the same.

The subsequent undercover operation involved the sale of two keel-billed toucans and a Mexican spider monkey.

On July 28, 2023, her mother arrived at Memorial City Mall in Houston to deliver the toucans and accepted $3,000 as payment. Her mother would later admit her daughter had arranged the sale.

On Aug. 1, 2023, Valdez then coordinated the sale of a Mexican spider monkey for $8,500. She had her sister deliver it on her behalf.

The animals have been transferred to zoos within Texas.

Valdez as permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in the near future.

The Fish and Wildlife Service conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON - The former president of a Texas energy company has pleaded guilty to an illegal kickback scheme and a commodities insider trading scheme involving natural gas futures contracts.

Matthew Clark, 56, Needville, entered his plea March 15, admitting he conspired with others to direct his employer’s trades to Classic Energy LLC in exchange for illegal kickbacks. Specifically, Clark accepted more than $5.5 million in illegal kickbacks, which were generated from commission fees his employer paid to Classic Energy. Classic Energy is a brokerage firm Matthew Webb, 54, Tiki Island, owned and operated.

“Matthew Clark made millions trading in natural gas commodities, but unlike most Houston traders, he made his money illegally through the use of kickback schemes involving associates, relatives and his employer’s proprietary insider information,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “The natural gas futures contract market is an integral part of Houston’s economy, and to preserve the integrity of that system, it is important that commodity traders who buy and sell those contracts not engage in illegal and unfair practices. That’s why my office is committed to holding those accountable, like Clark, who use kickbacks and inside information to enrich themselves at the expense of the public’s trust in the U.S. markets.”

“Matthew Clark steered his company’s commodities trading business to a broker in exchange for over $5.5 million in illegal kickbacks. He also misappropriated confidential information about his company’s planned commodities trades and used that information to enrich himself and his co-conspirators,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When corporate insiders engage in insider trading and other deceptive trade practices for their own financial gain, they don’t just harm the company—they undermine the integrity of our financial markets. This groundbreaking investigation was the first to result in criminal convictions for commodities insider trading. It will not be the last.”

Clark also misappropriated his employer’s material nonpublic information and engaged in prohibited commodities transactions. Webb, through Classic Energy, brokered Clark’s natural gas futures trades with counterparties who were identified in advance of executing the trades. The predetermined counterparties included John Ed James, 54, Katy, and Peter Miller, 49, Puerto Rico. Clark, Webb, James and Miller then shared the net profits generated from these illegal prearranged trades.

“The FBI and its partners will continue to relentlessly pursue those who engage in illegal kickback schemes,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This plea should make it known to others that participate in illicit activity that threatens the integrity of our financial systems that there are consequences to your actions.”

Clark pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, one count of prohibited commodities transaction and one count of commodities insider trading. He is scheduled to be sentenced June 24 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count and 10 years in prison on each of the prohibited commodities transaction and insider trading counts.

Webb pleaded guilty in June 2021 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act, while James admitted in February 2021 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud. Miller entered his plea in February 2022 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud. Miller is set for sentencing June 20, while Webb and James are scheduled for July 1.

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

The FBI conducted the investigation.

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

The former president of a Texas energy company pleaded guilty last week to an illegal kickback scheme and a commodities insider trading scheme involving natural gas futures contracts.

According to court documents, Matthew Clark, 56, of Needville, Texas, conspired with others to direct his employer’s trades to Classic Energy LLC, a brokerage firm owned and operated by Matthew Webb, 54, of Tiki Island, Texas, in exchange for illegal kickbacks. Specifically, Clark accepted more than $5.5 million in illegal kickbacks, which were generated from commission fees paid by his employer to Classic Energy.

“Matthew Clark steered his company’s commodities trading business to a broker in exchange for over $5.5 million in illegal kickbacks. He also misappropriated confidential information about his company’s planned commodities trades and used that information to enrich himself and his co-conspirators,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When corporate insiders engage in insider trading and other deceptive trade practices for their own financial gain, they don’t just harm the company — they undermine the integrity of our financial markets. This groundbreaking investigation was the first to result in criminal convictions for commodities insider trading. It will not be the last.”

“Matthew Clark made millions trading in natural gas commodities, but unlike most Houston traders, he made his money illegally through the use of kickback schemes involving associates, relatives, and his employer’s proprietary insider information,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas. “The natural gas futures contract market is an integral part of Houston’s economy, and to preserve the integrity of that system, it is important that commodity traders who buy and sell those contracts not engage in illegal and unfair practices. That’s why my office is committed to holding those accountable, like Clark, who use kickbacks and inside information to enrich themselves at the expense of the public’s trust in the U.S. markets.”

Clark also misappropriated his employer’s material nonpublic information and engaged in prohibited commodities transactions. Webb, through Classic Energy, brokered Clark’s natural gas futures trades with counterparties who were identified in advance of executing the trades. The predetermined counterparties included John Ed James, 54, of Katy, Texas, and Peter Miller, 49, of Puerto Rico. Clark, Webb, James, and Miller then shared the net profits generated from these illegal prearranged trades.

“The FBI and its partners will continue to relentlessly pursue those who engage in illegal kickback schemes,” said Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This plea should make it known to others that participate in illicit activity that threatens the integrity of our financial systems that there are consequences to your actions.”

“The FBI Houston Field Office is proud to have spearheaded this first-of-its-kind criminal commodities insider trading case,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Securities and commodities fraud may be a non-violent crime but it’s certainly not victimless – it damages the public’s confidence in the U.S. markets and stacks the deck against fair traders and investors.”

Clark pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, one count of prohibited commodities transaction, and one count of commodities insider trading. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the honest services wire fraud conspiracy count and 10 years in prison on each of the prohibited commodities transaction and insider trading counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Webb pleaded guilty in June 2021 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud and to violate various provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act; James pleaded guilty in February 2021 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud and wire fraud; and Miller pleaded guilty in February 2022 to conspiracy to commit commodities fraud. Miller is scheduled to be sentenced on June 20. Webb and James are scheduled to be sentenced on July 1.

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

The FBI Houston Field Office is investigating the case.

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

LAREDO, Texas – A former Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has been convicted in two separate federal cases and now faces decades in prison, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Emanuel Isac Celedon, 36, Laredo, pleaded guilty to four counts of bringing an undocumented alien to the United States through the Lincoln Juarez Port of Entry (POE) in Laredo. In a separate case, he also admitted to bribery and attempted importation of cocaine for taking money to allow what he thought was cocaine to cross into the United States from Mexico.  

As part of the smuggling conspiracy, Celedon provided his daily lane assignment to conspirators to allow entry without inspection or documentation of passengers. This occurred on at least nine occasions between September and November 2023. Authorities also discovered that during at least two of these smuggling events, Celedon falsely input information into a CBP database in order to avoid sending the driver to mandatory secondary inspection.

The investigation revealed he asked others to relay information about his role to Mexican smugglers in attempts to reassure them he was doing his part to facilitate the organization’s human smuggling efforts.

Law enforcement seized $1,980 in cash from Celedon at the time of his arrest, which he admitted were proceeds from human smuggling.

In a separate case, Celedon agreed to smuggle what he believed were kilograms of cocaine from Mexico through his duty lane at the Laredo POE on two occasions in October 2023.

Celedon sought contacts within the cartels who would pay him to smuggle cocaine through the POE. The undercover investigation revealed Celedon expressed his interest in smuggling cocaine for payment, provided his duty schedule and instructed others to direct vehicles to his lane so he could allow them to safely cross into the United States. 

Celedon was paid a total of $6,000 after the vehicles with sham cocaine safely crossed the POE.  

