Southern District of Texas

HOUSTON – A 27-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison after luring a minor away from her family and forcing her to engage in prostitution, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Trevyeon Deshawn Prater pleaded guilty July 28, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Prater to serve 240 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including a victim letter indicating how Prater’s conduct had negatively affected her over the years. In handing down the prison term, the court noted the crime was part of an evil cycle that takes advantage of people and how terrible it is to do so to a young lady. He added that this was a pattern which involved months of intentional acts. Prater will also serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Prater will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

On Nov. 29, 2022, a 13-year-old minor was reported missing. The investigation led law enforcement to the Bissonnet “blade,” where authorities recovered her.

She described how Prater personally coached her in person and over the phone. The minor victim also stated going to the blade over a period of months for Prater.

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

At the time of his plea, Prater admitted he recruited the minor victim to engage in prostitution and knew she was a minor. He communicated with her by cell phone and lured her away from her family.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Leo and Celia Moyer prosecuted the case.

FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance from Houston Police Department as part of the of Human Trafficking Rescue alliance.

HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor, DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – 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.

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Kevin Alexander Bueso-Medina pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2025.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Bueso-Medina to serve 24 months in federal prison. Already on supervised release for a previous drug conviction, the court further imposed a 12-month sentence to be served consecutively for a total 36-month term of imprisonment. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to again face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the crimes he committed while illegally present in the United States.

Bueso-Medina has multiple previous convictions for illegal reentry, importation and possession with intent to distribute marijuana, manufacture/delivery of cocaine and driving while intoxicated.

Law enforcement first removed Bueso-Medina from the United States in February 2007. He later returned illegally multiple times and was removed in June 2018, September 2019 and May 2023. Most recently, authorities found him again Sept. 25, 2025, in Harris County, with no authorization to be in the United States.

Bueso-Medina has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Whitney prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 57-year-old man has been sentenced for possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Todd Edward Ellison pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. has now ordered Ellison to serve 168 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. At the hearing, the court heard that Ellison was previously convicted of child exploitative offenses on two separate occasions. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution to the victims will be determined at a later date.

In May 2020, authorities suspected Ellison was using social media to impersonate and harass a female victim and obtained a search warrant for his residence. At that time, they located and seized numerous digital media devices. The evidence showed Ellison had knowingly possessed child sexual abuse material across multiple digital devices. Forensic analysis revealed he possessed over 1,500 images and 21 videos of child pornography.

Ellison will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitations Investigations Task Force conducted the investigation.

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

HOUSTON – A total of 473 cases have been filed in immigration and related matters from Feb. 20-26 in continuing enforcement actions to protect the southern border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The cases include charges against 23 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. The Southern District filed a total of 202 criminal complaints for illegal entry, while another 244 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The remaining cases charged this week relate to other immigration crimes.

Among the new cases are three men from different countries, all who are charged with felony reentry after removal. El Salvadorian Joel Antonio Alvarez-Reyes and Mexican national Arturo Corona-Santiago both have convictions for burglary, according to their charges, and had previously been removed from the United States. Law enforcement allegedly found these men in the McAllen area without legal authorization to be in the country. Also charged is Ariel Lazaro Hernandez-Misiara, Honduras, who has a conviction for cocaine trafficking, according to his complaint. Authorities allegedly found him near Roma despite having been removed Jan. 2. If convicted, each illegal alien faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 

In addition to the new cases, a federal jury in Corpus Christi found 63-year-old Penitas resident Ludivina Vasquez-Salinas guilty of transporting an illegal alien further into the United States. On May 7, 2025, authorities encountered her driving a white SUV and observed movement beneath a blanket on the rear floorboard of her car. Vasquez-Salinas initially claimed only she and her daughter were in the vehicle but later admitted she knew an illegal alien was present and that she was transporting them past the checkpoint. The jury deliberated for only 25 minutes before finding her guilty as charged.

In Houston, two illegal alien felons were ordered to federal prison for unlawfully reentering into the country. Raymundo Pecina-Lopez and Samuel Moreno-Soto received 39 months and 18 months, respectively. Both Mexican nationals have previous convictions for assault of a family member and narcotics offenses.

Honduran nationals Elmer Adalid Alonzo-Zelaya and Cristian Jose Ayestas-Argueta were also ordered to prison for illegal reentry after removal. Both men have prior convictions for illegal reentry but were recently discovered unlawfully in the United States again. Alonzo-Zelaya has convictions for aggravated assault and obstruction of an officer and driving without a valid license, while Ayestas-Argueta has convictions for assault of a family member and trespassing. Also sentenced in Houston was Mexican national Edgar Jaramillo-Escobar. He had been previously convicted of illegal reentry into the United States and assault causing bodily injury.

Two other sentencings occurred in Corpus Christi. Mexican nationals Serafin Garcia-Rodriguez and Hugo Balderas Juarez both have previous convictions for illegally entering and reentering the United States and drug charges. Juarez also has a prior conviction of driving under the influence. Both have now been ordered to federal prison for the new illegal reentry charges.   

In Houston, Veronica Michelle Torres has pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after being discovered illegally present in the country. According to records, she has various felony convictions such as credit card abuse and unlawful carrying of a weapon and now faces up to 10 years in prison following her plea of illegal reentry.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

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

HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against a 34-year-old man for assaulting, opposing, resisting, impeding, and interfering with a federal officer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Xavier Edmond is currently in custody and expected to appear for his arraignment in the near future.

On Feb. 4, Edmond allegedly attempted to bypass security screening at the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse in Houston.

A court security officer quickly approached Edmond and attempted to escort him from the lobby area, but Edmond swung his fists, pushed the officer, and threatened to kill him, according to the allegations. The charges further allege Edmond spit on the officer before additional security intervened and arrested him.

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

Department of Homeland Security – Federal Protective Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin 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.

HOUSTON – A 61-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Angel Arquimedez Coto-Martinez pleaded guilty Dec. 5, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. has now ordered him to serve 38 months in federal prison. In imposing the sentence, the court noted his repeated removals and criminal history. Not a U.S. citizen, he is again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. 

Coto-Martinez has multiple previous convictions for illegal reentry. Authorities first removed him in July 2005 and again in December 2010, July 2016, and twice more in 2022. He returned illegally after each removal.   

Most recently, he was ordered removed Feb. 27, 2022, but law enforcement found him again in the Houston area Oct. 25, 2025, with no authorization to be in the United States.  

Coto-Martinez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill prosecuted the case. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

VICTORIA, Texas – A 48-year-old local business owner has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Jason Ashley Brannan pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2025.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Brannan to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000, and Brannan agreed to a  forfeiture of $590,290.44.

Brannan owned and operated J & B Cleaning Inc. and Hills Lawn & Tree Service in Victoria.

From September 2023 to May 2024 Brannan laundered approximately $590,000 and recruited two others to assist him in the scheme. He believed he was acting on behalf of a cartel involved in heroin trafficking.  

Brannan issues business checks with false memo lines such as “Poker Cash Game,” “Mexico Deer Lease” and “Carbonia Duck Lodge Mexico.” He planned to claim the deposited cash came from gambling winnings if audited and also tried to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine.

IRS Criminal Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patti Booth and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old man who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a romance scam and business email compromise scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Leslie Chinedu Mba pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents Dec. 4, 2025.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now ordered Mba to serve 228 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard that victims were defrauded of over $4 million.

“Romance scams are among the lowest and most despicable forms of fraud because they prey upon the lonely and vulnerable, and disproportionately victimize senior citizens,” said Ganjei. “These online scams Mba and his friends perpetrated jeopardized the livelihood of family-run businesses, the ability of elderly individuals to retire, and exploited the trust that fuels our economy. Even worse, Mba and his confederates committed these crimes while attempting to remain in our country under false pretenses by deceiving immigration authorities. Now, Mba has prison to look forward to, followed by a one-way ticket back to Nigeria.”

“Out of all the frauds perpetrated by Leslie Mba and his co-conspirators, their weaponization of romance scams to deliberately target vulnerable and elderly Americans is most disturbing,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson. “Romance scams cruelly manipulate trust, callously exploit the fear of loneliness, and leave victims both financially devastated and emotionally shattered. The FBI will continue to combat fraudsters whose schemes leave a wake of misery behind.”

From April 2018 to December 2023, Mba and others inside and outside of the United States carried out business email compromise and romance scams targeting unsuspecting victims. The schemes began overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts.

Victims believed they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but Mba and others instead funneled the funds to accounts they controlled. Mba and others acted as money mules, opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and move proceeds from the fraud.

Additionally, Mba tried to obtain U.S. permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial application was denied and he was ordered to be removed from the country.

The scheme resulted in a total loss of $4 million.

Four others had also previously pleaded guilty Grace Morisho, 30, Rodgers Kadikilo, 30, Kristin Smith, 38, and Alexandra Golovko, 36, all of Houston. Morisho, Kadikilo and Smith received sentences ranging between 15 to 25 months while Golovko received five years probation.

Mba will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Alum prosecuted the case. 

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Six South Texas doctors and their respective practices have agreed to pay $4,855,844 to resolve allegations they submitted false claims to Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE that were not rendered or not medically necessary, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Drs. Javier Cabello, 47, San Benito, Ammar Halloum, 52, Brownsville, Jamil Madi, 54, Olmito, Jairo Rodriguez, 62, Rancho Viejo, Ricardo Schwarcz, 57, Weslaco, and Stanley Sy, 55, Pharr, owned and operated Benchmark Inpatient Services PLLC dba Beyond Inpatient Services in Harlingen.  Rodriguez also owned and operated Brownsville Pulmonary Center, P.A. dba Benchmark Pulmonary Center, Brownsville.

From Jan. 1, 2020, to May 31, 2023, BIS, BPC, and its owners allegedly submitted claims for critical care, while BPC and Rodriguez also allegedly submitted claims for pulmonary function testing. Patients’ medical records allegedly did not support this care and testing, or the care was not rendered at all.

Critical care billing requires complex decision-making and at least 30 minutes of treatment for a critically ill or injured patient. BIS providers instead billed critical care for stable patients, unnecessary follow-up visits, or services they never performed, according to the allegations.

