Southern District of Texas

LAREDO, Texas – Two individuals have been ordered to federal prison for aiding and abetting in the transmission of messages threatening to extort money from another, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Hector Jose Lopez, 31, pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2021, while Nancy Yvette Garcia, 33, admitted to the charges Oct. 14, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo imposed a 96-month term of imprisonment for Lopez, while Garcia received 188 months. Garcia, also currently on supervised release for a 2018 conviction for conspiracy to transport aliens, received an additional four months which will be served concurrently to the current offense. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentences. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Marmolejo noted that Lopez should make better choices if he wanted to live in the free world, further stating that he had no respect for the law or humanity.

On Jan. 26, 2021, a marijuana deal involving a 16-year-old male had gone awry. Shortly thereafter, Garcia and another individual took him to Lopez’s apartment. Garcia claimed they needed to keep him hostage in order to get their marijuana or money back. Lopez held him there in exchange for $500.

At the time of his plea, Lopez admitted he asked the victim for some of his login information stored on his phone which he then sent to Garcia via WhatsApp.

In the early morning hours of Jan. 27, 2021, someone posted photographs to the victim’s Facebook account showing visible injuries and referencing what happens to people who steal. The mother of the victim then received a message on Facebook Messenger accusing her son of stealing marijuana.

Shortly thereafter, she received a phone call from a Mexican phone number demanding $30,000 for the release of her son. Throughout the course of the day, the mother received text messages or phone calls asking about the status of the ransom and was told her son would be killed if the demand wasn’t met.

On Jan. 28, 2021, the victim managed to escape and contacted law enforcement.

Lopez and Garcia 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 Laredo Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 45-year-old man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction for a child pornography charge while on deferred adjudication for another similar offense, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Manuel Candia-Reuter pleaded guilty June 9, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller ordered Candia-Reuter to serve 180 months in prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Candia-Reuter is a registered sex offender and had been  serving a deferred sentence for previous possession of child pornography.

The investigation began in March 2019, when authorities discovered Candia-Reuter had uploaded or distributed child pornography material via Skype.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Candia-Reuter’s residence July 12, 2019. At that time, Candia-Reuter admitted to distributing images of child pornography to another user on Skype.

Candia-Reuter also acknowledged he had been attending therapy sessions while on deferred adjudication for possession of child pornography. He relapsed and again began searching for child pornography.

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

The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

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

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 60-year-old Brownsville resident has been ordered to federal prison for possessing with intent to distribute 11.78 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Martin Munoz pleaded guilty Sept. 15, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered him to serve a 70-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. 

On March 13, 2020, Munoz arrived at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint located in Sarita driving a pickup truck.  

At inspection, law enforcement opened the driver side door and immediately noticed a large duffel bag laying on the front passenger seat. They ultimately found 10 bundles wrapped in brown tape consistent with narcotics located inside the bag. 

They contained a white powdery substance which later field tested positive for the properties of cocaine with a total combined weight of 11.78 kilograms.

Munoz 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Coronado prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 23-year-old man has entered a guilty plea for enticement of a minor online, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Today, Malcom Lenard Thomas, Houston, admitted he communicated via Instagram with whom he thought was a 15-year-old female.

He connected with the individual in October 2021. In those conversations, he conveyed his expectations to recruit her to engage in commercial sex in Houston for his own financial benefit, calling it the rules of “the game.”

Through numerous exchanges over social media and other means, he instructed her how to send him money. He then purchased a bus ticket for her to travel to Houston. He made arrangements to pick her up on Oct. 29, 2021. Upon his arrival, law enforcement took him into custody.  

As part of his plea, he admitted to sending the bus ticket knowing the minor was coming to Houston to engage in commercial sex. He claimed his role would be to provide her with protection.

U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing Sept. 15. At that time, Thomas faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Thomas will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) conducted the investigation.

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting this case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 32-year-old Alvin resident has been sent to prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Alonzo Gonzalez III pleaded guilty March 22.

Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Ramos ordered Gonzalez to serve 180 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the impact the theft of some of the guns that Gonzalez possessed had on the victim.

On March 10, 2021, authorities pulled over a vehicle for having an expired Texas temporary tag. Alonzo Gonzalez III was a passenger in the vehicle.

Law enforcement officers noticed the occupants of the vehicle were behaving suspiciously and brought a K-9 to the scene. The K-9 alerted to the rear of the vehicle. A subsequent search resulted in the discovery of seven firearms concealed inside the trunk. Those included two 12-gauge shotguns, a .243 rifle, .223-5.56 rifle and three 7.62x54R rifles. Authorities later determined that two of the weapons were stolen.

At the time of his plea, Gonzalez admitted he had placed the firearms in the trunk and planned to sell them in South Texas.

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Kleberg County Attorney Specialized Crimes & Enforcement Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda L. Gould prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Brazoria County man has pleaded guilty to threatening employees at the Lake Jackson Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient clinic, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Mark Williams Jr. was a U.S. Army veteran receiving treatment at VA facilities. Today, he admitted to making a series of threatening statements via interstate communications.

Beginning in June 2021, Williams began sending threats towards the staff at various VA facilities. These included calls to the Lake Jackson VA Outpatient Clinic, White House VA Hotline and Veterans Crisis Line.

As part of his plea, he admitted that during a call on Oct. 25, 2021, he made repeated threats to kill employees at the Lake Jackson VA clinic.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. will impose sentencing Sept. 6. At that time, Williams faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Pearson is prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 24-year-old former Iraqi refugee has been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery and Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division (DOJ-NSD).

Abdulrahman Mohammed Hafedh Alqaysi made his initial appearance in federal court today. Also charged are his cousin Mohammed (aka Moe) Amer Faisal Al Qaysi, 26, another former Iraqi refugee, and Hami Jamshid aka Jamshid Ahmadzai, 32, a naturalized U.S. citizen. Hafedh Al Qaysi, Faisal Al Qaysi and Jamshid resided in Richmond, Houston and Sugar Land, respectively.

Law enforcement took them into custody June 16 on the charges contained in a sealed nine-count superseding indictment, returned April 26. The indictment was unsealed as the three appeared in court today.

Hafedh Al Qaysi did unlawfully and knowingly conspire and agree with others known and unknown to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), according to the charges. The Secretary of State has defined ISIS as a foreign terrorist organization.

Hafedh Al Qaysi is also charged with three counts of making a false statement in a naturalization application. The indictment alleges that he falsely answered “no” when asked if he had ever been a member of or in any way associated, either directly or indirectly, with a terrorist organization, or if he was ever a part of any group or ever helped any group, unit or organization that used a weapon against any person or threatened to do so.