U.S. District Judges Diana Saldana and Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing at later dates on the smuggling and bribery cases, respectively. At those times, Celedon faces up to 10 years on two counts and 15 years on the other two counts in the smuggling case as well as another 15 years for the bribery and 40 years for the drug charges. He also faces hundreds of thousands in possible fines.

Celedon will remain in custody pending those hearings.  

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - Office of Inspector General, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations and CBP- Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Border Patrol, Webb County Constable Precinct 2 and CBP Laredo Joint Forensic Center. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Jennifer Day and Richard Bennett are prosecuting both cases. AUSA Brian Bajew handled the plea today.

This investigation is related to an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) case. 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.

This case is also supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with the DHS to strengthen the Justice Department’s overall efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern and Western Districts of Texas, District of New Mexico, District of Arizona and Southern District of California. Numerous components of the Criminal Division are part of JTFA and provide dedicated support for the program which the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section leads. The Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs and Violent Crime and Racketeering Section also provide support. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 271 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling; more than 211 U.S. convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture.

McALLEN, Texas – A 51-year-old Edinburg man has been sentenced following his conviction of conspiracy to possession with intent to distribute 200 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Daren Lynn Lopez pleaded guilty Nov. 16, 2022.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Lopez to serve 192 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard of Lopez’s long criminal history including three prior felonies. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the additive, potent and dangerous effects meth has on the community.

In March 2022, Lopez arranged for the transportation of a tractor-trailer concealing 200 kilograms of meth to be imported from Mexico. The trailer successfully entered the United States and was driven to Lopez’s truck yard in Edinburg.

Lopez then coordinated and hired a driver to transport the trailer to Dallas. Law enforcement intervened, stopped and seized the trailer on its way north. At that time, they discovered a false compartment spanning the entire roof of the trailer which concealed hundreds of bricks of meth.

The drugs have an estimated street value of $1 million.

Lopez 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.

HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man has been sentenced for perpetrating multiple violent crimes related to a drug trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

A federal jury deliberated for six hours before returning the guilty verdicts Oct. 31, 2023, on all counts against Ronald Brown aka Nuk, Nook or Nookie following a six-day trial. He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder for hire, intentional killing related to drug trafficking, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a murder, kidnapping and using a firearm in relation to the kidnapping as well as conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Brown to serve life in federal prison. At the trial, the court heard argument regarding Brown’s repeated attempts to intimidate, influence and kill witnesses in his trial. In handing down the life sentence, the court recommended that Brown be confined in a communications management unit to ensure heightened monitoring of Brown’s external and internal communications.

In December 2013, law enforcement seized 21 kilograms of cocaine from one of Brown’s associates who had placed the bag in a vehicle at a Valero gas station. Brown was upset by the loss and sidelined him from the drug operation at that time.

During trial, the jury heard from several witnesses who testified about working directly for Brown. He was responsible for moving as much as 100 to 200 kilograms of cocaine each week from Houston to Atlanta, Georgia, on 18-wheeler trucks and car haulers. Once in Atlanta, his associates would divide the shipments before delivering it to Brown’s customers.

The jury also heard testimony from one of Brown’s drivers who was robbed of approximately 56 kilograms of cocaine April 18, 2014. Brown suspected the same individual who lost the drugs at the Valero and another drug associate conspired to steal the cocaine from him.

On April 23, 2014, Brown and others kidnapped the associate, zip-tied his arms and legs and put him in the trunk of Brown’s girlfriend’s vehicle. A good Samaritan picked up the victim and attempted to drive him to safety after the victim managed to free himself from the trunk. However, Brown pursued and shot at them repeatedly, ultimately striking the good Samaritan in the upper body and the associate in the head. Both survived.

One of the kidnappers told the jury he met Brown following the kidnapping who directed him to dump the vehicle and gun used during the shooting. Brown also directed his girlfriend to report the vehicle as stolen.

Following the failed attempt to kill this person, Brown began searching for the other man from the Valero incident whom he also thought was part of the alleged theft on April 18, 2023, in order reclaim his drugs. He ultimately decided he wanted to kill him. Testimony revealed Brown was able to obtain the date of the man’s next parole visit. Through a middleman, Brown then hired a shooter and provided him with a handgun.

Following that parole visit on July 1, 2014, the victim returned to his vehicle in the parking lot. The shooter then fired multiple shots at close range at the victim as he sat in the driver’s seat. He died at the scene.

Afterwards, Brown met the shooter and middleman in the parking lot of a grocery store and paid them $20,000.

At the trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury that other members of Brown’s drug trafficking organization orchestrated the kidnapping and murder. They did not believe those claims and found Brown guilty as charged.

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

The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department’s Homicide Division, Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Parole Division, U.S. Marshals Service, Federal Bureau of Prisons and Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Britni Cooper prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Nigerian national has been ordered to federal prison for his participation in two separate schemes to defraud victim homeowners and a corporation and launder the proceeds of those frauds.  

Joseph Modile pleaded guilty Feb. 27, 2023, to charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft filed in the Eastern District of New York (EDNY) and charges of money laundering and wire fraud filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX) and subsequently transferred to the EDNY.

U.S. District Judge Diane Gujarati has now ordered Modile to serve 145 months in prison. As part of the sentence, Modile was also ordered to pay more than $1.5 million each in restitution and forfeiture.

“Although Modile took part in a complicated scheme, involving a cadre of runners and a series of fake documents and bank accounts, his goal was simple - steal from unsuspecting victims,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the SDTX. “While his crimes stretched to all parts, from Brooklyn to Houston, thanks to the work of two U.S. Attorney’s Offices, Modile will spend several years in one place, a prison cell, no longer able to help fellow criminals prey on the innocent.”

“Modile checked all the boxes for a sophisticated fraud–stealing, deception, money laundering and identity theft. Today’s sentence checks the box for an appropriate penalty for his crimes of greed from Brooklyn to Texas,” stated U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the EDNY.  “I commend the prosecutors from my Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the SDTX and the special agents for their outstanding work unraveling Modile’s scheme.”

“Today’s sentencing is a positive step toward justice for Joseph Modile’s victims – homeowners, business owners and the everyday email users alike who were defrauded of over $15 million as a result of his sophisticated schemes. The defendant spearheaded at least three fraud schemes across the country and over the course of several years. His tactics, while sophisticated, were no match for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York’s El Dorado Task Force Cyber investigators,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan. “I commend HSI New York, the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the EDNY and SDTX, as well as FBI Houston, for a job well done.”

“FBI Houston, along with our domestic and international law enforcement partners, led an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation on numerous prolific organized crime figures. Modile, for years, was an orchestrator of multi-million-dollar fraud schemes who stole from countless victims around the world,” stated FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Douglas Williams. “Dismantling large-scale criminal enterprises is what the FBI does, and Modile’s sentence should send a message to greedy criminals like him still out there, it’s just a matter of time before we get you too.”

In the SDTX case, from November 2017 until May 2018, Modile knowingly devised a scheme to defraud victims. Modile used his cellular phone to communicate with others about financial transactions for the purpose of executing his scheme. Modile directed an individual already convicted in Houston to withdraw cash from their bank account and provide it to others. Modile also directed the individual in Houston to lie to their financial institution regarding the reason for withdrawing money from their account. In February 2018, Modile orchestrated and directed a substantial amount of money into an account of the individual in Houston. The money derived from wire fraud, and Modile was aware the money came from unlawful activity.