PFT services include various tests that demonstrate how well the lungs function. When medically necessary, PFT services either diagnose and evaluate new respiratory symptoms or assess a patient’s current therapeutic respiratory interventions. Medicare does not reimburse for routine PFT services. For Medicare to reimburse for medically necessary PFT services, providers must describe the indications and presentments for the order for testing in the patient’s medical record. BPC and Rodriguez instead allegedly billed PFT services for unnecessary routine testing or services they never performed.

As a result, Medicare, Medicaid, and TRICARE either paid significantly more for critical care claims or for PFT claims that should never have even been made to the government programs.

“This outcome emphasizes the Southern District of Texas’s commitment to vigorously investigate and disrupt civil health care fraud, wherever it may be,” said Ganjei. “Our country’s most vulnerable deserve care based on their medical need, not on a doctor’s unscrupulous desire to line their own pockets. Medical professionals have a solemn obligation to heal the sick and infirm, not to bilk the American taxpayer.” 

“We remain steadfast in our mission to protect patients and safeguard federal health care programs,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. “This settlement underscores our commitment to holding providers accountable when they submit claims for services that are not medically necessary or not actually provided. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that taxpayer-funded programs are protected from fraud and abuse.”

“Fraud against the government will not be tolerated,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Submitting false claims to federal health care programs during a national emergency such as the COVID 19 pandemic steals from taxpayers and exploits vulnerable patients. The FBI, together with its federal and state partners, will hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit by defrauding the United States.”

The settlement stems from a qui tam or whistleblower complaint filed under the False Claims Act which permits a private party to file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery.

DHHS-OIG and FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Defense Criminal Investigative Service and Texas Attorney General’s Office – Civil Medicaid Fraud Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura E. Collins handled the matter.

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

HOUSTON – Two Mexican nationals have been ordered to federal prison in separate, but similar, cases for returning to the United States without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Raymundo Pecina-Lopez, 43, has now admitted his guilt, while Samuel Moreno-Soto, 38, pleaded guilty Dec. 9, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge sentenced Pecina-Lopez to 39 months, and U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has imposed an 18-month-term for Moreno-Soto. Not U.S. citizens, both are expected to again face removal proceedings following their imprisonment. At the hearings, the courts heard additional evidence regarding their criminal histories.

Both men have previous convictions for assault of a family member and narcotics offenses. Pecina-Lopez was also convicted of driving while intoxicated and illegally carrying a weapon, and Moreno-Soto has additional convictions of harboring aliens and illegal reentry.

Pecina-Lopez was first ordered removed in September 2009 and returned illegally one time, while Moreno-Soto was initially removed in June 2014 and returned twice without authorization. 

They have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Hostetter prosecuted both matters with the assistance of Special AUSA Carrie Law and AUSA Amanda Alum on the Pecina-Lopez and Moreno-Soto cases, respectively. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 63-year-old woman who resided in Penitas has been found guilty of transporting an illegal alien further into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The jury deliberated for approximately 25 minutes before convicting Ludivina Vasquez-Salinas following a one-day trial.

On May 7, 2025, law enforcement encountered a white SUV with Vasquez-Salinas driving. Authorities initially observed three people in the vehicle, but the rear window soon went dark as if someone had covered it with a blanket or other item.

The jury heard that Vasquez-Salinas claimed only she and her daughter were in the vehicle.

However, testimony revealed authorities observed movement beneath a blanket on the rear floorboard. Vasquez-Salinas eventually admitted to law enforcement at the time that she knew there was an illegal alien in her vehicle and that she was transporting them past the checkpoint.

The defense attempted to convince the jury that Vasquez-Salinas was tricked into transporting the illegal alien. The jury did not believe those claims and found her guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for May 27. At that time, Vasquez-Salinas faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. She could also lose her status to reside in the United States.

Vasquez-Salinas has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Griffith and Izaak Bruce are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

HOUSTON – A total of 361 cases have been filed in immigration and related matters from Feb. 13-19, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

A total of 23 people are charged with human smuggling crimes. Another 141 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while 193 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes and more. The remaining cases involve firearms charges and other immigration crimes.  

Some of those charged with felony reentry after removal are several Mexican nationals who had just been removed recently. Two of those complaints allege Jorge Luis Gonzalez-Garcia and Cesar Eduardo Sanchez-Rodriguez, who were discovered in the McAllen area with no authorization to be in the country.  Both men have prior convictions for illegal reentry and were previously removed in November 2025 and January 2026, respectively.

Additional complaints allege four other felons had also illegally reentered the country and have prior drug convictions. Law enforcement discovered Cesar David Ramirez-Rodriguez and Irwin Francisco Ruiz-Gallegos near Mission, while Jesus Torres-Gomez and Arturo Saenz-Valle were located near Weslaco and Rio Grande City, respectively, according to their charges.  

All six men face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.

In addition to the new cases, Wilson Antonio Vargas Argueta was ordered to serve a 24-month sentence for unlawfully reentering the country. He has multiple prior convictions for assault, driving while intoxicated, and fleeing from law enforcement. In 2020, he bit a police officer while resisting arrest and was removed from the United States, before illegally returning.

Also announced this week was the sentencing of four-time DUI offender, Odon Chavez-Esquivel. He was first removed from the United States in May 2003 and later returned illegally in 2011 and 2012. Authorities discovered him again in August 2022 following his fourth conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol. He has now been ordered to serve a 21-month federal sentence.

Mexican national Juan Ignacio Miranda-Arente was ordered to serve a 21-month sentence. He has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2008 with convictions for illegal reentry, assault, and indecency with a child.

Honduran national Danilo Nunez-Avila pleaded guilty to unlawfully reentering the United States without permission for a ninth time. Law enforcement discovered him Oct. 29, 2024, after responding to a reported assault involving a family member. According to court records, he has multiple previous convictions for illegal reentry. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

Several others also received federal sentences in Houston for illegal reentry, including Salvadoran national Santos Alexis Parada Garcia. He has multiple convictions for domestic violence, driving while intoxicated, and felony possession of cocaine. Two others – Guatemalan national Manual Isais Sohom Tambriz and Mexican national Jose Apolinar Hernandez-Melo – have also now been sentenced. Hernandez-Melo has a criminal history including driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of a controlled substance and had been previously removed from the United States. He was discovered again in 2025 following a conviction for deadly conduct. Tambriz was first removed in 2016 and returned illegally three times.  

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old man from Ireland is set to make his initial appearance in the Southern District of Texas on charges of coercion and enticement and sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Matthew Liam Johnstone was extradited from Ireland to Houston Feb. 19. He is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby in Corpus Christi at 9:45 a.m.   

The indictment, returned Aug. 6, 2025, alleges that in September 2022, Johnstone allegedly coerced a minor into filming and photographing herself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The acts allegedly included elements of sadism and bestiality.

If convicted, Johnstone faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

The FBI conducted the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with authorities in Ireland to secure the arrest and extradition of Johnstone.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

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

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

HOUSTON – A 44-year-old man has been sentenced for laundering proceeds from a large-scale bank fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Bun Khath pleaded guilty Feb. 11, 2025.

U.S. District Keith Ellison has now ordered Khath to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that the bank fraud scheme involved more than $60 million in loans and that Khath directed numerous participants, including bankers, co-defendants, tax preparers and borrowers. The court also heard evidence related to alleged Medicare fraud he committed while on bond. In imposing the sentence, the court described the offense as a heinous crime. 

As part of his plea, Khath admitted he opened and maintained shell companies and bank accounts to collect proceeds from the scheme. He also acknowledged laundering the funds by wiring them to accounts controlled by coconspirators.

Khath and others carried out the bank fraud by submitting loan applications containing false and fraudulent information and supporting documents, including fabricated equipment sales invoices, income tax returns and financial and bank statements.

Previously released on bond, Khath was taken into custody following sentencing and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Another Houston resident charged in the case, Hugo Villanueva, 71, was recently apprehended in Peru and is expected to be extradited soon.

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 24-year-old legal permanent resident has pleaded guilty to conspiring to straw purchase a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Javier Sebastian Vazquez-Ponce admitted he recruited another individual to purchase a .50-caliber semi-automatic rifle on his behalf, knowing the firearm was intended for trafficking and use by a drug trafficking organization in Mexico.

On Dec. 2, 2025, authorities identified a suspicious attempt to purchase a .50-caliber rifle using approximately $10,000 in cash.

They determined Vasquez-Ponce and others crossed into Mexico shortly after placing the order and returned approximately two days later to retrieve the firearm. Law enforcement immediately took them into custody at that time.

The investigation also recovered text messages detailing the scheme and referencing additional firearm trafficking activity.

As part of his plea, Vasquez-Ponce admitted the money for the purchase originated from the Gulf Cartel in Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos will impose sentencing May 13. At that time, Ramos faces up to 25 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Vazquez-Ponce remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bird and Izaak Bruce are prosecuting the case.

HOUSTON – A 42-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Juan Ignacio Miranda-Arente pleaded guilty Nov. 19, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Miranda-Arente to serve 21 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about the crimes he committed while illegally present in the United States. Specifically, Judge Eskridge stated that he was guided by the very serious nature of Miranda-Arente’s indecency with a child conviction that he committed after illegally reentering the United States.   

In addition to that crime, Miranda-Arente also has a conviction for assault that involved a tire iron in 2008. He was first ordered removed after that but returned illegally. Authorities discovered him in March 2020 in Conroe upon his arrest for the indecency charge with no legal authorization to be in the country.

Miranda-Arente has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Hostetter prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

HOUSTON – A 50-year-old man illegally residing in Houston has pleaded guilty to unlawfully reentering the country without authorization, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Danilo Nunez-Avila has multiple prior convictions for illegal reentry and was first removed from the United States in 1991. Court records show authorities have removed him from the country at least eight times. 

On Oct. 29, 2024, authorities discovered Nunez-Avila again in the United States after responding to a reported assault involving a family member.