The naturalization application also asks whether the applicant had ever committed, assisted with or attempted to commit a crime or offense for which they were not arrested. Hafedh Alqaysi, Faisal Al Qaysi and Jamshid all falsely answered “no” to that question, according to the indictment.

The indictment also alleges that Jamshid procured citizenship or naturalization unlawfully.

The three men face additional charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Beginning on or about Jan. 1, 2015, through on or about March 10, 2017, they conspired together to devise a scheme to defraud and to obtain money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations and promises. The indictment alleges that Hafedh Alqaysi also committed aggravated identity theft in relation to that scheme.  

If convicted, Hafedh Al Qaysi faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the material support count as well as well as a mandatory two years for the identity theft which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. Making a false statement in a naturalization application and procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully carry possible penalties of five and 10 years, respectively. All three also face up to 20 years for the conspiracy to commit wire fraud, upon conviction.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani is prosecuting the case along with DOJ-NSD Trial Attorney Joshua Champagne.  

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

LAREDO, Texas – A 22-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute approximately 4.65 kilograms of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Juan Alvarado-Vargas pleaded guilty April 5.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo imposed a 72-month term of imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the prison term, Judge Marmolejo noted that Mexican Fentanyl is extremely dangerous and responsible for deaths all over the United States.

On Oct. 3, 2021, Alvarado-Vargas attempted to drive through the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint along U.S. Highway 59 near Freer. During a search of his vehicle, authorities discovered approximately 4.65 kilograms of fentanyl hidden inside his car battery.

At the time of his plea, Alvarado-Vargas admitted that smugglers had offered him approximately $4,500 to illegally transport drugs into the United States from Mexico. He further admitted that his ultimate delivery destination was the Galleria mall in Houston.

Fentanyl is a synthetic painkiller drug that has morphine and opioid-like side effects, but works at a mere one-hundredth of the/of a regular dose. Inadvertent exposure to high doses of fentanyl in micrograms can result in respiratory failure, overdose and ultimately death. Remember #OnePillCanKill

Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez prosecuted the case.  

HOUSTON – A 47-year-old Katy resident has been indicted for defrauding Medicaid of more than $600,000, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Authorities took Kay Le Farmer into custody today. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Dena Hanovice Palermo at 1 p.m.

On June 9, a federal grand jury returned the 22-count indictment which was unsealed upon her arrest today.

According to the charges, Farmer is the former office manager for her ex-husband - a therapist and Medicaid provider. Following their separation, Farmer allegedly used her ex-husband’s provider number to submit fraudulent claims to Medicaid for counseling services that were never provided.

From 2013 until 2018, Farmer allegedly submitted or caused the submission of approximately $617,983.86 in claims for psychotherapy services that were not provided. The indictment alleges Farmer was paid approximately $432,924.69 on those claims.

In 2017, Farmer even used her employment at a pediatrician’s office to obtain patient information, according to the allegations. She then allegedly submitted more fraudulent claims to Medicaid under her ex-husband’s provider number.

According to the charges, Medicaid monies were deposited into accounts Farmer controlled.

If convicted,  Farmer faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine for each count of health care fraud.  

The 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 is prosecuting the case.

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

HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer is now in custody for allegedly violating a passenger’s civil rights and obstruction, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Law enforcement arrested Christopher Edwards Dowell, Conroe, today. He is expected to make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo at 1 p.m.  

A federal grand jury returned the sealed two-count indictment June 9, which was unsealed today upon his arrest. 

The charges allege Dowell deprived a female of her civil rights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. While conducting a secondary inspection, he allegedly touched the victim’s breasts without her consent. He then engaged in obstruction by attempting to cover up the incident with information he submitted in the secondary inspection report, according to the indictment. 

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison for obstruction as well as another year for the violation of civil rights. The obstruction and civil rights charges also carry potential fines of $250,000 and $100,000, respectively. 

The Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Suh 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 – The Mayor of Penitas has been charged with bribery and fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
 
Authorities took Rodrigo Lopez, 38, into custody today as he re-entered the United States at a Port of Entry in Hidalgo County.  

He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nadia S. Medrano tomorrow at 11 a.m. 

The two-count indictment, returned June 1 and unsealed today, charges Lopez with embezzling or fraudulently obtaining property of the La Joya Independent School District (LJISD). From March through August of 2018, LJISD allegedly made purchases totaling approximately $70,010 from Lopez’s company Xizaka LLC.  

Lopez offered or gave a bribe to an LJISD employee in connection with these purchases, according to the allegations. 

If convicted, Lopez faces up to 10 years on each count.
  
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives; Texas Department of Insurance; McAllen Police Department and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Lopez is prosecuting the case.  

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

HOUSTON –A 48-year-old former special agent with Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) has been convicted of obstructing justice, making false statements and accepting money and gifts for official acts, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.    

A federal jury deliberated for less than three hours before convicting Leatrice Malika DeBruhl-Daniels following a six-day trial.

DeBruhl-Daniels was a veteran NCIS special agent working in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. There, she met Nadal Diya, a Syrian businessman living in Dubai looking for help in securing a visa to the United States. At that time, Diya was the target of several federal investigations.

The jury heard from 16 government witnesses, which included numerous agents and Diya himself. Testimony revealed that in 2017, DeBruhl-Daniels used her position to get certain benefits from Diya in exchange for providing information to him about his visa status. The gifts included an expensive birthday party at Diya’s home, approximately $1,400 in cash and the promise of a job for her son in Diya’s company. 

The relationship with Diya eventually became sexual. During that relationship, she revealed he was a target of an FBI counterterrorism investigation, information that was classified at the time. She also told him that if he came to the United States, he would likely be arrested. 

In late December 2017, federal agents had questioned Debruhl-Daniels about Diya. However, she failed to disclose her intimate relationship with him, the gifts he had given her, the job he offered her son and the classified information she provided.

Following the interview, she also visited with Diya and coached him on what to say in a subsequent interview.  

Several months later in May 2018, she left Dubai for Hawaii for a highly sensitive and coveted job. However, she soon learned she would not get the new position. It was only then she confessed to superiors and investigators about her illicit relationship, the monies, party and gifts she had received and the classified information she had previously revealed.

Debruhl-Daniels testified in her own defense at trial. She claimed, among other things, that the classified information she revealed to Diya was public information. She further attempted to convince the jury she did not have a duty to reveal any of the details of her personal relationship with Diya nor her disclosures to him. 

The jury did not believe her claims and found her guilty.

Diya, 49, Dubai, previously pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

U.S. District Judge Gray Miller presided over trial and set sentencing for Debruhl-Daniels for Aug. 15. At that time, she faces 20 years for each of the four obstruction counts, five years for each of six false statement counts of conviction, another eight for a false statement with terrorism enhancement as well as two years for the bribery conviction.

She was remanded to custody pending that hearing.