In the case filed in the EDNY, from January 2014 and September 2018, Modile and others defrauded victims, businesses and financial institutions in the United States through a sophisticated home equity line of credit (HELOC) scheme involving a series of bank account takeovers. During this time, Modile and others also laundered proceeds from the bank account takeovers. In furtherance of the HELOC fraud scheme, Modile and others acquired personal identifying information (PII) of the actual holders of the targeted bank accounts at the financial institutions. The co-conspirators then used the PII to impersonate the actual holders of the targeted bank accounts, thereby gaining control of the accounts. In some cases, members of the conspiracy recruited “runners,” who impersonated the actual account holders inside bank branches using forged and fraudulent identification documents created at Modile’s direction. In most instances, the stolen funds were first deposited into fraudulent bank accounts co-conspirators set up and controlledin the names of the actual victims from whom the money had been stolen. In other cases, the bank accounts into which the stolen funds were first deposited were in the names of sham corporations, which were opened using false and fraudulent identification. In total, Modile and others stole at least $5 million as part of the HELOC fraud scheme.

In May 2018, Modile and others engaged in a separate business email compromise scheme using fraudulent emails and telephone calls to steal approximately $10.2 million from a victim company. The co-conspirators used a fraudulent email address to impersonate a contractor of an entity located in St. Paul, Minnesota, and directed representatives of that entity to deposit the funds in an account members of the conspiracy controlled. Modile and others then laundered those stolen funds through bank accounts that co-conspirators controlled. 

FBI and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. 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 at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF

Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Rodolfo Ramirez prosecuted the case along with EDNY AUSA David Pitluck. 

LAREDO, Texas – A 23-year-old Mexican man has been sentenced following another conviction for illegally re-entering the United States following an order of removal, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jose Luis Arevalo Gonzalez pleaded guilty Jan. 4.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Arevalo to serve 23 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Arevalo is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard how Arevalo was a member of the Paisas gang and was previously convicted of trafficking firearms.

In that case, law enforcement discovered Arevalo was attempting to smuggle 11 semi-automatic rifles and 85 rifle magazines into Mexico.

Arevalo was released from prison Oct. 18, 2023, and was ordered removed the following week. A week after his removal, authorities encountered Arevalo near Laredo.

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

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence A. Check Jr. prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old resident of Monterrey, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to importing 300 pounds of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

On Nov. 22, 2023, Allan Alberto Moreno Trevino approached the Laredo Colombia Solidarity International Bridge Port of Entry driving a white 2004 Ford F-250 pickup truck. Law enforcement subsequently referred him to secondary inspection where an x-ray revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s fuel tank. 

While inspecting the vehicle, authorities noticed Moreno Trevino pacing and appearing nervous, eventually asking them if something had been found.

Authorities eventually discovered the fuel tank was filled with liquid meth mixed with gasoline. Law enforcement extracted nine buckets of the mixture with an approximate gross weight of 137.2 kilograms and an estimated street value of $340,000.  

As part of his plea, Moreno Trevino stated he expected to be paid between $1,500 and $2,000 for transporting the drugs from Mexico.

He also admitted knowing the fuel tank contained a controlled substance which he was to deliver to others in San Antonio where the liquid meth would then be extracted.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Moreno Trevino faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

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

A federal jury in the Southern District of Texas convicted an Indiana man yesterday for his role in an international advance-fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria that defrauded victims of over $5.6 million.

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

The jury convicted Nwosisi of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 13 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The FBI and DOS-OIG investigated the case.

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

HOUSTON – Six Houstonians have been taken into custody for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically pharmaceutical grade drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Kerry Lewis Walker, 36, Gerald Dewayne Williams, 65, Trey Demon Neal, 34, James Glen Turk, 21, Quineshia Evangeline Hollins, 33, and Uzoanuuli Uzoaku WJ Payne, 52, will make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.

The indictment returned Feb. 14, and unsealed upon the arrests, alleges the group operated the “Green Houses,” a street level stash house in Fifth Ward that sold pharmaceutical controlled substances. Williams and Walker allegedly ran the Green Houses with the assistance of Neal and Turk.   

Hollins was the owner of First Choice Rx 245 pharmacy and supplied the Green Houses with drugs from her business, according to the charges. 

The indictment further alleges Payne was a pharmacist at First Choice. Law enforcement allegedly intercepted him driving a new shipment of controlled substances from the pharmacy without any lawful reason. 

According to the charges, there are thousands of pharmaceutical grade drugs missing from First Choice without any accompanying prescriptions or proper forms allowing their disbursal. 

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of FBI and and IRS Criminal Investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorney Celia Moyer is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison and a possible $1,000,000 maximum fine.

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 35-year-old Corpus Christi resident has admitted to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Robert Spencer was set to begin trial this week, but has instead opted to enter a guilty plea.  

On Aug. 4, 2022, authorities responded to a murder reported to have occurred around the 1800 block of Van Loan Ave. in Corpus Christi. They observed Spencer in the area and appeared to be armed. When authorities approached him, Spencer fled into his nearby home which initiated an hour-long standoff.

During that time, Spencer yelled at law enforcement to leave the area. Authorities also heard two gunshots. He exited his home without a firearm, at which time, they arrested him.

Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for Spencer’s residence and discovered six pipe bombs, four firearms and boxes of ammunition in the attic. He admitted to personally assembling the pipe bombs.

As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.

Further testing confirmed the pipe bombs to be destructive devices as the law defines. The pipe bombs were not properly registered to Spencer in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing June 4. At that time, Spencer faces up to 15 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The Corpus Christi Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and John Marck are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A federal jury has convicted an Indiana man for his role in a multimillion-dollar international advance fee scheme orchestrated from Nigeria, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for 45 minutes before convicting Tochukwu Nwosisi, 52, Indianapolis, Indiana, following a six-day trial.

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

The jury heard that victims around the world have lost a combined total of more than $5.6 million.

“Those who enable fraudsters by helping them move and hide money taken from victims are just as responsible for their crimes as the people who run the scam themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Nwosisi took nearly $1 million from victims to enrich himself and his co-conspirators. He deserves to face the consequences for his crimes.”

The jury convicted Nwosisi of conspiracy to commit money laundering and concealment money laundering. He will be scheduled for sentencing at a later date. At that time, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

To date, six others have been convicted for their roles in the scheme.

Nwosisi was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

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

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

McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury has returned guilty verdicts against a doctor and a clinic employee for receiving illegal kickbacks after ordering unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before finding Dr. Osama Nahas, 69, McAllen, and Isabel Pruneda, 53, Edinburg, guilty of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute following a two-week trial. Pruneda was also convicted for aggravated identity theft.

“Adult day cares are supposed to be places where the elderly and vulnerable feel safe, not vehicles for scheming doctors and staff to make illegal profits through kickbacks and get-rich quick opportunities” said Hamdani. “Nahas and Pruneda preyed on the elderly by bribing their way into adult care facilities, abusing the trust and respect that doctors and medical professionals ordinarily deserve. Today’s conviction sends a message that patients should never be seen merely as dollar signs and that kickbacks play no role in the services that doctors order.”

Nahas is the owner and physician at Crosspoint Medical Clinic in Edinburg. He would travel to adult day care centers around the Rio Grande Valley ordering unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions on behalf of elderly and vulnerable clients who were spending time there. Pruneda, a medical assistant at Crosspoint, assisted Nahas in the scheme, helping to forge patient signatures on consent forms and misappropriate expensive patient medications such as pain creams. Among other things, Pruneda would strip patient information off and remove creams from their boxes so that she could hand them out as “goodie bags” to incentivize patients to be tested. 