U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett accepted the plea and set sentencing for March 21. At that time, Nunez-Avila faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Nunez-Avila has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 

HOUSTON – A 27-year-old member of the Forum Park Crips has been ordered to federal prison for sex trafficking young teenage girls, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Damarquis McGee aka Lilblue pleaded guilty Aug. 26, 2024.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered McGee to serve 348 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard information and evidence detailing McGee’s exploitation and victimization of numerous teenage girls. In handing down the prison terms, the court noted that McGee’s conduct was “horrific” and that McGee was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The court emphasized that in exploiting his victims through force, violence, threats, rape and coercion, McGee used the victims for his own entertainment and tossed them aside. He will serve 15 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. McGee will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

“McGee systematically exploited young teenage girls for personal gain, using violence, intimidation, and fear. For far too long, these young girls were treated as commodities, instead of people,” said Ganjei. “Today’s sentence cannot erase the trauma the victims endured, but it does affirm a fundamental truth: their lives have value, their voices matter, and those who abused them will be held accountable.”

From April 2019 to February 2020, McGee and others worked to recruit young teenage girls and forced them to engage in sex acts with “clients” for money in cars and motels around the Bissonnet “blade” or “track.”

The Bissonnet blade is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.

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

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

Co-conspirators Michael Anthony Gonzalez aka Mumbles, 29, Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka Jmoney, 37, and Javon Yaw Opoku aka Glizzy, 25, all of Houston, were previously sentenced to 240, 292 and 365 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the sex trafficking conspiracy.

McGee will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh, Anthony Franklyn, Amanda R. Alum, and former AUSA Richard W. Bennett prosecuted the case.

The Houston Police Department conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Harris County District Attorney’s Office.

HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, ICE-HSI, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor, 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, 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.

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Katy resident has admitted to his role in a scheme to defraud dozens of victims of over $17 million, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.  

Christopher Knight Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 

From May 2015 to January 2025, he and his brother, Jayson Lopez, conspired with others to defraud their clients by providing false information about the companies in which the clients invested. They used forged bank letters and fabricated account statements to mislead investors about the companies’ financial strength.

They operated under several LLCs, to include Knight Nguyen Investments, Knight Advisory and Planning, Aevum Holdings Inc., Exempt Management LLC, and Ping An Financial Services Pte.

The Lopez brothers misappropriated their clients’ funds for personal use and to pay purported returns to other investors to mislead their clients into believing their investments were profitable.

Christopher and Jayson Lopez also admitted they falsely claimed access to $2 billion in U.S. Treasury bonds. They told their clients they could use these funds to finance their clients’ businesses if the clients paid large advance fees. The brothers collected the fees from their clients but never issued the loans.

The scam resulted in an approximate loss of $17 million for over 40 victims that included senior citizens and others looking to invest their retirement savings and children’s college funds, as well as local and international businesses.

“These defendants turned an investment firm into their own personal piggy bank, leaving shattered futures in their wake. Christopher Knight Lopez’s clients trusted him with their life savings—he rewarded that trust with lies in the form of false promises, forged documents, and fictitious assets,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas can be counted upon to relentlessly pursue those who would financially prey on members of our community. Be warned; if your business model is nothing more than a scam, and your clients are nothing more than intended victims, you can expect a visit from us.”

“For over a decade, Christopher Lopez shamelessly defrauded senior citizens, local businesses, close friends, and international acquaintances out of more than $17 million through deceit and lies,” said Special Agent in Charge of FBI Houston Jason Hudson. “Even after being federally charged, Lopez continued to scam victims, resulting in a superseding indictment. Today’s conviction is a testament to the FBI’s commitment to aggressively pursue fraudulent schemes that target members of our communities, especially our senior citizens.”

U.S. District Judge Keith Ellison accepted the plea and set sentencing for May 7. At that time, Lopez faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

Jayson Lopez, 43, Orlando, Florida, previously pleaded guilty to the same charge. He is set for sentencing April 2, 2026.

Nadir Abdel Torres 46, Mandan, North Dakota, was also charged and previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, admitting he assisted the brothers by helping them obtain the forged letters and bank statements. He faces up to five years at his sentencing, which is set for March 12. 

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin is prosecuting the case. 

HOUSTON – A 38-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for illegally reentering the United States for the third time, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Odon Chavez-Esquivel pleaded guilty Sept. 30, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Chavez-Esquivel to serve 21 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

Chavez-Esquivel has multiple previous convictions for illegal reentry and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Authorities first removed Chavez-Esquivel from the United States in May 2003. He later returned illegally in April 2011 and August 2012. Most recently, authorities found him again in the United States in August 2022 following a fourth conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Chavez-Esquivel has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Law prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy involving large quantities of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Baldemar Navarro-Jaimes pleaded guilty July 1, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Navarro-Jaimes to serve 234 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. In handing down the sentence, Judge Morales noted the vast quantity of drugs attributed to the organization and the numerous lives affected by the drugs and firearms.

Navarro-Jaimes was a leader in a drug trafficking organization responsible for moving drugs from Mexican cartels to Houston and Dallas. The narcotics were then distributed to other U.S. cities in the states of Illinois, New York, Georgia and North Carolina. The organization also moved firearms to Mexico to arm the cartels.

Navarro-Jaimes was responsible for brokering narcotics and firearms transactions for the organization. He was directly tied to approximately nine kilograms of cocaine, 23 kilograms of methamphetamine and over 10 firearms.

The investigation revealed he used a stash house in Dallas to facilitate drug trafficking activities. A search warrant of another residence tied to Navarro-Jaimes resulted in the discovery and seizure of four firearms, assorted ammunition and multiple cellphones.

Navarro-Jaimes has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster, Liesel Roscher and Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.

This investigation and prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI; FBI; DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation/IRS; Interpol/Department of State and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison for his role in the distribution of multiple narcotics, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Fredrick Jermaine Dunbar pleaded guilty Oct. 15, 2025.

U.S. District Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Dunbar to serve 360 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court considered additional evidence showing Dunbar led and organized a large-scale drug trafficking organization, recruited others to transport narcotics and possessed firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities. The court also noted Dunbar’s leadership role in the conspiracy and the significant quantities of drugs involved.

The investigation began in early 2020 when law enforcement identified Dunbar as a supplier of methamphetamine, cocaine and heroin in the Houston area.

In April 2020, Dunbar arranged the purchase of two kilograms of methamphetamine for redistribution to a co-conspirator.

Over the course of the investigation, authorities seized approximately 12 kilograms of narcotics – one, five and six kilograms of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine, respectively.

To date, 12 others have been convicted and sentenced in connection with the conspiracy. 

Dunbar will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sherriff's Office and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation.

This operation is now part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. 

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

HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Honduran national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for unlawfully reentering the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Wilson Antonio Vargas Argueta pleaded guilty Dec. 4, 2025.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Argueta to serve 24 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence about his criminal history while illegally present in the country.

Argueta has multiple prior convictions for assault, driving while intoxicated and fleeing from law enforcement.

In 2020, he bit a police officer while resisting arrest. Argueta was convicted of the assault and eventually removed from the country.

He illegally returned and in 2025, authorities discovered him in Houston with no authorization to be there. He had been driving while under the influence of alcohol and refused to pull over when ordered to do so.    

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Hostetter and Amanda Alum prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

HOUSTON – A total of 413 individuals have been charged in immigration and border security enforcement efforts from Feb. 6-12, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The cases include charges against 17 people allegedly involved in human smuggling. A total of 167 people were charged with illegal entry, while another 227 face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felony convictions such as narcotics offenses, violent crimes and immigration crimes. The remaining four individuals charged this week relate to other immigration crimes and a false statement charge.

One recent case involves Andres Wilkinson, a Customs and Border Protection supervisor charged in Laredo with harboring an illegal alien. According to the complaint, Wilkinson allegedly allowed the illegal alien and her minor child to reside at his home, provided financial support and permitted her to use vehicles registered in his name. The charges further allege he knowingly transported her through Border Patrol checkpoints. If convicted, Wilkinson faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

In additional cases, criminal complaints allege five individuals attempted to unlawfully reenter the country within 10 months of their most recent removals.

According to court documents, Mexican nationals Edgar Madrid-Orozco, Lauriano Santos-Rios and Aaron Nava-Carillo were previously removed April 11, July 9, and August 31, respectively. Authorities removed Belize national Edwin Rene Mancillas-Suriano May 22, while Guatemalan national Juan Dieguez-Nolasco was removed Dec. 30, 2025.

Each defendant allegedly has prior felony convictions, including battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, illegal reentry, aggravated sexual abuse and assault of a family member. Authorities later found all five in the United States without legal authorization. If convicted, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.

In a separate case in Houston, a Belize national illegally residing in Conroe pleaded guilty to assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. During a targeted enforcement operation, Sindi Vanessa Moreno-Flores attempted to flee arrest, scratched an ICE agent’s arm and hands and swung her handcuffed arm at the agent before authorities restrained her and took her into custody.

In McAllen, 36-year-old Mexican national Angel Fabian Moreno-Rodriguez was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison. During a traffic stop in Donna, law enforcement discovered approximately five kilograms of fentanyl concealed in vacuum-sealed packages inside a cardboard box on the front passenger seat of his vehicle. Moreno-Rodriguez admitted he was paid to transport the narcotics.

Also announced this week was the conviction of Gonzalo Chavez for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. Law enforcement observed Chavez’s vehicle near the Rio Grande before conducting a traffic stop and discovering four illegal aliens attempting to conceal themselves. At trial, the jury heard evidence showing Chavez coordinated with smugglers in Mexico to transport the aliens after they crossed the river. Chavez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

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

An 18-count superseding indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Southern District of Texas charging 20 defendants – all alleged Free Money gang members and associates from Houston – with federal crimes, including racketeering (RICO) conspiracy, murder and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, Hobbs Act Robbery, and related firearm and drug offenses.

According to court documents, members and associates of Free Money, a violent, Houston-based street gang, used violence and intimidation to control their territory and retaliated against rival gang members, including by conducting numerous drive-by shootings, and raised money through drug trafficking and robberies.