NCIS led the investigation with the assistance of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of Commerce and Department of State. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arthur R. Jones and Alamdar S. Hamdani are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 24-year-old Indian citizen has been taken into custody on charges related to a large nationwide conspiracy to commit mail fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Anirudha Kalkote is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. He was incarcerated in Virginia and brought to Texas June 9 to face the charges.

The 12-count superseding indictment charges Kalkote with conspiracy and mail fraud. Also named in the indictment is MD Azad, 25, an illegal resident of Houston, who was originally charged in August 2020. He will appear again in court on the new charges in the near future. 

The superseding indictment, returned June 9, accuses Azad and Kalkote of participating in a fraud ring from 2019-2020 which operated out of various cities including Houston. The scheme allegedly targeted elderly victims throughout the United States and elsewhere.

According to the charges, the ring tricked and deceived victims using various ruses and instructed them to send money via wire through a money transmitter business such as Western Union or MoneyGram, by buying gift cards and providing to the fraudsters or by mailing cash to alias names via FedEx or UPS.

One such scheme allegedly involved the claim of providing computer technical support services. The indictment alleges that the scheme generally worked because fraudsters contacted victims by phone or via internet sites directing them to a particular phone number. Once victims contacted them, they were told various stories such as they were communicating with an expert that needed remote access to their computer in order to provide technical support services. The fraudsters then allegedly gained further access to their personal data and bank and credit card information.

Victims typically paid a fee to conspirators for the alleged technical support but were later told they were due a refund, according to the charges. Through paying for “technical support” or through the “refund” process, the ring gained access to the victim’s bank account(s) and credit cards and manipulated the accounts to make it appear the victim was paid too large a refund due to a typographical error. Victims were then instructed to reimburse the ring by various means.

The indictment alleges victims were sometimes re-victimized multiple times and threatened with bodily harm if they did not pay.

Upon conviction, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

Three others have already pleaded guilty in relation to the scheme and are awaiting sentencing - Sumit Kumar Singh, 24, Himanshu Kumar, 24, and MD Hasib, 26 are Indian nationals who illegally resided in Houston.

All five individuals remain in custody pending further criminal proceedings.

The FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and other local law enforcement agencies throughout the United States including the Sheriff’s Office and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office of Augusta County, Virginia. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Quincy Ollison are prosecuting the case. 

The case is brought as a part of the Elder Justice Initiative. Its goal is to support and coordinate the Department’s enforcement and programmatic efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial fraud and scams that target our nation’s older adults.

In March 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice launched National Elder Fraud Hotline to help combat fraud against older Americans and provide services to victims. If you or someone you know is a victim of elder fraud, we encourage you to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833–FRAUD–11 (833–372–8311).

The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. eastern time. Services are available for speakers of English, Spanish and other languages.

HOUSTON - A 46-year-old Houston man has been taken into custody on charges of sex trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Larry Odell Lewis expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew M. Edison at 2pm today.

A federal grand jury returned the eight-count indictment June 2 which was unsealed upon his arrest late June 8.  

Self-proclaimed as “Lavish,” Lewis allegedly used force, fraud and coercion to cause four adult women to engage in commercial sex. The indictment alleges some of the acts occurred on the Bissonnet Track, an area of Houston known to be plagued by prostitution and prostitution-related crimes. 

He also coerced the women to do similar acts across state lines, according to the charges.

If convicted, Lewis faces up to life imprisonment and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sebastian A. Edwards and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal jury sitting in Corpus Christi has convicted a 30-year-old Alice man for conspiring to distribute narcotics through the mail, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

The jury deliberated for more than two hours before convicting Rudolph Balboa on three counts of conspiring to use a communication facility to distribute THC products following a three-day trial.

At trial, the jury heard testimony from law enforcement that Balboa abused his position as a mailman to make illicit deliveries of narcotics between August 2019 and January 2020. Balboa carried out the scheme with the help of two co-conspirators, both of whom testified against Balboa at trial.

The jury also heard from postal inspectors and special agents who had performed a search of some of the packages and discovered THC products in them. They also testified how they conducted surveillance on Balboa and recorded him making deliveries at locations other than those addressed on the packages.  

At trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury Balboa had no idea what was inside the packages. However, the jury viewed video evidence and heard Balboa had previously confessed to the scheme. They also viewed text messages from Balboa’s cellphone confirming some of the deliveries.

The jury ultimately did not believe Balboa’s testimony and ultimately found him guilty as charged.  

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over trial and set sentencing for Aug.  31. At that time, Balboa faces up to four years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Liesel Roscher are prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 58-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Steven Furman pleaded guilty Feb. 1.

Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton handed Furman the statutory maximum of 240 months.  He will also serve the rest of his life 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. He was further ordered to register as a sex offender.

At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Furman was a hands-on offender and had sexually abused teenage girls over the course of several years, one of whom provided an in-person victim impact statement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the horrible details of Furman’s crimes and her powerful statement.  

The investigation began after authorities learned about the distribution of files containing child pornography. The images included prepubescent minors forced to engage in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Furman was associated with that IP address.

Law enforcement also discovered Furman was writing and sending fantasies stories about abusing children.

On April 6, 2021, they executed a search warrant at Furman’s residence, at which time they seized various electronic devices. Forensic analysis on those devices revealed 671 images and videos depicting child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Furman admitted to using the internet to view, download and distribute child pornography.

The FBI conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly Smith and Dennis Robinson 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 29-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Robert James Blanco pleaded guilty Sept. 7, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales sentenced Blanco to 130 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed Blanco’s responsibility for 5,486 kilograms of narcotics and multiple arrests with narcotics and firearms. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Blanco’s multiple arrests for narcotics, weapons possession and violent crimes.

The investigation started in December 2020 when law enforcement discovered Blanco was posting in a social media chat room that he was selling meth, heroin, ecstasy and more in Corpus Christi. Undercover officers then purchased meth from Blanco on several occasions. On March 1, 2021, authorities attempted to stop a vehicle Blanco was driving when he crashed into other vehicles while trying to flee.

On Feb. 16, 2021, authorities arrested Blanco with a loaded firearm, $1,330 and various narcotics including 30.65 grams of meth.

He will remain in federal prison 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 Corpus Christi Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 26-year-old security guard working at a downtown Houston nightclub has been convicted of its 2019 violent armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

The jury deliberated for 10 minutes before convicting Hakeem Alexander Coles today for interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence following a five-day trial.  

Coles, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, used a false identity to get hired as a security guard for Cle Nightclub. He worked there for about two weeks. On Sept. 7, 2019, after the business closed, he robbed the employees at gunpoint and demanded $20,000 cash.

At trial, the jury heard from witnesses who described how Coles was hired as a security guard using someone else’s identity. They also heard from employees at Cle who described how he had robbed them at gunpoint and discharged his firearm toward them as he fled the scene.