From January 2016 to December 2017, Nahas and Pruneda ordered unnecessary lab tests and prescriptions which resulting in millions in losses. They directed those prescriptions and tests to companies who then paid them in kickbacks.

In June 2018, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Crosspoint and found hundreds of thousands in stolen medications.

Nahas and Pruneda also bribed their way into the adult daycare facilities by offering kickbacks to the adult daycare owners disguised as “rent” payments. 

The jury heard witness testimony revealing both Nahas and Pruneda accepted bribes in exchange for referrals, many of which were also disguised as “rent” payments.

Evidence revealed that both received tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from January 2016 to December 2017.

Nahas attempted to convince the jury the payments he received were legitimate “rent” payments for the use of space, and Pruneda ordered all the prescriptions and lab tests without his consent. Conversely, Pruneda’s defense argued she was doing what Nahas taught her and following orders, and she denied committing any forgeries. The jury did not believe those claims and found both guilty as charged.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 16. At that time, both face up to 10 years in federal prison for the healthcare fraud conspiracy and each substantive healthcare fraud conviction, while the kickback conspiracy carries another possible five years in prison. For aggravated identity theft, Pruneda must also serve a mandatory two years which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. They could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines.

Pruneda was taken into custody while Nahas was permitted to remain on bond pending their detention hearings set for March 4 and 8, respectively.

The FBI, Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Texas Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and Texas Health and Human Services - OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Swartz and Brad Gray are prosecuting the case.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 45-year-old Brownsville resident has admitted to his role in the distribution of dozens of kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Raul Dominguez-Vega, 45, was set to begin trial March 4. He has now entered a plea of guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to do so.

Dominguez-Vega was part of an on-going drug conspiracy involving several individuals packaging and distributing cocaine coming from Mexico. Cocaine would arrive from Mexico and be stored, re-packaged and wrapped in “shrink-wrap” in a shed located in Dominguez-Vega’s residence. It was then distributed to northern locations such as Houston, Ohio and Louisiana.

Law enforcement conducted surveillance and made several seizures during the course of the investigation. Two of those occurred Jan. 25 and 31, 2020, when they successfully seized nearly 10 and 23 kilograms of cocaine, respectively. Prior to the second seizure, bags of cocaine had been loaded into a vehicle at Dominguez-Vega’s residence. It was on its way to Houston before authorities at the Sarita Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint discovered the bundles inside a tractor trailer.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera will impose sentencing May 22. At that time, Dominguez-Vega faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison as well as a possible $5 million fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

T0 date, six others have been convicted in relation to the conspiracy.

Homeland Security Investigations, Cameron County District Attorney’s Investigation Unit and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP, Combes and Brownsville Police Departments and the Victoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 51-year-old man for unlawfully transporting undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes before finding Andrew Rafael Martinez-Peralta, Newark, New Jersey, guilty following a two-day trial.

On July 5, 2023, Martinez-Peralta drove a tractor-trailer to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint. During a search, a K-9 alerted to the sleeper area where authorities subsequently discovered seven illegal aliens concealed within the bed compartment of the tractor, in a toolbox under the bed and inside a closet.

The jury heard how authorities found the aliens’ cell phones directly above Martinez-Peralta’s head. Testimony revealed he had collected the phones while transporting them to the checkpoint. 

A witness also stated that he had agreed to pay $25,000 to be smuggled into the United States from Brazil with a final destination in Massachusetts.

At the trial, Martinez-Peralta testified and argued he had no knowledge of the illegal aliens’ presence in his vehicle despite checking the bed compartment before traveling to the checkpoint. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

“Martinez-Peralta claimed he didn’t know that there were seven migrants in the sleeper area of his tractor-trailer, a claim so incredible that it took the jury less than an hour to find him guilty,” said Hamdani. “The smuggling of migrants across Texas’s southern border is a pernicious problem made worse by human smugglers, like Martinez-Peralta, who use their tractor-trailers and the cover of legitimate commercial activities to mask illegal and harmful activities.”

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 22. At that time, Martinez-Peralta faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Martinez-Peralta was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case. 

GALVESTON, Texas – A 50-year-old Texas City resident has been sentenced for distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Ryan N. Curving pleaded guilty Aug. 22, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered him to serve 120 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence as to how Curving, a retired police sergeant from the Paterson, New Jersey, Police Department, sent child pornography videos to five other individuals through Kik Messenger. In handing down the prison term, the court noted that Curving’s actions of distributing those videos perpetuates the harm caused to the victims that are being sexually abused in the videos. Curving was further ordered to pay a $5,000 assessment to the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act and a $5,000 assessment to the Amy, Vicky and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. He will also serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Curving will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

“Curving hid behind a computer and watched helpless minor children being raped and abused,” said Hamdani. “It is deplorable that someone who worked as an officer for 25 years and took an oath to serve and protect the public, did just the opposite. This sentence demonstrates our dedication to holding anyone – regardless of their background – accountable for their part in the exchange of images that do nothing more than harm innocent lives.”

Curving had joined an online chat group on Kik that is known for the trading of child pornography and pictures of relatives as well as discussions and fantasies  of familial sexual abuse.

Curving came to the attention of law enforcement after utilizing his Kik account to distribute child pornography. On Dec. 6, 2022, authorities executed a search warrant at his residence. At that time, he admitted to downloading and sending child pornography to other Kik users and had been curious about child pornography for two years. 

Additionally, he admitted to creating a second Kik account in order to continue his conduct following the termination of his first one after administrators found child pornography in it. 

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

Homeland Security Investigations-Galveston conducted the investigation with the assistance of police departments in Pearland and Galveston and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

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

HOUSTON – A 49-year-old resident of Houston has been convicted of attempted possession with intent to distribute heroin and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.

A federal jury deliberated for eight hours before convicting Mohammed “Alex” Ahmed Kassem following a four-day trial. 

Kassem is a former investigator with the Waller County District Attorney’s (DA) Office. At the trial, the jury heard how he escorted sham heroin and cartel drug money across state lines. He drove from Louisiana to Houston and Houston to San Antonio in his marked police vehicle on three separate occasions for which he was paid a total of $31,000.

Testimony further revealed Kassem hid money in his bulletproof vest and disguised the sham heroin in an evidence bag to avoid detection.

During the trial, audio and video recordings were presented of each transaction and related text messages. The jury also saw bank records of cash deposits made to Kassem’s personal account after each payment.

Kassem took the stand in his own defense claiming he had authority to commit these crimes. Kassem also maintained that he received implicit approval from the Waller County DA to conduct undercover investigations as part of his role at the DA’s Office. However, the jury heard testimony from his former employer which refuted those statements. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty.

“When Alex Kassem wore his Waller County peace officer credentials and Waller County-issued firearm while transporting what he thought were drugs in his Waller County-issued vehicle and then accepted what he thought was cartel drug money, he breached the most sacred of trusts—the trust a community places in its law enforcement,” said Hamdani. “Today’s conviction brings Kassem one step closer to exchanging his peace officer attire for prison-issued garb, and to restoring a trust once lost.”

“Alex Kassem was a criminal in disguise. He cloaked himself in his trusted position as a licensed peace officer and Waller County DA investigator while working to enrich himself by shamelessly moving money and drugs in his work vehicle and hidden in his police vest,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Kassem is now a convicted federal felon thanks to the relentless work of FBI Bryan agents and our partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) who unmasked his corruption and criminal ways.”

U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal presided over the trial and set sentencing for June 13. At that time, Kassem faces up to life in prison for the heroin trafficking conviction and up to 20 years for money laundering. He could also be ordered to pay up to $10 million in fines. 