“This twenty-defendant indictment alleges that the Free Money gang terrorized the streets of Houston with drive-by and calculated shootings, often in public places like grocery store parking lots, putting countless lives in danger,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These brazen tactics show the wide-ranging danger posed by violent gangs. The Criminal Division will continue to prioritize investigations and prosecutions of violent gang members so that innocent Americans get what they deserve – their communities restored and their lives unencumbered by the fear and carnage that these gangs perpetuate.”

“The indictment unsealed yesterday alleges that the Free Money gang engaged in a campaign of robbery, drug trafficking, and armed violence to intimidate their rivals and terrorize the people of Houston,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei for the Southern District of Texas (SDTX). “That ends now. Houstonians should be able to live their lives without fear of either themselves or their loved ones being robbed, maimed, or caught in the crossfire of gang warfare. SDTX’s message on this point is clear and unmistakable: if you’re thinking of engaging in violent, criminal conduct on a Houston street, think again.  The Southern District has your number.”

“The sheer number of murders and shootings these individuals are suspected of freely carrying out for years, and the level of indiscriminate violence they’re accused of executing is alarming,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Yesterday’s coordinated arrests across Houston are the result of years-long investigations by our FBI Houston team and our partners. We hope the residents of the Houston neighborhoods they terrorized can rest a little easier knowing that these individuals are free no more.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2022, in broad daylight, surveillance video captured defendants Terry Ardoin, 24, and Travonte Ardoin, 28, as they followed a Chevrolet Equinox into a shopping center parking lot. The driver of the Equinox entered a nearby store while the passenger remained in the vehicle. When the driver returned, the video showed the Ardoins exiting their vehicle wearing masks and opening fire on both individuals. Multiple rounds struck the Equinox’s passenger compartment, killing the passenger. 

Free Money members hunted for rival gang members throughout Houston and were indiscriminate when they attacked. For instance, on Aug. 3, 2022, defendant Shakeil Anderson, 23, and other Free Money members allegedly drove past and shot repeatedly into the home of the grandmother of a perceived rival gang member.

The gang allegedly financed the buying of guns and provided money to jailed fellow gang members through robberies and drug sales. For example, on June 3, 2024, defendant Walter Tolbert, 21, and other Free Money members allegedly stole jewelry, Sony PlayStations, and money from a pawn store, robbing the store employees at gunpoint.

The gang also targeted rival gangs for robberies. On Aug. 14, 2022, Free Money members and associates attempted to rob a rival gang member’s drug stash house and kill the inhabitants. Defendants Joci Barley, 26; Terrel Davis,28; Walter Tolbert; Shakeil Anderson; Jakobe Anderson, 24; Chase Franklin-Williams, 21; Terry Adroin; Travonte Ardoin; Deandre Thompson, 22; Emery Goodley, 26; Jymonte McClendon, 28; and Maurkael Brown, 31, allegedly planned the robbery of the drug stash house while at a Free Money meeting during which they avowed to “kill and do everything they needed to do” to rob the drugs and money they believed were in the house even knowing that the house was likely occupied. Luckily, law enforcement was able to stop the home invasion while the robbers were driving to the stash house location. During the police chase, Travonte Ardoin threw a gun out of his car window.

The gang allegedly also trafficked in crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. As alleged, defendant Orlando Calloway, 52, supplied crack cocaine to the gang by cooking cocaine the gang ordered.

FBI and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Department of Public Safety.

Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Brown for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Houston. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas have partnered, along with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes gang members and associates have committed through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute violent offenders and prevent further violence.

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

HOUSTON – An 18-count superseding indictment has been unsealed charging 20 alleged members and associates of a violent Houston-based street gang for their purported roles in a racketeering conspiracy (RICO) involving murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Law enforcement arrested 10 of the defendants today and they will be presented before a United States Magistrate Judge in Houston on these charges this week. The remaining ten defendants are already in custody on related federal charges. 

According to court documents, members and associates of Free Money allegedly engaged in acts of violence, intimidation, drive-by shootings and murder to further the gang’s criminal enterprise. The indictment alleges Terry Ardoin, 24, and Travonte Ardoin, 28, both of Houston, committed a murder in connection with an ongoing gang war with a rival group.

“The indictment unsealed today alleges that the Free Money gang engaged in a campaign of robbery, drug trafficking, and armed violence to intimidate their rivals and terrorize the people of Houston. That ends now,” said United States Attorney Nicholas Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas. “Houstonians should be able to live their lives without fear of either themselves or their loved ones being robbed, maimed, or caught in the crossfire of gang warfare. SDTX’s message on this point is clear and unmistakable: if you’re thinking of engaging in violent, criminal conduct on a Houston street, think again.  The Southern District has your number.”

“This gang terrorized the streets of Houston with their drive-by shootings in public places like grocery store parking lots and with their brazen, armed robberies,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These brazen tactics show the wide-ranging danger posed by violent gangs. The Criminal Division will continue to prioritize investigations and prosecutions of violent gang members so that innocent Americans get what they deserve – their communities restored and their lives unencumbered by the fear and carnage that these gangs perpetuate.”

“The sheer number of murders and shootings these individuals are suspected of freely carrying out for years, and the level of indiscriminate violence they’re accused of executing is alarming,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Houston Field Office Jason Hudson. “Today’s coordinated arrests across Houston are the result of years-long investigations by our FBI Houston team and our partners. We hope the residents of the Houston neighborhoods they terrorized can rest a little easier knowing that these individuals are ‘free’ no more.”

On June 24, 2022, in broad daylight, the Ardoins allegedly followed a Chevrolet Equinox carrying two individuals into a shopping center parking lot while driving a black Nissan Altima. After the driver entered a nearby store and the passenger remained inside the vehicle, the Ardoins allegedly exited the Altima wearing masks and opened fired on the vehicle. Multiple rounds struck the passenger compartment. Law enforcement responded within minutes and found one victim deceased.

The indictment alleges Free Money members targeted rival gang members throughout Houston. On Aug. 3, 2022, Shakeil Anderson, 23, and other alleged Free Money members fired multiple rounds into the home of the grandmother of a perceived rival gang member.  

According to the charges, the gang allegedly financed firearms purchases and provided money to incarcerated members through robberies and drug sales. On June 3, 2024, Walter Tolbert, 21, and other alleged Free Money members allegedly robbed a pawn shop at gunpoint, stealing jewelry, Sony PlayStations and cash. 

The indictment also alleges Free Money members targeted rival gangs for robbery. On Aug. 14, 2022, several alleged members attempted to rob a rival gang member’s stash house and kill the occupants. Joci Barley, 26, Terrel Davis, 28, Tolbert, Anderson, Jakobe Anderson, 24, Chase Franklin-Williams, 21, Terry Adroin, Travonte Ardoin, Deandre Thompson, 22, Emery Goodley, 26, Jymonte McClendon, 28, and Maurkael Brown, 31, allegedly planned the robbery during a gang meeting, during which they stated they would “kill and do everything they needed to do” to obtain the drugs and money they believed were inside, despite knowing the home was likely occupied. 

Law enforcement stopped the group while en route to the location, according to the charges. During the subsequent pursuit, Travonte Ardoin allegedly threw a firearm from the vehicle. 

The indictment further alleges the gang trafficked crack cocaine, cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana. Orlando Calloway, 52, allegedly supplied crack cocaine to the gang by converting powder cocaine for redistribution.

The defendants face maximum sentences of life in prison for the RICO charges, and from ten years to life in prison on the drug trafficking and firearms charges.  In addition, defendants Terry Ardoin and Travante Ardoin each face either mandatory life in prison or the death penalty if they are convicted of the charge of murder in aid of racketeering.

The FBI Houston field office and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter Brown and Trial Attorney Ralph Paradiso of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.

This joint effort includes the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local, state and federal law enforcement and addresses violent crime by employing, where appropriate, federal laws to prosecute gang members in the southwest and southeast areas of Houston. As part of the initiative, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division has also dedicated attorneys and other resources to prosecuting violent offenders and assisting intervention, prevention and reentry efforts to address the root causes of violent crime, such as narcotics trafficking.

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

McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Mexican man has been ordered to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Angel Fabian Moreno-Rodriguez pleaded guilty Nov. 25, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton sentenced Moreno-Rodriguez to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following the completion of his sentence. At the hearing, the court heard evidence how Moreno-Rodriguez coordinated the transportation of drug shipments with traffickers in Mexico. In handing down the sentence, the court noted the potential harm to millions of individuals posed by fentanyl distribution.

On Sept. 18, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a blue Kia Forte in Donna. Moreno-Rodriguez was driving the vehicle. During the stop, authorities observed a cardboard box on the front passenger seat containing five vacuum-sealed brick-like packages. Testing confirmed the packages contained fentanyl with a total weight of approximately five kilograms. Moreno-Rodriguez admitted he was paid to transport the narcotics.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Garcia prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

HOUSTON – A 48-year-old man who illegally resided in Porter has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country again, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Oscar Javier Quiroz Perdomo pleaded guilty Nov. 21, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Perdomo to serve 70 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding his criminal history while illegally present in the United States. In imposing the sentence, the court noted Perdomo’s repeated illegal reentries and other criminal conduct.

Perdomo has multiple previous convictions for thefts, burglaries of buildings and a habitation, abandoning or endangering a child and illegal reentry.

He was first ordered removed in August 2009 and returned illegally on at least four other occasions. Most recently, authorities discovered him on or about Jan. 29, 2025, in Houston with no authorization to be there.

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Franklyn and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Fuselier prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

HOUSTON – A 51-year-old resident of Sedgwick County, Kansas, has been ordered to federal prison for making false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations to law enforcement, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Summer Heather Worden pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now sentenced Worden to three months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. The court also ordered Worden to pay $210,000 in restitution. 

At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Worden falsely accused her former spouse of illegally accessing her bank account from the International Space Station while the couple was going through a divorce. Even after an internal investigation exonerated the former spouse, Worden continued promoting the false claim to news outlets and hired a media consultant to amplify the claim. The evidence further showed Worden publicly released her former spouse’s personal information.

In July 2019, Worden alleged her estranged spouse had guessed her password and illegally accessed her bank account while deployed to the International Space Station.  

However, the investigation revealed Worden opened her bank account in April 2018, and both parties accessed it until January 2019, when Worden changed the account credentials. Investigators also determined Worden had granted her spouse access to her bank records, including login credentials, as early as 2015. 