The investigation led to Coles’ arrest in Louisiana. At that time, he was found in possession of a loaded firearm and the false identification he used to gain employment at Cle. Law enforcement was soon able to uncover his true identity.

The jury also heard evidence of another robbery Coles had committed in Minneapolis three weeks prior to the Cle robbery. In that case, Coles was working as a security guard at Cowboy Jacks Bar and Restaurant and robbed the employees during closed hours as well. Coles pleaded guilty in 2020 and received 17 years in federal prison on that case.

The defense attempted to convince the jury in this case that Coles did not commit the crime and it was, in fact, the individual whose identity he had stolen. The jury did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. presided over trial and set sentencing for Aug. 26. At that time, Coles faces up to 20 years for the robbery and a minimum of 10 years and up to life for the firearms charge which must be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed.  

Coles has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; Gretna Police Department in Louisiana and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Britni Cooper and Luis Batarse prosecuted the case.

This is an example of coordination between law enforcement who are part of the Houston Law Enforcement Violent Crime Initiative which combines personnel and resources from numerous federal, state and local agencies. The goal is to proactively fight and reduce violent crime across the Greater Houston area by targeting the region’s most violent offenders, augmenting investigative and prosecutorial efforts and enhancing training, public awareness and education. It stems from the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

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.

LAREDO, Texas – A 45-year-old Customs and Border Protection (CBP) supervisor has been charged with stealing money from the U.S. government, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Alfonso Gonzalez, Laredo, is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga at 1:30 p.m. Monday, June 6.

A federal grand jury returned the one-count indictment June 1, which was unsealed today upon his arrest.

Gonzalez is a Supervisory CBP Officer, according to the charges. On multiple occasions between Sept. 27, 2020, and Sept. 27, 2021, he allegedly falsified hours on his timesheet. The indictment alleges he falsely recorded additional night and weekend hours when he did not actually report to work. On some of those occasions, he actually traveled to Mexico when he claimed to be at work, according to the allegations.

Further, Gonzalez allegedly fabricated excuses to justify his overtime hours.

As a result, Gonzalez allegedly stole approximately $6,497.52 from the U.S. government, according to charges.

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

CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac is prosecuting the case.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Houston women have admitted to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Today, Clarissa Hernandez, 23, admitted to her role in the conspiracy. Her co-conspirator, Sarah Morales, 23, previously pleaded guilty April 28.

On Feb. 11, Hernandez attempted to drive through a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint, at which time a K-9 alerted to her vehicle. A search revealed 15 bundles of cocaine and 32,500 pills of fentanyl concealed in the front and rear bumpers of her Chevrolet sedan. 

Soon after, Morales also attempted to pass through the checkpoint. During a search, authorities discovered 12 bundles of cocaine, three bundles of heroin and one bundle of fentanyl concealed in the front and rear bumpers of her Ford sport utility vehicle.

As part of their pleas, they admitted they had conspired together to smuggle a total of 25.36 kilograms of cocaine, 4.94 kilograms of fentanyl and 255 grams of heroin. 

The drugs have a combined estimated street value of approximately $2.25 million.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales set sentencing for Morales July 20. Hernandez will be sentenced Aug. 23. They each face up to life in prison with a possible $10 million maximum fine.

Both have been and will remain in custody pending their respective hearings.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case.
 

HOUSTON – A 49-year-old out-of-state man has pleaded guilty to running an unlicensed money transmitting business, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Hien Ngoc Vo, Seattle, Washington, admitted that between March 16, 2016, and June 8, 2016, he operated a prohibited cryptocurrency business in the Houston area. 

Vo used Paxful and LocalBitcoins to buy and sell Bitcoin - websites where people can buy and sell cryptocurrencies. He profited from sales by collecting a percentage of the transactions which ranged from 5-30%. During the transactions, Vo did not ask clients for any form of identification nor the purpose for which they were purchasing the cryptocurrency.

Vo received funds in the form of cash, direct bank deposits, American Express credit cards as well as Amazon and generic gift cards. He used several bank accounts to conduct his business, but the banks shut down the accounts after inquiring about the origination of the funds.

During the course of three months, the unlicensed money transmitting business received and transmitted approximately $515,147.19 in Bitcoin.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal will impose sentencing Sept. 5. At that time, Vo faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez is prosecuting the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 33-year-old Mexican national has been charged with attempting to import over 400 kilograms of meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Today, a federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment against Luis Alberto Garza Cisneros. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

The complaint originally filed in the case alleges that on May 6, Cisneros attempted to enter the country through the World Trade Bridge Port of Entry while driving a tractor trailer.

Law enforcement referred the vehicle to secondary inspection, at which time an X-ray allegedly revealed anomalies. They conducted a search and allegedly discovered approximately 413.98 kilograms of meth in 24 five-gallon buckets inside of the tractor’s diesel tanks, according to the charges.

The drugs have an estimated street value of approximately $18 million.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew 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 – More charges have been filed in the fraudulent paper license plate scheme involving fake car dealerships who issued more than 700,000 illegitimate paper tags, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery.

Law enforcement arrested Daniel Rocky Christine-Tani, 33, Sugar Land, today. He is expected to make his initial appearance at 10 a.m. tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon.

A federal grand jury in Houston returned the 22-count superseding indictment May 11 charging Christine-Tani aka Daniel Rocky Christine-Tahi, Ruben Gonzalez, Rocky Keys and Daniel Christine with conspiracy and various counts of wire fraud. The indictment also adds more charges against known fugitive Emmanuel Padilla Reyes aka Christian Hernandez Bonilla or Noel Rivera, 32, last known of Houston. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

Co-conspirators Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez, 40, Houston, and Octavian Ocasio, 50, New York, were previously charged and arrested in the same scheme.

The indictment alleges all four participated in a scheme involving the use of fictitious car dealerships to issue and sell hundreds of thousands of Texas temporary buyer tags without selling cars. They also allegedly used email accounts and text messaging to communicate and deliver the fraudulent tags to purchasers throughout the United States. The four received and shared proceeds from the fraudulent sale of Texas buyer tags, according to the charges. 

In Texas, used car dealerships must have an independent GDN license to buy, sell or exchange used vehicles. To obtain a license applicants must apply. Once an applicant obtains a GDN license, they can buy, sell or exchange used cars and create temporary buyer tags for the transaction through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicle’s online eTag portal. The portal is web-based and password protected, and only licensed GDN holders can access it. However, the GDN holder can create other users on their account to allow access to the portal to create and issue buyer tags.

The co-conspirators allegedly provided false information such as fake identities, drivers licenses, lease agreements and business signs in the online application portal to obtain GDN licenses for fictitious car dealerships. The indictment further alleges they advertised the sale of Texas buyer tags via Facebook and Instagram.