Previously released on bond, Kassem was taken into custody following the conviction where he will remain pending sentencing. 

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Houston resident has been indicted on multiple counts of robbery, brandishing a firearm and illegal possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Kentrelle Tatum is set to appear for his detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison at 11 a.m.

A federal grand jury returned the indictment Feb. 15 which alleges five counts of robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm and one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a felon.

From Sept. 5 to Sept. 11, 2023, Tatum allegedly robbed five separate Houston-area Starbucks establishments over the course of six days while brandishing a firearm.

As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm per federal law.

If convicted, Tatum faces up 20 years in federal prison for each of five counts of robbery, while a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm carries a possible 10-year prison term. Each of the charges could also result in fines of up to $250,000. He is also charged with four counts of brandishing a firearm while committing a crime of violence which carries a mandatory seven years to be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.  

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old resident of Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been sentenced following his conviction for trafficking cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Manuel Alejandro Soto-Bazan pleaded guilty Dec. 19, 2022.

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Soto-Bazan to serve 135 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Soto-Bazan organized multiple cocaine shipments to be smuggled into the United States. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that Soto-Bazan played a key role in the trafficking scheme.

At the time of his plea, Soto-Bazan admitted he facilitated multiple cocaine shipments into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry.

Between April and June 2022, Soto-Bazan coordinated at least four separate shipments of cocaine totaling approximately 20 kilograms. Soto-Bazan would direct others who were smuggling drugs into the United States in vehicles to specific locations. He would then coordinate the transfer of the drugs to other vehicles for further distribution.

The drugs Soto-Bazan was responsible for transporting had an estimated street value of $200,000.

Soto-Bazan admitted he was paid to traffic drugs and assisted in removing drugs from concealed compartments hidden in vehicles after their entry into the United States.

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 Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Parran III prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 42-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to securities fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Tyler Loudon made $1.7 million in illegal profits from the purchase and sale of stock market shares.

Loudon’s wife was an associate manager in mergers and acquisitions at an internationally-based oil and gas company. Loudon learned that her company was planning to purchase a travel center operator business.

Unbeknownst to his spouse, Loudon used the non-public information about the expected acquisition to purchase 46,450 shares ahead of the public notice.

After the announcement, the travel center operator’s stock price increased. Loudon then sold his shares for a substantial profit.

As part of his plea agreement, Loudon agreed to forfeit the $1.7 million in illegal proceeds.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake accepted the plea and has set sentencing for May 17. At that time, Loudon faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden is prosecuting the case. 

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 32-year-old Brownsville man has been sentenced for aggravated identity theft and straw purchasing in connection to a firearm purchasing scheme out of Texas into Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Leonardo Barroso pleaded guilty June 9, 2022.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Barroso to serve 87 months for the straw purchase conviction and a mandatory 24 months for the identity theft to be served consecutively for a total of 111 months in federal prison. The sentence will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Barroso worked as a door-to-door electricity salesman who used his customers’ personal information to purchase firearms in San Antonio and Corpus Christi. Barroso purchased over 20 firearms to be smuggled into Mexico and intentionally delivered to cartel members.

On Feb. 7, 2022, Barroso purchased a firearm from a dealer in Corpus Christi using a Social Security number and identification that belonged to a known victim of identity theft. He then used the stolen identification to purchase a firearm for a third party to smuggle into Mexico. Barroso additionally provided false and misleading statements to the firearms dealer upon completing required paperwork for the purchase. 

Barroso also admitted to law enforcement he was transporting other firearms out of the United States. He served as a facilitator by recruiting Mexican nationals to purchase numerous firearms from dealers in Texas to be smuggled into Mexico.

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Lance Watt prosecuted the case. 

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old Weslaco man has been sentenced for possession of child pornography and sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Ulysses Rubalcava pleaded guilty Oct. 31, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. considered victim impact statements and imposed a total of 360 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court noted Rubalcava’s remorse, but explained how society deems these crimes as particularly heinous and that the court must protect children and the public to deter this type of crime. Garza was further ordered to serve 24 years on supervised release following the completion of his sentence. 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. A restitution hearing has been scheduled for April 23.

The investigation began in June 2021 when authorities learned of concerning behavior and photos believed to be the sexual assault of a child.

Law enforcement conducted a search of Rubalcava’s cellphone in which they discovered numerous saved child pornography files including the sexual assault of two minors. Following an investigation, authorities determined Rubalcava had been grooming and abusing two minor girls for more than a year. He eventually began producing child pornography images and videos of himself with the young girls.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

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

HOUSTON – A 44-year-old local man has been sentenced for his involvement in an ongoing cocaine distribution scheme that spanned more than nine years, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Francisco Rene Luna pleaded guilty April 11, 2022.

U.S. District Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Luna to serve 216 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court found Luna to be a leader and organizer of the drug trafficking conspiracy who maintained three locations in Houston he used to stash drugs and drug proceeds. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Luna was directly involved in the importation of the drugs.

“The Gulf Cartel is one of the most violent and brutal drug trafficking organizations, posing a threat to the citizens of both the United States and Mexico,” said Hamdani. “Luna, a trusted associate of this criminal enterprise, participated in the importation of thousands of kilograms of dangerous drugs into our country for sale in our communities. Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to dismantling destructive drug trafficking organizations, wherever they are.”

Luna admitted he was a leader of a drug trafficking organization while residing in Houston. His role was to oversee the receipt of cocaine smuggled in from in vehicles on a monthly basis during the course of the eight-year conspiracy. The Gulf Cartel supplied the cocaine.

The drugs were eventually further distributed to others across the United States.

In December 2015, law enforcement seized 176 kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of meth and $3.5 million in drug proceeds after executing search warrants at stash houses in Houston the organization controlled.

Luna was a fugitive for four years until his arrest in Monterrey, Mexico, in June 2019 as part of a joint Mexican and American law enforcement operation. He was subsequently removed from Mexico and transported to Houston for prosecution.

While he was a fugitive, Luna continued to run his drug operations from Mexico.

To date, 15 have been convicted in relation to the conspiracy.  

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

This Operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations.

The specific mission of the Houston Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that designated Consolidated Priority Organization or Regional Priority Organization Targets head with their affiliates and that impact Houston and south Texas.

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

GALVESTON, Texas – A 37-year-old San Leon resident has been sentenced for possession and receipt of child pornography as well as distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Robert James Alden pleaded guilty April 11, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Alden to serve a total of 240 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court noted the sentence reflected the severity of the materials Alden was using and his propensity to predation. Alden was further ordered to pay a total of $22,000 in restitution to the known victims and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. At the time of the offense, Alden was a registered sex offender and will continue to be upon release from custody. 

“Today’s sentence makes it clear that online child predators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Hamdani. “A convicted sex offender who continues seeking children online for sex will face swift and strong punishment.”

At the time of the plea, Alden admitted to communicating with whom he believed to be a 13-year-old female. During the message exchange, Alden requested nude photos from the minor, sent a video of child pornography to her and suggested they produce their own pornographic videos. 

On March 9, 2021, authorities executed a federal search warrant and recovered multiple media devices, including his phone which contained multiple images and videos of child pornography.

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

Homeland Security Investigations-Galveston conducted the investigation with assistance from the Pearland Police Department and Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard W. Bennett 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 31-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been sentenced following his conviction for felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Adalberto Pena pleaded guilty June 13, 2023.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Pena to serve 87 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information regarding Pena’s history of possessing firearms as a convicted felon, which includes four incidents in the 14 months preceding his arrest. The four prior incidents involved 10 firearms and included a silencer.