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

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard D. Hanes and Brandon Fyffe prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 39-year-old Mexican citizen has been ordered to federal prison after illegally reentering the United States under an assumed identity, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Following a two-day-trial, a federal jury found Jose Martin Valdez-Galvan guilty May 29, 2025, after approximately four hours of deliberation.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Valdez-Galvan to 41 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is once again expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.

On June 11, 2024, authorities encountered Valdez-Galvan in Laredo. During the encounter, he provided a false name and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. Authorities later determined Valdez-Galvan was an illegal alien who had previously been removed from the United States and had returned without permission.

Court records reflect Valdez-Galvan assumed the false identity in 2015 following his second removal from the United States.

Law enforcement positively identified Valdez-Galvan through fingerprint analysis. At trial, Valdez-Galvan disputed his identity, and his mother testified that her son’s name was different, despite having previously identified him as Valdez-Galvan.

The defense challenged the reliability of the evidence, but the jury found Valdez-Galvan guilty as charged.

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Cortez, Jay Hileman and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan Oliver prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 61-year-old man has been found guilty for his role in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The jury deliberated for approximately two hours before convicting Gonzalo Chavez following a three-day trial.

On Oct. 27, 2025, law enforcement observed a Dodge Durango enter a golf course near the Rio Grande in Laredo before leaving shortly thereafter. Authorities noted the vehicle’s rear suspension appeared lower than when it entered.

During a subsequent traffic stop, law enforcement observed four individuals lying down in plain view and attempting to conceal themselves. Authorities determined all four were illegal aliens without legal authorization to be present in the United States.

At trial, the jury heard evidence that Chavez coordinated with human smugglers in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, to provide immediate transportation to the illegal aliens after they crossed the Rio Grande. Chavez admitted his role was to transport these aliens to their next destination.

The jury also heard evidence regarding Chavez’ prior alien smuggling conviction. 

U.S. District Judge John Kazen presided over the trial and set sentencing for March 30. At that time, Chavez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Chavez has been held in custody pending trial and remain so pending sentencing. 

United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manuel Cardenas and Michael Poyfair are prosecuting the case.  

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

McALLEN, Texas – A 50-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute approximately 11 kilograms of cocaine found in his vehicle, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Delber Turrubiates-Garcia pleaded guilty April 25, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Turrubiates-Garcia to serve 120 months in federal prison, to run concurrently with a 24-month sentence imposed for violating the terms of his supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court noted this conviction marks his second federal narcotics offense.

On Aug. 15, 2024, authorities conducted a traffic stop on a 2019 Ford pickup truck in McAllen. Turrubiates-Garcia was the driver. A search of the vehicle revealed two boxes containing 10 packages of cocaine in the rear passenger seat.

The packages weighed approximately 11.6 kilograms and field tested positive for cocaine.

Turrubiates-Garcia admitted he knew the boxes contained narcotics and said he was to be paid to pick up and distribute them. He also claimed he had retrieved similar packages from the same location in the past and had been paid between $500-$1,000 on each occasion.

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Hidalgo County Constable's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell prosecuted the case.

LAREDO, Texas – A 52-year-old Customs and Border Protection supervisor has been charged with harboring an illegal alien, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Andres Wilkinson has made his initial appearance and will remain in custody pending a detention hearing tomorrow before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian C. Bajew.

Wilkinson has served with CBP since 2001 and was promoted to a supervisory position in 2021. In that role, his duties included overseeing the enforcement of customs and immigration laws.

According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement learned that an illegal alien was residing at Wilkinson’s residence without legal authorization. The complaint further alleges that Wilkinson was aware of her unlawful immigration status yet maintained a romantic relationship with her.

Court records allege the illegal alien initially entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visa in August 2023 and later overstayed authorized travel. 

From June through November 2025, law enforcement conducted surveillance at Wilkinson’s residence and observed the illegal alien living there with Wilkinson and her minor child, according to the charges. Investigators also observed the alien using vehicles registered to Wilkinson, court documents allege.

In February 2026, investigators interviewed the illegal alien, according to court records. The criminal complaint alleges she had been residing with Wilkinson since August 2024. Court documents further allege Wilkinson provided financial support, including housing, credit cards, assistance with financial obligations and access to vehicle registered in his name. The complaint also alleges Wilkinson knowingly transported the illegal alien through U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints. 

The complaint further alleges Wilkinson traveled with the illegal alien to San Antonio and that messages indicated she and her child resided with him. 

If convicted, Wilkinson faces up to 10 years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. 

CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility – Laredo conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Manuel Cardenas is prosecuting the case.  

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

HOUSTON – The University of Texas at San Antonio has agreed to pay nearly $130,000 to resolve allegations it defrauded the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The settlement stems from a NASA cooperative agreement intended to establish a Center for Advanced Measurements in Extreme Environments.

Federal law prohibits NASA from using its funds, including through grants or cooperative agreements, with any institutions or individuals that collaborate or partner with China or Chinese-owned companies. UTSA agreed to comply with those restrictions during both the application and award process.

The settlement resolves allegations that Dr. Hongjie Xie, the initial principal investigator, maintained close ties with researchers in China and contributed to multiple academic papers published by Chinese universities.

The agreement also required UTSA to submit accurate semiannual and annual reports identifying publications supported by NASA funding. The settlement also resolves claims that UTSA falsely listed multiple publications as funded under the cooperative agreement in those reports.

“Truthful disclosures by research universities are critical when making decisions about federal awards,” said U.S. Attorney Ganjei. “Universities that provide false information unfairly skew the award process in their favor and place our technological and scientific superiority at risk. Prof. Hongjie Xie’s close relationship with Chinese researchers, universities, and publications was in direct violation of UTSA’s agreement with NASA. Now, UTSA will pay for its lack of candor.”

“When universities fail to disclose affiliations with foreign entities, it compromises scientific integrity and takes advantage of NASA’s valuable resources,” said Robert Steinau, Senior Official at the NASA Office of Inspector General. “Institutions entrusted with taxpayer-funded awards have a responsibility to provide accurate information and adhere to all program requirements.”

NASA - Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Green handled the matter.

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

HOUSTON – Two Conroe residents have been charged for their roles in the kidnapping and forced labor of a minor child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Tania Evette Garcia, 37, is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Hanovice Palermo at 2 p.m. Brenda Mariana Garcia, 39, previously made her appearance and remains in custody pending further criminal proceedings. 

A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Jan. 14. The charges allege that between March and September 2025, both women kidnapped and abused the minor victim.

According to the indictment, the sisters physically abused and restrained the victim with zip ties. They repeatedly beat and forced the child to provide labor and services through force, threats of force, physical restraint and physical abuse, the indictment alleges.

If convicted, each faces up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luis Batarse 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 man and woman have been ordered to federal prison for their respective roles in an identity theft and business email compromise (BEC) scam, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Bolaji Okunnu, 32, pleaded guilty Sept. 26, 2025, while Amber Bush, 30, admitted her guilt Sept. 25.

U.S. District Judge George Hanks sentenced Okunnu to 39 months and Bush to 24 months in federal prison. Okunnu was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, while Bush received one year, following their terms of imprisonment.

At the hearing, the court heard that from 2021 to 2022, Okunnu operated an unlicensed money transmitting business that received and transmitted funds from the BEC scheme. As part of his scheme, Okunnu, a New York-licensed attorney, recruited two others into the enterprise, collected proceeds, and acted as an intermediary for higher-level conspirators. The court also heard that Okunnu directed co-defendants to destroy evidence on their cell phones and fabricate explanations for large sums deposited into co-conspirators’ bank accounts.

Okunnu and Bush were also ordered to pay restitution totaling $255,399.47 and $1,189,247.02, respectively, to victims nationwide.

As part of his plea, Okunnu admitted moving money through bank accounts he and others controlled. The funds originated from fraudsters involved in a BEC wire fraud scheme involving at least four victims. Okunnu acknowledged receiving the funds and, for a fee, transmitting the fraud proceeds to others.

The scheme also involved the theft of stolen checks from various companies. Bush created bank accounts to funnel money from stolen checks to Destini Godfrey, who is also charged in the BEC wire fraud scheme.

As part of her plea, Bush admitted to using the name and personal identifying information of a real person, without that person’s knowledge or consent, to open a bank account. After receiving deposits into that account, which originated from a stolen check, Bush issued four checks totaling $165,000 to Godfrey.

More than 45 people in multiple states, including Okunnu and eight others in the Southern District of Texas, have been charged in separate BEC schemes affecting numerous victims.

Godfrey, 31, Houston, is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for his arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000. He is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

The FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation with valuable assistance from the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Edison Police Department in New Jersey and other law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 29-year-old Belize national illegally residing in Conroe has pleaded guilty to assaulting an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

On Sept. 23, 2025, authorities conducted a targeted enforcement operation in Houston to locate Sindi Vanessa Moreno-Flores. Law enforcement encountered Moreno-Flores as she was entering her vehicle. When authorities attempted to place her under arrest, Moreno-Flores pulled away and scratched an ICE agent’s upper left arm and hands. She also swung her arm in an attempt to strike the officer while wearing a handcuff on her wrist. Moreno-Flores then fled into a group of bystanders. Law enforcement eventually restrained Moreno-Flores and placed her under arrest. 

U.S. District Judge George Hanks will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Moreno-Flores faces up to eight years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

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

ICE - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

HOUSTON – A former Social Security employee has been ordered to federal prison for aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to steal government funds, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

David Lam, 46, Pearland, pleaded guilty June 5, 2025.

U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Lam to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard about the complex nature of Lam’s scheme and how it involved dozens of fraudulent applications. Lam also used his access to personal data, which was necessary for his actual job duties, to facilitate his embezzlement and theft. Lam was further ordered to pay $3,346,280 in restitution.

Lam was an operations supervisor and claims specialist for the Social Security Administration office in Houston.

As part of his plea, Lam admitted to stealing the personally identifying information of recently deceased men and then using that PII to facilitate fraudulent benefits applications.