According to the charges, the illegal tags pose a danger to the public and law enforcement because purchasers use them to avoid obtaining registration, safety inspections and liability insurance. They can also allegedly be used to hide identities from law enforcement.

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

The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Travis County Precinct 3 Constables Office, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, sheriff’s offices in Harris and Ft. Bend Counties, Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, New York State Police and New York City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the case.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 24-year-old Mission man has pleaded guilty to illegally transporting non-U.S. citizens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Leonardo Davila Jr. admitted to smuggling 73 people while driving an 18-wheeler.

On Feb. 8, Davila drove a tractor trailer into the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Falfurrias. There, a K-9 soon alerted authorities to the presence of concealed humans. Upon a search of the trailer, law enforcement discovered dozens of undocumented individuals.

In the trailer were nationals of Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Peru, Mexico and El Salvador. All were later determined to be present in the country illegally.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Aug. 24. At that time, Davila faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 21-year-old Hidalgo County man has been sent to federal prison for possessing with the intent to distribute 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Matthew Ethan Joseph Castillo pleaded guilty Feb. 10.

Today, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Castillo to serve 36 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Castillo transported cocaine numerous times in the past, having delivered narcotics to Houston and Dallas as well as Atlanta, Georgia, and New York City. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the significant quantity of cocaine that Castillo was smuggling.

At the time of his plea, Castillo admitted he knowingly attempted to smuggle the narcotics past a U.S. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint.

On Sept. 29, 2021, Castillo was traveling on a Tornado commercial passenger bus that entered the primary inspection area of the checkpoint near Falfurrias. There, a service canine alerted to a specific piece of luggage in the lower compartment of the bus. Authorities identified Castillo as the owner.

They searched the item and found two wooden tortilla presses, each containing two bundles of cocaine. They had been individually wrapped in carbon paper and coffee and sealed in plastic. 

The drugs had an estimated street value of more than $300,000.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck prosecuted the case.

McALLEN, Texas – A 33-year-old south Texan has been sent to prison for possessing child pornography with the intent to sell it on the internet, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Astro Rey De Leon pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced him 210 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including chats De Leon had with other individuals regarding the trade and sale of child sexual abuse material. The court also considered descriptions of the videos De Leon possessed as well as victim impact statements.

In handing down the prison term, the court noted that De Leon’s crimes were particularly heinous due to the ages of the victims, the number of videos involved and because he retained and sold videos to tailor his collection to his own desires. Judge Crane also reiterated that the material was recorded sexual abuse of children and should be addressed as such.

De Leon was further ordered to pay a total of $15,000 in restitution to five victims and will serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

Authorities had learned a computer was receiving child pornography. They were able to trace it to De Leon at his residence. He admitted he was actively involved in speaking with individuals who were interested in buying child pornography via applications on his cell phone.

A search of his phone revealed he had recently tried to sell child pornography. De Leon further admitted he had bought it himself only two months prior to law enforcement’s arrival at his residence.

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

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

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 40-year-old Kingsville resident has been ordered to federal prison following her conviction of possession with intent to distribute over 120 grams of pure meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. 

Aarika Wilson pleaded guilty Dec. 1, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Wilson to 120 months imprisonment to be followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Wilson had possession of a firearm during the commission of the drug trafficking offense.

On July 10, 2021, authorities executed a search warrant at Wilson’s residence in Bishop. At that time, officers located approximately three ounces of meth. Additionally, they found a firearm near the concealed narcotics.

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

The Drug Administration Enforcement conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Nueces County District Attorney’s Office-Criminal Interdiction Unit and Nueces County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Marin and Reid Manning prosecuted the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 22-year-old Stafford resident has admitted to illegally transporting a minor non-U.S. citizen within the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Fernando Jaramillo admitted he knew the minor was illegally present in the United States.  

On March 9, Jaramillo arrived at the checkpoint near Sarita. At initial inspection, authorities noticed a plastic bin filled with clothes laying on the back seat of Jaramillo’s vehicle. A K-9 alerted authorities, after which they conducted a search of the vehicle.

At that time, the clothes in the plastic bin jolted upwards. Authorities opened the plastic bin and discovered a small female child who they later determined was unlawfully present in the United States.

The investigation revealed the minor was traveling with her mother within the United States. Earlier that day, unknown individuals had taken them to a store and separated them. The minor did not know Jaramillo, but he put her inside the plastic bin and told her she would be in there for about 45 minutes. He also instructed her to not make any noise. She remained inside of the bin until law enforcement found her.      

U.S. District Judge Nelva G. Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 23. At that time, Jaramillo faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Jaramillo was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Molly K. Smith is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old man residing in Mission has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with the intent to distribute drugs, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Reynaldo Perez Jr. pleaded guilty Oct. 5, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered Perez Jr. to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 5 years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that detailed two prior successful narcotic smuggling attempts made by Perez.

On June 26, 2021, Perez was a passenger on a Tornado Bus that arrived at the Falfurrias Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. There, a K-9 alerted authorities to Perez’s luggage located in the cargo area of the bus.

Authorities conducted a search and discovered 21 bundles of a white-powdery substance concealed inside the luggage. It was later determined to be 21 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $2 million.

Perez 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 Roland Swanson prosecuted the case.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 47-year-old Harlingen man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receiving child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Rico Giovanni Machietto pleaded guilty Oct. 5, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera Jr. sentenced Machietto to 80 months in federal prison. Machietto was further ordered to pay $5,000 special assessment and will serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Machietto will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

At the time of his plea, Machietto admitted that from Dec. 1, 2017, to June 1, 2018, he used Facebook to communicate with minor girls located in the Philippines. He requested nude photos of them and sent money as compensation to their families. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement discovered Machietto possessed one video and 106 images of child pornography on his Apple computer.

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

Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 56-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of possession with intent to distribute 8.872 kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Jose Antonio Garcia Jr. pleaded guilty Feb. 28.

Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Garcia to serve 130 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding Garcia’s lengthy and varied criminal history. Dating back to 1985, he has nine burglary convictions, five thefts, eight drug or alcohol-related crimes and an alien smuggling attempt in 2014.

On Dec. 27, 2021, Garcia drove a white 2012 Freightliner semi-truck into an inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint located near Falfurrias. During inspection, authorities conducted a search of the vehicle. Law enforcement then referred Garcia to secondary inspection. At that time, they discovered nine bundles in an empty cardboard Huggies diaper box found underneath a sleeper seat inside the truck.

The bundles were later determined to be 8.872 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $443,600.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Parker Gochenour prosecuted the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 42-year-old Corpus Christi resident has pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Alfredo Delacruz admitted his role in the conspiracy which spanned from March 1 to Oct. 22, 2021.