The investigation revealed Pena was possibly involved in selling narcotics and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. On Dec. 22, 2022, law enforcement conducted surveillance at his residence in Corpus Christi.

At that time, authorities saw a vehicle leave the house without license plate lights and initiated a traffic stop. Pena informed law enforcement he did not have identification. Authorities then conducted a search of his vehicle which revealed 9mm and .223 ammunition inside the cup holder as well as a Taurus handgun with a loaded magazine in the glove box.

Pena was previously convicted of a felony for possession of cocaine in 2011. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.

Pena 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 and Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Liesel Roscher 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.

HOUSTON – Two men have been sentenced for their roles in a scheme to cash stolen tax checks, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Benjamin Thomas, 38, Richmond, and Kuljinder Singh Hunjan, 38, Spring Valley, New York, pleaded guilty and Oct. 2 and Feb. 16, 2023, respectively.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane has now imposed a 90-month-term of imprisonment for Thomas, while Hunjan received 42 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences and were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,483,987.89. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Crane noted they engaged in a complex and sophisticated fraud scheme.

In approximately January 2022, authorities learned of a Houston couple who never received their $2,932,446.84 IRS refund check they were expecting in the mail.

The investigation revealed Hunjan and Whitley Rachelle Carter had used fake IDs with the victims’ names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers to open accounts at Regions Bank on various dates in January 2022

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

Authorities were able to identify Hunjan and Carter from bank surveillance. Hunjan’s fingerprints were also found on the check. The investigation linked Carter to Hunjan and Thomas by phone calls and cash app transactions.

On April 13, 2022, authorities arrested Thomas as he was driving a stolen Lamborghini. At that time, he possessed two debit cards for fraudulently-created accounts that were used to receive the proceeds of the aforementioned refund check. These accounts were opened with stolen identities of others to launder the proceeds of the nearly $3 million check.

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

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

Carter, 33, Houston, is set for sentencing May 21. At that time, she faces up to 30 years in federal prison as well as a possible $1 million maximum fine.

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

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

HOUSTON – A 65-year-old man has been sentenced for receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Steve Howie Nelson pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has now ordered Nelson to serve 180 months in federal prison. He 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. Nelson will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation revealed Nelson had been viewing child pornography in a peer-to-peer platform. On Feb. 22, 2019, authorities executed a search warrant at his Huffman residence, at which time they found more than 25 images of child pornography on his laptop. These images depicted adult males sexually assaulting minor females from 10 to 14 years of age.

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

FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Leo and Jay Hileman 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.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury in Corpus Christi has returned a guilty verdict against a 38-year-old man for transporting illegal aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before convicting Illeysel Carcasses following a two-day trial that included 10 witnesses.

On Nov. 13, 2023, Carcasses drove a refrigerated box truck to the Sarita Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the rear of the truck. During a search, authorities discovered five undocumented individuals concealed inside the back of the vehicle hidden amongst pallets of rotten produce. The jury heard how the individuals were locked inside with no way of escaping.  

Carcasses denied having keys to open the rear of the vehicle. However, authorities had discovered the keys in the truck’s cab. Evidence also showed that his cell phone was present at the location where the undocumented individuals were loaded into the vehicle.

The defense attempted to convince the jury that Carcasses was unaware the undocumented individuals were concealed in his truck. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 8. At that time, Carcasses faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Carcasses was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Joseph Griffith are prosecuting the case. 

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 33-year-old Houston woman has been sentenced for her convictions of possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and conspiracy to do so, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera deliberated for three days before convicting Brenda Banessa Leal March 7, 2023. The bench trial began Feb. 27, 2023, and concluded March 1, 2023.

Judge Olvera has now ordered Leal to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Leal’s testimony at trial was not credible and the evidence against her led to her conviction.

During trial, the court heard evidence that since at least 2018, Leal assisted several family members who were part of a drug trafficking organization. She helped transport narcotics, primarily cocaine, from Mexico to Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. The drugs were hidden in the rear differential in tractor trailers.

Several members of the organization reside in Cadereyta, Nuevo Leon, Mexico where Leal has lived the majority of her adult life. She also assisted family members in transporting bulk cash money, ammunition and weapons to Mexico.

The court saw evidence of text and WhatsApp messages between co-conspirators, jail call recordings and videos detailing Leal’s criminal actions.

The investigation revealed that between February 2021 and June 2021, Leal was the logistics coordinator of the drug trafficking organization. In that role, she coordinated drivers, dealers and cover loads on this side of the border. In June 2021, while Leal and co-conspirators were preparing to unload a tractor truck that contained approximately 33 kilograms of cocaine, the organization got robbed (“ripped”) of the cocaine by another drug trafficking organization.

Authorities apprehended that group shortly after stealing the cocaine from Leal.

The defense attempted to convince the judge that Leal did not have knowledge of the cocaine that was hidden in the tractor trailer and was simply a victim of the “rip crew.” Judge Olvera did not believe those claims and found Leal guilty as charged.

Leal 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, IRS - Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage. Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Alejandra Andrade and former AUSA Ed Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 54-year-old naturalized citizen residing in Mexico has been sentenced for importing nearly 91 pounds of meth from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Manuel Ignacio Ley Villa pleaded guilty Nov. 28, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Ley Villa to serve 255 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Ley Villa had been previously convicted for the same offense.

On April 30, 2023, Ley Villa approached the Hidalgo port of entry driving a maroon Chrysler Pacifica. Law enforcement noticed he appeared nervous and referred him to secondary inspection. There, an X-ray inspection revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s fuel tank.

Upon further investigation, law enforcement discovered a fuel tank filled with a liquid material which crystalized upon contact with the floor. The weight of the liquid meth was approximately 41.14 kilograms and had an estimated street value of $810,000.

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 conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Garcia prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 39-year-old resident of Belton, South Carolina, has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction for trafficking meth, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jeffery Wills pleaded guilty June 20, 2023.

Senior U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez has now ordered Wills to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed how Wills served as a key player in handling narcotics imported from Mexico for distribution along the East Coast. In handing down the sentence, the court noted that drug trafficking throughout the United States impacts the safety and security of communities along the U.S. border.

At the time of his plea, Wills admitted he facilitated a shipment of meth into the United States through the Hidalgo port of entry.

On July 31, 2021, co-conspirators Jasmine Dorsey, 28, and Iyana Carter, 25, both of Newnan, Georgia, attempted to enter the United States with 35 baggies of meth totaling 17 kilograms concealed in the fuel tank of their vehicle. They admitted to smuggling narcotics and identified Wills as the individual who assisted and contributed to the drug trafficking ring by coordinating cash transfers and providing cell phones.

Dorsey and Carter were ordered to deliver the meth to Wills for further distribution.

Law enforcement later arrested Wills at his residence in South Carolina. At that time, he was in possession of significant quantities of marijuana, heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, meth and dimethyltryptamine – a hallucinogenic drug – as well as 11 firearms.

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

Dorsey and Carter also pleaded guilty and were ordered to serve 64 and 78 months in federal prison, respectively, to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release for both.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Theodore Parran III and Daniel Chung prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 54-year-old man for one count of conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks and two counts of payment of kickbacks to marketers, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for an hour following a three-day trial before finding Ifeanyi Ozoh guilty on all counts as charged.

Ozoh worked at a local dental clinic known as Floss Family Dentalcare Center from January 2020 to February 2021.

At trial, the jury heard how Ozoh paid marketers $20 to $100 for each Medicaid-insured child referred to Floss. The marketers testified that Ozoh secretly paid them in cash and out of sight of other witnesses, sometimes putting their illegal kickback payments on top of a vending machine down the hall from the clinic.