Lam worked with various coconspirators – typically, women with children – to file fraudulent survivor benefits applications listing the deceased men as the children’s fathers or stepfathers. If true, this would have entitled the women to receive benefits while raising their children as widows. However, the women had no connection to the men listed on the applications, and the deceased men did not father the children. To facilitate his scheme, Lam would utilize the deceased men’s names, dates of birth and death and Social Security numbers.

He would also instruct the coconspirators to split the stolen funds with him. The women would transfer funds via applications like Zelle, CashApp or Chime.

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

The Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray prosecuted the case. 

HOUSTON – A total of 363 cases have been filed related to immigration-related crimes from Jan. 30-Feb. 5, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

A total of 220 people have been charged with felony reentry after removal, and another 116 face allegations of illegal entry. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, various immigration offenses and more. The filed cases also include 23 individuals accused of human smuggling, while the remaining six matters are related to other immigration crimes.

One of those charged is Honduran national Nixon Ariel Villalobos-Quijada. The criminal complaint alleges he attempted to unlawfully reenter the United States within six months of his most recent removal. He was previously removed Aug. 17, 2025, according to the complaint. The charges allege Villalobos-Quijada has a prior conviction for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. Authorities allegedly discovered him again near Roma without any legal authorization.

Additional complaints allege two previous felons had also illegally reentered the country. Mexican nationals Alvaro Zavala-Valdez and Ricardo Enede Rodriguez-Alvarez had both been previously removed Aug. 7, 2013, and May 10, 2022, according to their respective charges. However, both were allegedly found in the McAllen area this week. According to court documents, Zavala-Valdez has a previous conviction for illegal reentry, while Rodriguez-Alvarez was sentenced for transportation/harboring illegal aliens.

If convicted, all three men face up to 20 years in federal prison.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

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

HOUSTON – Two men have been found guilty on multiple charges related to a conspiracy that resulted in the shooting of a Katy man on his way to work, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The federal jury deliberated for approximately two days before convicting Michael Seery, 43, Katy, and Ricardo Obando Jr., 51, Houston, following an eight-day trial.  

The jury heard the men plotted the murder over the course of months and executed their plan in the early morning of Feb. 4, 2025. Obando shot the victim several times as the man was traveling on his way to work. The victim sustained gunshots wounds to his neck, torso and hand, but ultimately survived. 

“An innocent victim was ambushed by gunfire during his daily commute—all because of one man’s jealousy and faulty information,” said Ganjei. “This verdict demonstrates my office’s commitment to identifying and prosecuting all members of violent criminal conspiracies. No matter your role, if you conspire to commit an act of violence in the Southern District of Texas, we will hold you accountable and seek a significant sentence. All Texans deserve to be able to travel to work without fear of becoming a target of violent criminals.”

“A murder-for-hire plot transformed a Houston highway into an incredibly dangerous situation for morning commuters,” said FBI Houston Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson. “Michael Seery and Ricardo Obando Jr. showed total disregard for human life and put countless innocent bystanders at risk. FBI Houston proudly partnered with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety to identify, locate, and apprehend these men in order to bring them to justice."

Seery hired Obando to kill a man he believed had an affair with Seery’s wife while Seery was in prison. Cell phone evidence demonstrated how Obando conducted extensive surveillance and a failed attempt on the victim before finally executing the plot. 

Obando shot the victim using a firearm equipped with a silencer while the man was driving to work on Highway 99. Jurors heard testimony from the victim and watched the actual footage of the shooting captured on his in-car camera system, which showed the moment of the shooting and the subsequent 911 call. 

In reality, Seery targeted the wrong person. The actual intended target had moved out of the residence where Seery believed he lived.

The intended target testified as did Seery’s wife. The jury heard about the affair that had occurred 12 years prior and that Seery could not get over it. Testimony revealed that even in January 2025, a few weeks before the murder attempt, Seery was angry about the affair.

Evidence included multiple photos of various firearms and firearm parts found at Seery’s home and storage unit. The jury also saw the 3D printer Seery used to manufacture the weapon and silencer that Obando is believed to have used. 

Seery had paid Obando through his business to carry out the crime.  

The defense attempted to convince the jury there was no evidence about the real intended target or that there was any relationship between the two men and the actual victim, or the intended target. Obando’s defense disputed cellular phone evidence, while Seery claimed he was not involved at in the conspiracy. The jury did not believe any of those claims and found the two men guilty as charged. 

Both were found guilty of conspiracy to use interstate facilities to commit murder for hire causing bodily injury, aiding and abetting the use of interstate facilities to commit murder for hire causing bodily injury, aiding and abetting discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and aiding and abetting the use of a firearm silencer during and in relation to a crime of violence. Additionally, Seery was found guilty of transferring a firearm to be used in a felony and felon in possession of a firearm, while Obando was convicted of receiving a firearm that was to be used in a felony. 

They face up to life in federal prison. 

The FBI conducted the investigation along with Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety and Katy Police Department with assistance of Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hunter Brown and Jill Stotts are prosecuting the case.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 29-year-old Mexican national has been ordered to federal prison for possessing narcotics with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Azael Sotelo-Espinoza pleaded guilty Oct. 22, 2025. 

U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Sotelo-Espinoza to serve 60 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence Feb. 4, the court noted Sotelo-Espinoza was not to return to the United States without permission.

On Aug. 15, 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a white Chevrolet Silverado for a defective light. Sotelo-Espinoza was driving. Upon questioning, he appeared nervous and was breathing heavily, sweating, and his hands were shaking. He also gave inconsistent statements about his travels.

Authorities observed a second battery in the engine compartment that displayed evidence of tampering. An X-ray scan showed the batteries lacked internal components. A K-9 also alerted to the presence of narcotics. 

Further investigation revealed two bundles wrapped in duct tape and electrical tape inside the battery. The packages weighed approximately 2.34 kilograms and tested positive for cocaine. 

A subsequent search of the vehicle uncovered jumper cables and a wrench that fit the terminals on the battery located in the back seat. 

Authorities also discovered Sotelo-Espinoza had deleted cell phone messages before they approached him and that the vehicle he was driving had made frequent trips from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston, returning the same day. 

Sotelo-Espinoza has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from Kingsville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yasmine K. Tucker prosecuted the case.

HOUSTON – A 66-year-old Houston physician has been charged with falsifying medical records which made potential transplant recipients ineligible for organ donations, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

John Stevenson Bynon Jr. has now surrendered to federal authorities and is set for his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena H. Palermo at 2 p.m. 

According to the indictment, returned Jan. 14, Bynon was Director of Abdominal Organ Transplantation and Surgical Director for Liver Transplantation at Memorial Hermann Health System’s Texas Medical Center in Houston. Under his care, patients were allegedly activated on the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) liver transplant waitlist while awaiting an organ donation.

The charges allege that even though patients should have been able to receive donations through UNOS, Bynon made false statements in their medical records which rendered them functionally ineligible for a donation. Patients, their families, and other members of their medical care team, were unaware of the false information, according to court documents. Many patients allegedly remained ineligible for months without knowing they could not receive donor organ offers during that time. 

“Dr. Bynon is alleged to have betrayed the most sacred duty of a medical professional—to heal,” said Ganjei. “According to the indictment, he stole years and hope from those who trusted him most by falsifying records and preventing patients from receiving organ transplants. Rest assured, the Southern District of Texas will continue to seek justice for every victim in this case.”

“Ultimately, at the center of this case are vulnerable patients who hung their hope of survival on a nationally renowned surgeon now federally charged for manipulating their medical records,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Dr. Bynon is accused of manipulating the criteria of patients on organ transplant waiting lists, thereby allegedly manipulating the patients’ chance of survival. Today’s indictment makes it clear that the FBI will investigate allegations of patient harm regardless of how reputable and respected the practitioner is or the hospital system they work for.”

“Falsely manipulating organ transplant eligibility endangers lives and undermines the integrity of our health care system,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the  Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. “The allegations in this indictment, if proven true, represent a grave betrayal of medical ethics and patient trust. HHS-OIG will work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who falsifies medical records to manipulate patient care is stopped, caught and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

The indictment further alleges that due to Bynon’s unilateral decision making and false statements, which were unknown to other care providers, patients continued receiving health care benefits, items and services that Medicare paid as if they were eligible to receive donor organ offers. 

Some of Bynon’s patients had dire health outcomes. The indictment alleges two others sought care at alternate facilities following the discovery of the alleged false statements and ultimately received organ transplants.

Bynon is charged with five counts of making false statements in health care matters. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine upon each conviction. 

FBI and DHHS-OIG conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherin Daniel and Suzanne Elmilady are prosecuting the case.

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

HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Spring resident has been sentenced for embezzling more than $1 million from his employer, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Donald Ray Owens Jr. pleaded guilty May 9, 2025.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Owens to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from Owens, who asked for leniency and said he had developed an addiction to online sports gambling. In imposing the sentence, the court noted the significant financial harm to the company and Owens’ repeated misuse of its credit card. Owens must also pay $1,081,722.96 in restitution.

Owens was employed at Dominion Aesthetics Technology Inc. Between May 2022 and January 2024, he used his company credit card approximately 217 times to send money to an online payment platform account opened in his wife’s name. He then transferred the funds to bank accounts he controlled and ultimately into a personal gambling account.

He admitted he used the company credit card to embezzle approximately $1.1 million to pay gambling debts he incurred.

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

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

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Brian Perez pleaded guilty Aug. 20, 2025.

U.S. District Judge David Morales has now ordered Perez to serve 144 months in federal prison. At the hearing Feb. 4, the court heard additional information including how Perez actively sought to trade CSAM videos and images with others online to increase his collection. He will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designated to restrict his access to children and the internet. Perez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date. 

The investigation into Perez began Nov. 7, 2024, when authorities discovered CSAM had been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Perez as the source of the content. 

Authorities obtained a search warrant for Perez’s residence in Beeville. They located and seized two electronic devices. 

Upon forensic examination, law enforcement discovered approximately 75 videos and more than 1,000 images depicting CSAM. Included in the images were prepubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Perez admitted he started viewing CSAM two years prior and that there were multiple images on his phone. 