The investigation began in September 2021. At that time, law enforcement had discovered Delacruz was receiving parcels containing meth from Phoenix, Arizona, to then be distributed in the Corpus Christi area.

On Oct. 21, 2021, authorities executed a search warrant at Delacruz’s residence. There, they discovered money, a ledger, approximately 16 grams of cocaine, several grams of marijuana, a Springfield Arms 9mm semiautomatic pistol, Taurus 9mm pistol, SAR Arms K2P Pistol, SCCY CPX-2 9mm semiautomatic pistol, Ruger .22 Caliber, semiautomatic pistol, Beretta .25 caliber pistol and an ammunition magazine.

Delacruz admitted he made an agreement with a supplier located in Arizona and had sold meth and cocaine for approximately six months. Delacruz received packages containing meth via UPS and sent cash proceeds from the sales to his supplier.

As part of his plea, he took responsibility for 10 to 12 packages, each containing up to five pounds of meth. The total amount of the narcotics exceeded approximately $300,000.

U.S. District Judge Nevla Gonzales Ramos will impose sentencing Aug. 24. At that time, Delacruz faces up to life in prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.

Delacruz was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Parker Gochenour is prosecuting the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 36-year-old former Border Patrol (BP) agent has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to transport an undocumented alien within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Rodney Tolson Jr., Laredo, pleaded guilty July 15, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana ordered him to serve a 21-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Saldana noted Tolson’s actions were extremely egregious and that he had abused the public’s trust while committing this offense as a federal agent.

At the time of his plea, Tolson admitted he conspired with others to permit the passage of undocumented aliens into the country. He used his position as a BP agent by coordinating lane assignments at the IH-35 BP checkpoint north of Laredo.

His co-conspirators paid him for each non-U.S. citizen he allowed through the checkpoint.

Previously released on bond, Tolson was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the future.

The Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and Customs and Border Protection - Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney José Angel Moreno prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 34-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for possessing a firearm as a felon, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Willie Randolph Moss Jr. pleaded guilty March 3.

Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana handed Moss a 33-month term of imprisonment to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court reiterated evidence that detailed how Moss attempted to blame someone else for having the firearm. Moss knew he was a convicted felon and could not use or possess a firearm.

The court also noted the firearm was stolen.

In handing down the sentence, the court considered his past criminal history and dangerous offenses. Judge Saldana also addressed his poor decision to drive from Houston to Laredo for criminal purposes and challenged Moss to take responsibility to avoid future criminal conduct.

On Jan. 15, authorities found him in possession of a pistol while traveling on IH-35 north of Laredo Texas in an effort to circumvent a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint.

Moss is a convicted felon. He was previously sent to prison for 15 years in 2006 for committing murder during a robbery. As such, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition.

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

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac is prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 37-year-old San Benito man has pleaded guilty to illegally transporting undocumented aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Eric Mendiola admitted to smuggling the individuals while driving an 18-wheeler.

On March 20, Mendiola drove a tractor trailer into the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. A K-9 soon alerted authorities to the presence of concealed humans. Law enforcement opened the doors of the trailer and discovered individuals hiding behind a load of produce.

In the trailer were 19 Mexican nationals, five Columbian nationals, four Guatemalan nationals, two El Salvadorian nationals and one Honduran national. All were determined to be in the United States illegally. In addition, the temperature inside the refrigerated trailer was 41 degrees Fahrenheit.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton will impose sentencing Aug. 17. At that time, Mendiola faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Marck is prosecuting the case.

 

HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Houston resident has pleaded guilty to unlawfully dealing firearms without a license, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Qusay Waleed Taha admitted to purchasing more than 100 firearms between July 11, 2018, and Aug. 19, 2019, in order to resell for profit. Taha also admitted he repeatedly bought firearms though licensed dealers and sold them to local individuals at gun shows.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. will impose sentencing Aug. 11. At that time, Taha faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

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

The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Heather Winter are prosecuting the case.

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

A Texas physician assistant was convicted today for distributing more than 1.2 million opioid pills during his employment at two Houston-area clinics that operated as pill mills.   

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, physician assistant Charles Thompson, 76, of Houston, illegally prescribed and helped others illegally prescribe controlled substances to individuals posing as patients at West Parker Medical Clinic (West Parker) and Priority Wellness Clinic (Priority Wellness).    

Trial evidence showed that from June 2015 through July 2016, while at West Parker, Thompson helped a doctor unlawfully prescribe hydrocodone and carisoprodol, a combination of controlled substances known as the “Las Vegas Cocktail,” to thousands of individuals posing as patients. Thompson himself also issued unlawful prescriptions for carisoprodol (a muscle relaxant). So-called “runners” brought numerous people to pose as patients at West Parker and paid the clinic approximately $220 to $500 in cash for each visit that resulted in prescriptions for dangerous drugs. Throughout the scheme, West Parker made approximately $1.75 million from prescriptions, from which Thompson was paid over $208,000. A jury previously convicted James Pierre, the doctor who worked at West Parker, of unlawfully prescribing over one million opioid pills.

Court documents and trial evidence also show that Thompson helped others illegally prescribe controlled substances, including hydrocodone and oxycodone, at Priority Wellness from May to July 2017, which opened in December 2016 after West Parker closed. Trial evidence showed that Priority Wellness operated as a pill mill, in a similar manner to West Parker: runners brought people posing as patients to Priority Wellness and paid the clinic between $300 and $600, depending on whether the purported patient was getting a prescription for hydrocodone or oxycodone, almost always prescribed in combination with carisoprodol. Throughout the scheme, Priority Wellness made approximately $1.1 million and Thompson made between $700 and $900 per day in cash.

Thompson was convicted of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances and seven counts of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances in connection with his conduct at West Parker. He was convicted of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances and one count of unlawfully distributing and dispensing controlled substances in connection with his conduct at Priority Wellness. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 3 and faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

To date, six individuals have pleaded guilty in connection with their conduct at West Parker or Priority Wellness.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery for the Southern District of Texas; and Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA’s Houston Division made the announcement.

DEA Houston investigated the case.

Assistant Chief Aleza Remis and Trial Attorney Maryam Adeyola of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Trial Attorney John-Alex Romano of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Muschenheim for the Southern District of Texas is handling forfeiture.

LAREDO, Texas – Three individuals have admitted to their roles in a conspiracy for Cartel del Noreste (CDN), announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.  

Luis Ramos, 44, Rio Bravo, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit international money laundering. Co-conspirators Manuel Perez-Ortiz, 40, Mexico, and Arturo Mata Jr., 55, also of Rio Bravo, pleaded guilty for their roles in the same conspiracy April 28.