One clinic manager testified that she repeatedly warned Ozoh that paying marketers was illegal.

The jury also heard that Ozoh paid out over $163,000 in bribes to marketers and received bonuses for reaching a quota of patients.

From 2020 to 2021, Floss billed Medicaid over $6 million. Floss received over $4 million on those claims, most of which were predicated on a kickback paid to marketers and for dental services that were not provided.

During the trial, a representative testified that Medicaid prohibits the payment of kickbacks for referrals of medical services.

The defense attempted to convince the jury that Ozoh was only a “handyman” and was not aware that his actions were illegal. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

U.S. District Chief Judge Randy Crane presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 21. At that time, Ozoh faces up to 25 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

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

LAREDO, Texas – A 27-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for holding multiple men against their will and demanding ransom, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Edgardo Hernandez-Zamora pleaded guilty June 8, 2023, to hostage taking.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now ordered Hernandez-Zamora to serve the rest of his life in federal prison. 

Co-conspirators Adrian Ramirez, 20, and Adrian Ramirez-Vasquez, 39, both from Mexico, also pleaded guilty to their roles and previously received 48 and 60 months in prison, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, both men are expected to face removal proceedings following their terms of imprisonment.

In February 2023, law enforcement arrived at a residence in Laredo after learning of a potential kidnapping. During their investigation, authorities heard loud banging coming from a window within the home and observed men crying and screaming in Spanish “they were kidnapping us.”

Authorities determined the men were being held against their will while Hernandez-Zamora communicated with their family members to demand a ransom. Hernandez-Zamora threatened to tie the victims up and cause them physical harm and that they would not see their families again if they did not comply.

One of the family members paid $3,500 as a partial payment of the ransom demand for their release.

Ramirez and Ramirez-Vasquez were both found to have conspired with Hernandez-Zamora in operating the stash house.

Hernandez-Zamora 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 and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with assistance from the Webb County Constable’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a 63-year-old Laredo man for unlawfully transporting undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding Zenen Torres-Perdomo guilty following a day and a half trial.

On Aug. 1, 2023, Torres-Perdomo drove a tractor-trailer to the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint. At initial inspection, a K-9 alerted authorities to the sleeper area of the tractor. Law enforcement subsequently discovered eight illegal aliens huddled together in the bed compartment of the tractor.

At the trial, Torres-Perdomo testified and argued he had no knowledge of the illegal alien’s presence in his vehicle. The jury ultimately did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing at a later date. At that time, Torres-Perdomo faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Torres-Perdomo was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Young Min Burkett prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 26-year-old Houston man has been charged with selling stolen government property, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. 

Tamoshion Rucker is a former U.S. Army enlistee who allegedly stole and attempted to sell Image Intensifier Tubes (IITs) for personal gain, according to the indictment.

The charges allege the investigation began in December 2022 when authorities attempted to retrieve stolen ITTs that were posted for sale on eBay.  

These IITs were allegedly manufactured to fulfill government contracts which are not available or authorized for sale to the public.

As stated in the indictment, to safeguard this technology and equipment, IITs require demilitarization at the end-of-life cycle use. The instructions allegedly involve striking them with a ball peen hammer, ensuring destruction and for the fragments to be disposed of in accordance with hazardous waste guidelines.

IITs cannot be resold or otherwise transferred to anyone after they have been used, according to the charges. 

He was permitted release upon posting bond pending further criminal proceedings. 

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

The FBI and Army Criminal Investigative Division conducted the investigation with assistance from Texas Department of Public Safety. 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.

HOUSTON - Six Houston-area men have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Hamza Abbas, 31, Ammas Uddin, 31, and Arham Uddin, 27, all of Richmond, were sentenced to 44, 18 and 18 months in prison, respectively, while Syed Ali, 55, Sugar Land, received a 24-month-term. Two others - Muhammad Anis, 55, and Jesus Acosta Perez, 33, both of Houston, were sentenced to respective terms of 21 months and 12 months and a day. All six had previously pleaded guilty and must also pay varying amounts in restitution.

According to court documents, the men conspired together and with others to fraudulently obtain PPP loans by, among other means, supplying information about their businesses to be used to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Specifically, the PPP loan applications falsified the numbers of employees and the average monthly payroll expenses of the applicant businesses.  The loan applications included fraudulent bank records and fake federal tax forms in support of the PPP loan applications.

Abbas also recruited others into the conspiracy and created fraudulent bank records that were used in support of the loan applications in exchange for kickbacks.

They laundered a portion of the fraudulent proceeds by writing checks from companies that received PPP loans to fake employees. These fake paychecks were cashed at certain cash checking businesses, including one another co-conspirator owned.

In January, three other individuals who also previously pleaded guilty were sentenced for their roles in the loan fraud scheme. Raheel Malik, 43, Sugar Land, and Nishant Patel, 41, Houston, received respective sentences of 18 and 24 months, while Harjeet Sing, 50, Katy, must serve five years of probation.

In October 2023, seven others were sentenced for their roles in the loan fraud conspiracy, including the ringleader, Amir Aqeel, 55, Houston, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

SBA - Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Housing Finance Agency – OIG (Central Region), Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – OIG (Dallas Region) and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (Gulf States Field Division) conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Kristine Rollinson are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorneys Kate McCarthy, Louis Manzo, Spencer Ryan, Della Sentilles and Randall Warden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds.

Six Texas men were sentenced today for their roles in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain more than $20 million in forgivable Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans that the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  

Hamza Abbas, 31, Ammas Uddin, 31, and Arham Uddin, 27, all of Richmond, were sentenced to three years and eight months, one year and six months, and one year and six months in prison, respectively; Syed Ali, 55, of Sugar Land, was sentenced to two years in prison; and Muhammad Anis, 55, and Jesus Acosta Perez, 33, both of Houston, were sentenced to one year and nine months and one year and one day in prison, respectively. All six defendants previously pleaded guilty.

According to court documents, the defendants conspired together and with others to fraudulently obtain PPP loans by, among other means, supplying information about their businesses to be used to submit false and fraudulent PPP loan applications. Specifically, the PPP loan applications falsified the numbers of employees and the average monthly payroll expenses of the applicant businesses. The loan applications also included fraudulent bank records and fake federal tax forms in support of the PPP loan applications. Abbas also recruited others into the conspiracy and created fraudulent bank records that were used in support of the loan applications in exchange for kickbacks.  

The defendants also laundered a portion of the fraudulent proceeds by writing checks from companies that received PPP loans to fake employees. These fake paychecks were cashed at certain cash checking businesses, including one owned by another co-conspirator.

In January, three other individuals who previously pleaded guilty were sentenced for their roles in the loan fraud scheme. Raheel Malik, 43, of Sugar Land, was sentenced to one year and six months in prison; Nishant Patel, 41, of Houston, was sentenced to two years in prison; and Harjeet Sing, 50, of Katy, was sentenced to five years of probation. 

In October 2023, seven other individuals were sentenced for their roles in the loan fraud conspiracy, including the ringleader, Amir Aqeel, 55, of Houston, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani for the Southern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Brady Ipock of the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG) Central Region, Special Agent in Charge Catherine Huber of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General’s (FHFA-OIG) Central Region, Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston, Special Agent in Charge Anand Ramlall of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) Dallas Region, and Special Agent in Charge Gary Smith of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) Gulf States Field Division made the announcement.

The SBA-OIG, FHFA-OIG, HSI, FDIC-OIG, and TIGTA are investigating the cases. 