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice 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 44-year-old man from Chugaik, Alaska, has been charged in the Southern District of Texas for paying to bring illegal aliens into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Douglas Price is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon in Anchorage, Alaska, at 1 p.m. (Alaska Standard Time).

The charges allege Price used a payment account associated with his business to pay approximately $5,000 to alien smugglers for a Honduran woman and her child to be smuggled into the United States. The woman and her child were subsequently separated during the smuggling journey, according to the criminal complaint originally filed in the case.

“This man allegedly paid smugglers to bring an illegal alien child and mother to this country, and in doing so, the child ended up alone during the dangerous journey,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. "Under POTUS, vetting of sponsors for unaccompanied alien children is as strong as ever, and federal partners found this “sponsor” to be unfit. It is a crime to smuggle illegal aliens into this country, and particularly horrendous to expose a child to untold dangers. Working with our federal partners, we will continue to uphold the law and in doing so, keep children from potential harm.”

"This indictment demonstrates the far-reaching and positive impact a secure southern border provides for all Americans,” said Ganjei. “Price allegedly spent thousands of dollars attempting to smuggle two aliens, including an unaccompanied minor, more than 4,000 miles, from the Texas border all the way up to Alaska. Price’s alleged scheme unreasonably subjected this child to incredible risk, as human smuggling is a dangerous, and often even deadly, business. Now, Price will be paying for his own return trip—to a federal courthouse in the Southern District of Texas."

Law enforcement allegedly apprehended the unaccompanied minor Jan. 16 upon crossing the border in Hidalgo. They took the mother into custody six days later as she crossed illegally at the same location, according to the charges.  

The indictment, returned Feb. 3, charges Price with conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States and encouraging aliens to come to, enter or reside in the country. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Homeland Security Investigations in McAllen and Anchorage conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Refugee and Resettlement and U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Weber in the District of Alaska.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

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

HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas marked major milestones in the pursuit of justice and fulfilled its duties with substantial results in safeguarding the district with important actions in the recent year, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The highlighted matters include major announcements throughout the district, Houston/Galveston cases as well as significant actions from other divisions, to include Corpus Christi/Victoria, McAllen, Laredo and Brownsville.

Most notably was the implementation of “Operation Pick-Off,” an initiative created in the Southern District of Texas that targets criminal illegal aliens who are currently serving terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary, assault and other violent crimes. The enforcement effort, originally announced Aug. 25, 2025, led to federal charges against 67 illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley area, 65 of whom had returned to the country after being previously removed, only to commit other crimes, according to the allegations. In a subsequent roundup in Laredo, law enforcement took another 28 into custody, including a convicted murderer. More actions are in place for the remaining counties within the district.

In a case out of the Houston Division, Operation Gatekeeper uncovered a scheme in which Alan Hao Hsu and Benlin Yuan allegedly conspired together to obtain export-controlled Nvidia GPUs through straw purchasers and falsely claimed the goods were destined for approved locations. The GPUs were routed through U.S. warehouses, relabeled under a fake company name and misclassified as generic computer parts before being shipped to the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong, according to the charges.

Prosecutors also announced charges against 14 Banditos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang members for racketeering activity, assault and murder. According to the indictment, members and associates engaged in a conspiracy to commit racketeering activity and carried out violent crimes, including murder and attempted murder, as part of a turf war with rival gang BEAST that began in 2019. The indictment alleges Bandidos leadership authorized a “smash on site” order targeting BEAST members, resulting in gunfire on public roadways and in public establishments with civilians present.

As part of Operation Double Down, numerous Houston-area residents were indicted on various charges including conspiracy, operating illegal game rooms, bribery and money laundering. Approximately 700 law enforcement officers from 18 agencies served a total of 45 search and 40 seizure warrants at locations throughout Houston and the surrounding area and closed 30 illegal gaming rooms. 

Also in 2025, a 33-year-old Chinese state-sponsored hacker was taken into custody for his alleged involvement in U.S. computer intrusions, including the reckless and indiscriminate HAFNIUM campaign that compromised thousands of computers worldwide. According to court documents, in early 2020, Xu Zewei and his co-conspirators targeted U.S.-based universities and researchers conducting COVID-19 vaccine, treatment and testing research and reported their activities to officers in China’s Ministry of State Security, who directed the hacking operations.  

In a major case out of Laredo, the extradition of three Guatemalan nationals were part of a national announcement for their charges stemming from a 2021 mass casualty event in Chiapas, Mexico. The crash allegedly involved a tractor-trailer packed with at least 160 illegal aliens – many of them Guatemalan – that killed more than 50 people, including unaccompanied children, and injured over 100 more. The three smugglers – Tomas Quino Canil, Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino and Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala – were arrested in Guatemala last December and made their appearances in Laredo Sept. 4, 2025.

A six-count second superseding indictment was also unsealed in Houston, charging four Venezuelan nationals for providing material support to foreign terrorist organization, Tren de Aragua, as well as international drug trafficking. According to court records, Yohan Jose Romero and Juan Gabriel Rivans Nunez are two of the topmost leaders of TdA involved in the illegal mining of gold in Venezuela. Giovanni Vicente Mosquera and Jose Enrique Martinez Flores are TdA leaders allegedly involved in international drug trafficking.

In another Houston case, charges allege Venezuelan national Juan Carlos Cairo-Padron and Thomas Michael Fortinberry conspired for years to sell chemical catalysts, industrial equipment and associated services to Venezuelan state-owned steel mills and petrochemical companies that are subject to U.S. sanctions. According to the charges, the scheme involved U.S. and overseas front companies, foreign bank accounts and falsified shipping documents to conceal the fact that goods and services were destined for sanctioned entities.  

Notable sentencings out of the Houston Division included Fredrick Douglas Shelton who received 27 years after he was linked to three fentanyl overdose deaths. At the hearing, the court commented on the disturbing fact that after the deaths, Shelton continued to sell fentanyl with a verbal warning to customers that the drugs were strong.  

Mexican national Eustorgio Quiroz-Salto was ordered to serve 240 months for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute bulk methamphetamine. He arranged to deliver over 20 kilograms in the parking lot of a church. A subsequent search of his residence resulted in the seizure of an additional 93.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, 12 firearms, a silencer, 351 rounds of live ammunition and multiple firearm parts.

In other Houston cases, two local men received major sentences for child exploitation crimes. Manvel resident Brian Jones received 840 months after uploading more than 1,000 child pornography files and had over 11,000 images and more than 850 videos. They depicted children engaged in sexually explicit conduct which included sadistic and masochistic conduct. During sentencing, the court heard additional evidence regarding how he convinced a woman to send videos of her sexually abusing her own children. Also sentenced was 28-year-old Vermont man Daniel Lee Hicks, who received 300 months for the production of child pornography and coercion of enticement of a child. Hicks began communicating with the 14-year-old minor victim, during which he sent demeaning and threatening messages to coerce the minor to create and send videos and images depicting sexually explicit conduct.

A 25-year-old Houston resident was sentenced to 60 years for robbing five fast-food and convenience store locations. At trial, the jury heard Carl Pickens carried out a series of armed robberies at McDonald’s locations while wearing a red Nike sweatshirt or black hooded jacket, brandishing a pistol and threatening victims as he demanded money from the safe. He then fled through the back door and fled in a stolen black Chevrolet Tahoe, which needed scissors to start.

Another notable sentencing involved a 39-year-old Mexican national with a felony criminal history. Luis Adrian Torres-Tamayo received 105 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the country after removal. He has prior convictions for possession of a controlled substance and in 2022, Torres-Tamayo assaulted two members of law enforcement during a domestic violence dispute. He seized their taser guns and attacked them with his fists.

Other pending Houston division cases include seven Houston residents who were charged for their roles in a $110 million hospice fraud and kickback scheme. According to a superseding indictment, Dera Ogudo and Victoria Martinez operated United Palliative & Hospice Company. The indictment alleges the company falsely enrolled elderly Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in hospice care and misrepresented the services provided. They also allegedly paid kickbacks to group home operators and a physician to improperly certify patients as terminally ill.

Another notable case involves a nationwide business email compromise scheme for which seven people have been indicted. The investigation began when an individual used a synthetic identity to open a bank account that received $3 million in fraudulent payments from a Catholic church in Indiana, according to the charges. Law enforcement has allegedly identified over 80 victims, including public entities, insurance companies, law firms, schools, real estate companies and churches. More than 50 people have been indicted nationwide, including nine in the Southern District, with the group allegedly responsible for more than $100 million in fraud routed through Australian banks.

A 40-year-old Nigerian citizen who illegally resided in Houston has pleaded guilty for his role in a business email compromise conspiracy and nationwide romance scam. From 2018 through 2023, Leslie Chinedu Mba and others accessed business email accounts, redirected payments to fraudulent accounts and moved the proceeds as money mules. Mba also attempted to obtain U.S. permanent residency through fraudulent marriages after being ordered removed.

A podiatrist and the self-proclaimed CEO of a local medical clinic were also charged in a $90 million Medicare fraud scheme in a 15-count superseding indictment. The charges allege David Jenson and Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes conspired to bill Medicare for skin substitute products for patients who did not have qualifying wounds or any wounds at all. The charges allege they falsified medical records to make it appear patients had chronic wounds and continued billing even after a 2023 audit denied the claims and flagged the conduct as improper.

In Galveston, eight high-level Mara Salvatrucha, commonly known as MS-13, gang members pleaded guilty to racketeering activity, murder and other violent crimes and are facing prison terms of 35-50 years. MS-13 members committed multiple murders, extortion, drug trafficking, robbery and obstruction of justice in and around the Houston area. They committed the murders to maintain or elevate their status, targeting suspected rivals with law enforcement or opposing the gang. They killed the victims using machetes, baseball bats and strangulation, then sent photos of the bodies to senior MS-13 leaders in El Salvador.

From the Corpus Christi Division, Honduran national Marvin Reyes received 108 months in federal prison. He was the leader of an alien smuggling organization responsible for transporting hundreds of illegal aliens from the border further into the United States. Reyes and others coordinated the movement of illegal aliens through the Border Patrol checkpoints near Sarita and Falfurrias as well as by airplane. He also arranged private flights for illegal aliens from Weslaco to Houston.