In May 2020, members of CDN began negotiations to purchase $500,000 worth of high-powered weapons including machine guns, grenades, military-style rifles and rocket-propelled launchers. The weapons were intended to be purchased in the United States and then smuggled into Mexico. CDN planned to use them in fights against rival cartels to further their drug smuggling activities. Cartel members sent Perez-Ortiz to conduct the weapon exchange in Laredo.

On June 19, 2020, Ramos and Perez-Ortiz met with whom they thought were U.S.-based weapon facilitators at an H-E-B parking lot. There, they showed the money they had to purchase the weapons. Authorities stopped Ramos and Perez-Ortiz after they departed the parking lot. Law enforcement discovered a cardboard box inside the vehicle containing $500,000 in cash and a firearm in Perez-Ortiz’s possession.

Ramos and Mata assisted in driving Perez-Ortiz to and from the meetings to discuss the sale of weapons. Mata also provided surveillance.

As part of their pleas, Ramos and Perez-Ortiz admitted they concocted a story to tell authorities that the money came from the sale of a ranch in Mexico and they were planning to buy land in Laredo to build a home. Perez-Ortiz later admitted he had illegally crossed into the country the day before with $500,000 by wading the Rio Grande river.

All three co-conspirators are scheduled for sentencing before U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana in the near future. They each face up to 20 years in prison, a possible $1 million maximum fine and forfeiture of $500,000. They have been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.   

This case was part of the Blue Indigo Task Force and brought as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Operation Noreste. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Day is prosecuting this case.

OCDETF is the largest anti-crime task force in the country. Its mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle 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.

HOUSTON – A tax preparer has been arrested on charges she was responsible for more than a dozen fraudulent tax returns, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Authorities took Cheryl Kissentaner into custody today. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan at 2 p.m.

A federal grand jury returned the 15-count indictment March 30.

The indictment alleges that from 2015 to 2018, Kissentaner fraudulently prepared 15 false income tax returns for clients.

If convicted, Kissentaner faces up to three years of prison and up to a $250,000 fine for each count.

IRS-Criminal Investtigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin 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.

GALVESTON – A 63-year-old Blessing resident has been ordered to prison following his conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Michael Gene Richardson pleaded guilty Oct. 13, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Judge Jeffery V. Brown ordered Richardson to serve 90 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court noted the large amount of firearms Richardson possessed.

Richardson is a convicted felon and was arrested in 2018 following a drug investigation. Following a search of his residence, authorities found more than 50 firearms, ammunition and suspected improvised bombs.

As a convicted felon, he is prohibited per federal law of possessing firearms or ammunition. As such, he was charged again in 2019. Prior to trial and while on bond, law enforcement found in possession of an additional firearm and ammunition.

The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Matagorda County Sherriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Schammel and Richard Bennett prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston man is set to make his appearance in federal court for allegedly committing multiple bank robberies in the Houston area, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Marques Bryant is charged with four counts of bank robbery. He is currently in federal custody and set for initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon today at 2 p.m.

The criminal complaint, filed May 3, alleges Bryant committed four bank robberies in the Houston area and is allegedly connected to a separate bank robbery in Chicago.

From January to March, Bryant allegedly robbed IBC Bank, Wells Fargo Bank, Comerica Bank and PNC Bank. The charges allege that during each robbery, Bryant demanded money via a handwritten note, wore a black and white face mask, black jacket and White Sox hat. He then allegedly fled on foot following each robbery.

On March 15, Bryant also robbed a Chase Bank in Illinois, according to the complaint. There, he allegedly demanded money with a handwritten note which read “give me all the money in the drawer. Don’t call nobody no typing in the computer. Put it in a envelope. Will shoot.”

According to the complaint, he allegedly wore the same clothes and several accessories as during the Houston area robberies. The notes used during all the robberies also appear to be very similar, according to the charges.  

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

The FBI Violent Crimes Task Force conducted the investigation with assistance from state and local law enforcement partners in Houston and Chicago. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill Stotts is prosecuting the case.

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

LAREDO, Texas – A 31-year-old Mexican National who resided in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, has been charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Today, a federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment against Sergio Bustos-Cruz. He is expected to appear for his arraignment in the near future before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga.

Originally charged by criminal complaint, Bustos-Cruz allegedly attempted to drive through the World Trade Bridge in Laredo on April 21. Upon arrival, authorities referred him to secondary inspection where an X-ray can of his vehicle revealed anomalies within the roof of the tractor cab, according to the charges.

Upon further inspection, law enforcement allegedly discovered several bundles containing 11.62 kilograms of cocaine.

The charges further allege he in violation of the terms of his non-immigrant Visa and could face removal proceedings following his .

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Isaac is prosecuting the case.

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

LAREDO, Texas – A Laredo federal grand jury has returned two separate and unrelated indictments which involve transporting and/or smuggling of large groups of undocumented aliens via tractor trailers, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

 

David William McKeon, 67, Laredo, and Ramiro Leija-Urbina, 31, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, are charged in a three and two-count indictment, respectively. They are both expected to appear for their arraignments before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in the near future.

 

Both were originally charged by criminal complaint and have remained in custody.

 

The first indictment alleges that on April 20, McKeon drove a tractor trailer to the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint on Interstate Highway 35. During initial inspection, law enforcement heard noises coming from inside of the trailer, according to the charges. They opened the doors and allegedly discovered 124 non-U.S. citizens including two unaccompanied minors. The indictment alleges all were determined to be illegally present in the country.

 

McKeon had an expired commercial driver’s license and was to be paid for driving the vehicle to San Antonio, according to the charges.

 

A separate, but similar indictment against Leija-Urbina alleges he attempted to drive a tractor trailer though the Interstate Highway 35 BP checkpoint in Laredo. There, a K-9 allegedly alerted authorities to the presence of concealed humans, according to the charges.

 

Upon further inspection, law enforcement allegedly discovered 160 non-U.S. citizens in the trailer. All were determined to be illegally present in the United States, according to the charges.

 

Leija-Urbina is a also non-immigrant visa holder and could face removal proceedings if convicted.

 

McKeon is charged with human smuggling and faces up to 30 years in prison, while Leija-Urbina faces up to 10 years, upon conviction for illegally transporting undocumented aliens.  

 

Both could also be ordered to pay up to $250,000 in fines.

 

Homeland Security Investigations conducted both investigations with assistance from BP. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew and Matthew Isaac are prosecuting the McKeon and Leija-Urbina cases, respectively.

 

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 federal jury has convicted a 54-year-old Chicago, Illinois, man for transporting illegal aliens in a tractor trailer, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

The jury deliberated for approximately 90 minutes before convicting Jose Luis Gutierrez-Plascencia following a two-day trial.