Trial Attorneys Kate McCarthy, Louis Manzo, Spencer Ryan, Della Sentilles, and Randall Warden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Kristine Rollinson for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the cases.  

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the PPP. Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 200 defendants in more than 130 criminal cases and has seized over $78 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/ppp-fraud.

HOUSTON – A 50-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for using interstate communications to threat, kidnap or injure, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Tiffani Shea Gish aka Evelyn Salt pleaded guilty Nov. 9, 2023.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Gish to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about mental health problems and that Gish had previously left threatening messages for various government agencies. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hittner noted that he was concerned for the safety of the public and protecting the judiciary.

“Upholding the rule of law is one of the main priorities of the Department of Justice, and that means protecting public servants from violence,” said Hamdani. “Holding Tiffani Gish accountable for her threats to assassinate a federal judge sends a strong message that we have no tolerance for those – who often hide behind a far-off keyboard or phone line – seeking to undermine our democratic institutions by threatening the safety of the people who help those same institutions thrive.” 

On Sept. 1, 2022, Gish left three threatening voicemails on the chamber’s telephone of a U.S. district judge from Florida. In the messages, Gish claimed to be a member of several military combat units, trained and familiar with weapons of war.

In the first message, she said the victim was marked for assassination and would get a bullet in the head. Gish then reiterated the same threat in two subsequent messages and used expletives when adding that she had ordered snipers and a bomb to the victim’s house and would to throw a bullet to the victim’s head.

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

FBI and U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Schammel prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old South Carolina man has been taken into federal custody for failing to register as a sex offender after traveling interstate to Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Authorities arrested Robert Counterman in Laredo. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga at 9:30 a.m.

In 2018, Counterman, corpsman in the U.S Navy, was convicted for attempting lewd acts with a child under the age of 16 and was ordered to register as a sex offender, according to the charges. He was allegedly discharged from military service following his conviction.

According to the indictment returned Feb. 6, Counterman failed to register or update his registration as a sex offender upon arriving in Texas in December 2022.

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

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) led the investigation with assistance from the Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence A. Check Jr. is prosecuting the case, which is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders and Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of law enforcement officers from the USMS, Laredo Police Department, Webb County Sheriff’s Department, Webb/Zapata County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol. The task force’s objective is to seek out and arrest violent criminals, gang members and sex offenders. These task forces combine the efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the most dangerous fugitives. Anonymous tips can be made by texting 411TIPS (847411) keyword GULFCOAST.

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 32-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison for sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

George Michael Granados pleaded guilty July 31, 2023. 

U.S. District Court Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Granados to serve a 600-month sentence for each of his two counts of conviction. They will run consecutively for a total 1200 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court also heard additional information including a victim impact statement from the father of one of the victims who expressed his horror at this crime, the violation of trust and the pain this caused his family. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted that one day these two little girls will grow up and should not have to bear the fear that Granados may ever be released from prison.

“One hundred years is justice. Granados stole the innocence of two children, young girls he knew and were often entrusted to his care,” said Hamdani. “He betrayed them in the most horrific and despicable manner, all for his own deviant sexual desire. This massive sentence makes it clear – if you try to destroy our precious kids through such victimization and abuse, we will destroy your freedom by showing you only prison walls for decades to come.”

“What Granados did to those two little girls is abominable and unforgiveable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “As a convicted rapist, Granados should have never had access to those children. Today’s sentence is partial justice for his victims whose innocence he stole and trust he violated. It’s precisely the young, innocent and vulnerable victims for whom our agents will continue to investigate some of the most difficult and emotionally taxing crimes.”

The investigation revealed Granados raped these children and recorded them on video. After filming, Granados uploaded the files to his Google drive.

In February 2022, law enforcement conducted search warrants for his residence, electronic devices and Google drive account. Forensic examination revealed three separate videos and nine image files, each showing his vaginal penetration of the girls. His face, heavily tattooed neck, arms and torso led to his positive identification. Granados was also found to be in possession of other image and video files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.

At the time of these events, Granados was a registered sex offender with a prior conviction for sexual assault.

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

The FBI conducted the investigation along with Liberty County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Rangers.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sharad S. Khandewhal and Anna Swanson prosecuted this 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 34-year-old resident of Sugar Land has been ordered to federal prison for his conviction related to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Warren Christopher Clark pleaded guilty Oct. 10, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Clark to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court imposed a terrorism enhancement, noting how Clark’s criminal and irresponsible behavior betrayed the values of this country and that he hoped Clark served every second of his sentence.

“In the interests of national security, our laws prohibit Americans from receiving military training from designated foreign terrorist organizations. Warren Clark ran afoul of those laws when he illegally crossed the border into Syria and underwent military training from ISIS, a brutal terrorist organization,” said Hamdani. “Thanks to international partnerships, Clark was brought back to the United States to face the consequences for his crimes in a Southern District of Texas courtroom.”

“By seeking and receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization, Clark, a former teacher, betrayed his nation and allied himself with one of the most violent U.S. adversaries,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston field office. “Protecting the American people from terrorism is the FBI’s number one priority. As the lead U.S. agency for combating international and domestic terrorism, the FBI continues to work with our partners and use all necessary resources to get ahead of the threats and protect our communities, especially as the threat is constantly evolving.”

As part of his plea, Clark admitted knowing ISIS was a foreign terrorist organization. Regardless, he traveled overseas and receiving military training from them.  

Clark admitted he illegally traveled from Turkey into Syria where he took mandatory religious and military training. In correspondence to his family, Clark indicated he was living happily abroad and would not return to the United States unless “the Islamic State conquers the US,” noting he thought he would be imprisoned here if he did come back.

He later called himself a citizen of the Islamic State and renounced his U.S. citizenship.

Clark 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 FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force and police departments in Houston and Sugar Land conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys S. Mark McIntyre and Craig M. Feazel prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorney Michael J. Dittoe of the Department of Justice Counter Terrorism Section.

LAREDO, Texas - A 28-year-old Laredo man is now in custody for allegedly sexually assaulting and violating the civil rights of two women, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Hector Humberto Rodriguez Jr. is expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga at 1:30 p.m.

A federal grand jury returned the sealed five-count indictment Feb. 6, which was unsealed upon his arrest.

Rodriguez was a correctional officer with the Webb County Sheriff’s Department.

On two separate occasions, he allegedly deprived two women of their civil rights. While working in his law enforcement capacity, he forcibly sexually assaulted both women while they were housed as inmates at the Webb County Jail, according to the indictment.

If convicted, he faces up to life in prison as well as potential fines of $250,000 for each of the five counts in the indictment.

The FBI and Department of Justice - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon Scott Bowling and Leslie Ann Cortez are prosecuting the case.

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

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 37-year-old Brownsville resident has been sentenced for possession with intent to distribute 1,741 grams of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani.

Heriverto Ramirez pleaded guilty July 20, 2023.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Ramirez to serve 70 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release.

“This case is a perfect example of how fentanyl, a potent and deadly opioid, is overtaking every aspect of the illicit drug trade,” said Hamdani. “Ramirez was caught mailing half a kilogram of fentanyl through USPS, creating a potentially deadly hazard for anyone handling the package. The investigation revealed that this dangerous distribution scheme had been ongoing for almost a year.”

Ramirez packaged 494 grams of fentanyl for distribution through the U.S. Postal Service, concealing the dangerous narcotic in the shell of a tankless hot water heater.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at the residence of Ramirez and discovered an additional 1,247 grams of fentanyl and 8.48 kilograms of cocaine.

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 conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose A. Esquivel Jr. prosecuted the case.