On Sept. 17, 2020, Jose Luis Gutierrez-Plascencia entered the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita while driving a white Freightliner commercial tractor and pulling an enclosed trailer. At trial, the jury heard testimony that Gutierrez-Plascencia had told authorities he was hauling a load of watermelons to Chicago. Law enforcement testified that he had displayed nervous behavior and answered questions rapidly.

The jury also saw an X-ray scan conducted at the scene that revealed anomalies – human bodies. Law enforcement had physically searched the vehicle and also discovered four aliens hiding in the cab of the tractor. Upon further inspection, they unlocked the trailer, with a key from Gutierrez-Plascencia’s keychain, and found three more individuals lying down inside the trailer. There were no watermelons in the vehicle.

It was later determined that the total of seven non-U.S. citizens were illegally present in the country. Two of the seven testified at trial and identified Gutierrez-Plascencia as the driver.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over trial and set sentencing for Aug. 11. At that time, Gutierrez-Plascencia faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Dunn and Ashley Martin are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – The final defendants in a health care fraud scheme involving local pharmacies and a pain clinic are set to make their appearances in Houston federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery. 

Charles Willis, 57, Flower Mound, appeared for his arraignment on the federal indictment at 10 a.m. today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina Bryan. Henry Gonzales, 48, is charged in a related criminal information and expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow at 2 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Sheldon.

Four others are charged in the six-count indictment returned April 27 along with Willis. Tronown Thomas, 44, Spring, Willie McDonald, 69, Humble, Ronald Kwan, 60, Missouri City, and Valdi Tatan, 37, Richmond, have all already made their appearances in Houston federal court.  

Gonzales owned Option 1 Pain & Rehab Clinic (formerly Direct Medical Clinic) in Houston as well as Farmacia, a pharmacy located in Houston, according to the charges.

According to the indictment, Thomas was the owner of Rayford ACP Pharmacy, Willis worked as a doctor at Option 1 and Tatan and Kwan were pharmacists for Farmacia.

Gonzales allegedly paid kickbacks to McDonald to recruit and refer federal employee patients to Direct Medical/Option 1. There, Willis would see patients and, at the request of Gonzalez who paid him in kickbacks, prescribed medically unnecessary drugs, according to the charges.

The charges also allege that at Farmacia, Tatan and Kwan were paid in kickbacks to fill the compounded drug prescriptions. Farmacia and Rayford ACP would then allegedly bill the Department of Labor (DOL) Federal Employee Compensation Program. Gonzales and Thomas would disburse the funds amongst the conspirators, according to the indictment.

If convicted, all five face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy and up to 10 years for the related health care fraud charges.

Thomas and Willis are also charged with conspiracy to launder money and face another 10-year-term of imprisonment.

The Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General (OIG), DOL – OIG and U.S. Postal Service - OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of FBI and Defense Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grace Murphy and Tina Ansari are prosecuting the case. 

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year-old woman from California was residing in Atlanta, Georgia, has been indicted for smuggling cash into Mexico from the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Today, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment against Rosa Maria Zuniga-Sagrero. She is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker for her arraignment in the near future.  

According to the complaint originally filed in the case, Zuniga-Sagrero attempted to pass through a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint while a passenger in a taxi.

Authorities referred the vehicle to secondary inspection, at which time she allegedly made a negative declaration for having in excess of $10,000. However, A search of Zuniga’s jacket pockets revealed three sealed packages and a total of $114,294 in her purse, according to the charges.

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

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen 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 43-year-old McAllen resident has been ordered to federal prison for receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Ramiro Vasquez pleaded guilty March 3, 2021.  

Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane imposed a 121-month term of imprisonment. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the amount of child pornography Vasquez had downloaded. The court also ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to each of the 20 identified victims. Judge Crane further noted Vasquez’s employment as an instructional assistant for a McAllen Independent School District elementary school. Vasquez must also serve eight 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. Vasquez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

In January 2020, authorities began an investigation into child sexual abuse material sharing on the internet. This led them to Vasquez and his address in McAllen.

Law enforcement executed a search at his residence and seized multiple electronic and digital devices. During this time, they noted one of the devices was currently in the process of downloading child sexual abuse material. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of 8,601 unique images and 1,366 videos of child sexual abuse material.

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

Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 28-year-old former Border Patrol (BP) employee has pleaded guilty to violating the constitutional rights of a Honduran teenager, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Gregson Martinez, Brownsville, pleaded guilty to acting under color of law and utilizing unreasonable force by striking a 17-year-old unaccompanied Honduran citizen.  

On July 21, 2021, authorities apprehended the teenager near Hidalgo and transported him to the Donna Processing Center. Martinez worked there as a BP processing coordinator.

While questioning him as to his age and citizenship, Martinez struck the 17-year-old male across the face.

Martinez was terminated Aug. 2, 2021.

Sentencing has been set for June 24, at which time Martinez faces up to a year in federal prison and a possible $100,000 maximum fine. He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General and Customs and Border Protection - Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia is prosecuting the case. 

McALLEN, Texas – A 30-year-old Texan has pleaded guilty to smuggling heroin and meth, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Gerardo Jimenez admitted that on Nov. 3, 2020, he knowingly entered the Hidalgo Border Patrol (BP) Port of Entry with drugs in his car.

Upon inspection, a K-9 alerted authorities to the hood of Jimenez’s vehicle. Authorities soon discovered four kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of 100% pure meth concealed in the battery of his car.

The drugs had an estimated street value of $654,000.

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez will impose sentencing Aug. 19. At that time, he faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.

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

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

HOUSTON ‐ A 23-year-old Pasadena man has been charged with firearm and drug trafficking offenses for his role in the shooting of a Houston Police Department (HPD) officer, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer Lowery.   

Jimmy Caston Bryan is currently in state custody and will be transferred to make his initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Bryan fired multiple shots at an HPD officer on May 4 in the area of 14300 Gulf Freeway in Houston.

Bryan previously trafficked narcotics in the Houston area, had meth and was possibly in the possession of multiple firearms, according to charges. This led to a traffic stop May 4, at which time two HPD officers allegedly approached Bryan’s truck and requested identifying information. 

The complaint alleges he could not do so, which led authorities to ask him to step out of the vehicle. As one officer opened Bryan’s door, Bryan quickly reached into his waistband pulled out a semi-automatic handgun, according to the complaint. He allegedly shot and struck the other HPD officer twice - once in the chest and once in the right hip.

The charges further allege both officers returned gunfire and struck Bryan.

A search of Bryan’s vehicle allegedly revealed over 120 grams of meth and a digital scale as well as two handguns.   

Bryan is charged with use or carry a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime and possession with intent to distribute meth. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and up life for the drug charges as well as a minimum of 10 years for using the firearm which must be served consecutively to the other prison term imposed.  

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day is prosecuting the case.