Valentine Cancino received 324 months for production of child sexual abuse material, otherwise known as sexual exploitation of a child. The investigation began when authorities received multiple cyber-tips indicating CSAM had been uploaded onto the internet. A search warrant led to the seizure of two electronic devices. Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered a video recording Cancino made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor relative.

Also of note was the sentencing of Robstown resident Guadalupe Calderon III for pointing a gun at a law enforcement officer. During a traffic stop on Calderon’s truck, he pointed a Ruger pistol at the officer’s face and pulled the trigger. When the firearm misfired, he fled the scene in his truck. After locating him riding in another vehicle, authorities discovered the firearm in the backseat along with over 30 rounds of ammunition and a high-capacity drum magazine.

In McAllen, a 35-year-old Mexican citizen who illegally resided in Palmview received a life sentence for producing CSAM of a family member and coercing the production of the material using various chat platforms. At the hearing, the court heard that Jesus Adrian Barraza-Vega’s ongoing abuse of a minor family member continued until just days before his encounter with law enforcement.

Also of note was the sentencing of three members of the Pasia gang for assaulting two federal corrections officers at the East Hidalgo Detention Center. The inmates, who were already in custody pending federal immigration charges, outnumbered the officers and repeatedly punched and kicked them. They were housed in a gang-designated unit within the facility. One inmate wielded a sock with a bar of soap as a weapon during the assault. One correctional officer sustained injuries that resulted in multiple staples in his forehead.

Laredo’s Operation Noreste Parte Dos resulted in the convictions of six individuals for their roles in an alien-smuggling conspiracy that led to the death of a Guatemalan man in July 2024. Each person filled key roles in the operation, including transportation coordinator, driver, scout, vehicle purchaser, stash-house operator and Mexico-based logistics coordinators.

A father and son were also charged in the division with trafficking over 500 weapons along with ammunition and magazines. Emilio Ramirez Cortes and Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz were smuggling the weapons and related items in exchange for payment and had done so on multiple occasions. Authorities had found false walls in both trailers which resulted in the discovery of approximately 534 firearms, 31,482 rounds of ammunition, 525 magazines, 40 scopes, four lasers, 10 rifle slings and other related items. They have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

In another Laredo case, Jesus Covarrubias, a convicted felon and Hermanos de Pistoleros gang member, orchestrated a long-running straw purchasing scheme that supplied over 50 firearms, including high-powered rifles, to a Mexican cartel. Covarrubias falsely reported the weapons stolen and later fled to Mexico after killing a man in a Laredo bar while out on bond. He was returned to the United States and received 120 months in federal prison.  

In Brownsville, an armed repeat illegal alien was sentenced to 60 months for his part in a human smuggling event. Alejandro Ramirez-Carranza was a river guide and had conspired with Issac Azuara-Vasquez to transport and smuggle illegal aliens in the bed of a truck after they illegally arrived from Mexico via boat on the Rio Grande River. Ramirez-Carranza, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, admitted to transporting and bringing an alien into the United States as well as illegal reentry and being an alien in possession of a firearm. 

The final two members of a deadly alien smuggling group were also ordered to prison in 2025. Julia Isairis Torres and Erasmo Garcia were involved in the attempted smuggling of illegal aliens in March 2019 by motor vehicle from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston. During this failed attempt, a vehicle rolled over and caused the deaths of four non-U.S. citizens with serious injuries to one other. Authorities had identified a Rio Grande City-based smuggling organization as responsible and linked it’s leader and others to a separate February 2022 human smuggling attempt by watercraft from South Padre Island to the Corpus Christi area. The watercraft capsized, resulting in the deaths of four other non-U.S. citizens and serious injury to another.

A 38-year-old Georgia woman pleaded guilty to smuggling 17 firearms and 27 magazines concealed in a vehicle’s gas tank. Mirna Luna attempted to cross into Mexico at the Brownsville-Matamoros Port of Entry. Authorities discovered the weapons during secondary inspection. Luna admitted she owned and drove the vehicle but did not have a license to export the firearms.  

Finally, a Brownsville federal jury also returned a guilty verdict against the owners of Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Café in Los Fresnos for employing and housing illegal aliens within their restaurant. The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Leonardo Baez-Lara and Alicia Avila-Guel guilty as charged following a two-day trial. Testimony revealed they hired and harbored workers who were in the United States illegally or on B1/B2 visas without having the right to work. The jury heard that employees were living in a storage area with only one exit, sleeping on mattresses and rarely had hot water.

The district remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

HOUSTON – A total of 13,964 cases have been filed in immigration and similar border security-related matters from Jan. 20 – Dec. 31, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Of those charged, 6,404 people faced illegal entry charges, while another 6,574 were alleged to have entered the country illegally after having been previously removed. Many of these defendants had prior felony convictions involving narcotics, violent crimes and immigration offenses. An additional 889 people were accused of engaging in human smuggling crimes, while the remaining 264 faced border security-related charges of assaulting officers, firearms offenses, smuggling, violent crimes, narcotics trafficking and other matters.

Some of those facing new criminal charges this past year are a result of “Operation Pick-Off,” an initiative created in the Southern District of Texas that targets criminal illegal aliens who are currently terms of probation following convictions for state crimes, such as drug offenses, human smuggling, fraud, burglary, assault and other violent crimes. The enforcement effort, originally announced Aug. 25, 2025, led to federal charges against 67 illegal aliens in the Rio Grande Valley area, 65 of whom had returned to the country after being previously removed, only to commit other crimes, according to the allegations. In a subsequent roundup in Laredo, law enforcement took another 28 into custody, including a convicted murderer. 

“For those that want to come to this country without permission and then victimize American citizens once here, we are more than happy to accommodate them with a stay at a federal facility, followed by a one-way ticket home,” said Ganjei. “This initiative is a win for public safety, but, as I said at the announcement of this initiative, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is not going to rest until we bring Pick-Off to all 43 counties of the Southern District of Texas. If you’re here illegally and have committed crimes in our communities, consider yourself warned. We are coming. This is what Operation Take Back America looks like.”

Other notable cases allege involve attacks on or impeding law enforcement in the course of their duties. Two of those charged are Mexican nationals Juan Carmen Padron Mendez and Juan Carlos Padron Barron, who allegedly strangled a Border Patrol agent while en route to a Houston-area detention facility. Court documents allege Mendez wrapped his arm around the agent’s neck as Barron grabbed the agent’s belongings and fled on foot before authorities apprehended both men. In another assault chase, the United States charged 33-year-old El Salvadorian national Walter Leonel Perez Rodriguez, who allegedly threw a 32-ounce stainless steel mug filled with hot coffee on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, striking him in the face. The officer allegedly fell to the ground, lost consciousness and was treated for second-degree burns to his neck and arms and a laceration to his upper lip that required 18 stiches. Additionally, Mexican national Javier Cornelio Cruz-Nava, 36, allegedly assaulted a federal officer in Houston. According to the complaint, during immigration enforcement operations Oct. 1, 2025, authorities conducted a traffic stop of Cruz-Nava, who subsequently fled on foot. A Texas Department of Public Safety agent caught up to Cruz-Nava, who then allegedly lunged and threw the officer into a wrought-iron fence, causing two deep head wounds to the officer, according to the charges.

“These officers place their lives on the line every day to protect our communities and country, and they deserve to be protected in return,” said Ganjei. “Anyone who attacks law enforcement is attacking the American system of justice, and those who choose violence over lawfulness will be met with swift charges. The Southern District of Texas has a zero-tolerance policy towards anyone who does so. The message is clear - comply with officer directives and keep your hands to yourself.”

Many others have been charged with human smuggling, such as Texas resident Vicente Garcia Jr. and Jose Alexis Baeza-Combaluzier whose alleged crimes resulted in the deaths of two persons – one of whom was a 14-year-old child. The charges allege Garcia was to transfer one illegal alien to Baeza-Combaluzier who had four other illegal aliens in his vehicle. He departed the area with the passengers but eventually came to a stop due to a flooded road, according to the complaint. When authorities attempted to make an approach, he allegedly accelerated and drove through a flooded area and eventually drove into a canal. Law enforcement immediately began rescue operations, but two persons drowned, including the minor, according to the charges.

Other complaints filed in human smuggling matters detail instances of dangerous and life-threatening conditions of confinement, such as the one against Greibein Alexis Pinot-Duarte, a Honduran national who allegedly smuggled more than four dozen illegal aliens in a refrigerated tractor-trailer near Freer. According to the complaint, a further inspection of the 55-degree trailer led to the discovery of 51 illegal aliens concealed in a cramped compartment beneath boxes of produce. In a similar case in Laredo, Kenneth Gamboa allegedly drove a box truck hiding 40 illegal aliens to a Border Patrol checkpoint in Jim Hogg County. The investigation revealed a false wall in the storage area of the vehicle that had created a hidden compartment, according to the complaint. The charges allege the vehicle had multiple boards screwed shut to prevent the individuals from being able to get out on their own. Also charged is Brandon Lajohn Hargrove, Houston, and Jose Luis Castellanos-Hercules, an illegal alien from Honduras. They allegedly transported 55 illegal aliens in a hidden compartment in a produce trailer near San Ygnacio. According to the complaint, multiple heavy pallets blocked the access door and prevented the aliens from being able to leave on their own. Once authorities discovered them, the aliens had to crawl through a small door to get out from behind the false wall. Several of the illegal aliens in the cases are also facing charges of illegal entry or reentry.

Also among the notable cases brought as part of Operation Take Back America are charges against 16 foreign nationals illegally residing in Houston for drug trafficking and weapons allegations following an operation targeting Venezuelan nationals linked to the “Anti-Tren” criminal organization. Similar to the criminal activities members of Tren de Aragua have committed, Anti-Tren affiliates allegedly engaged in attempted murder, other acts of violence and threats of such. Some members have been charged with conspiring to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and various weapons crimes, with one allegedly being an alien in possession of ammunition.  

“The Southern District’s twin priorities are securing our border and the eradication of violent crime. This case implicates both,” said Ganjei. “Operation Take Back America means going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure that they cannot take root in our community and endanger public safety. SDTX is going to be unapologetic in carrying out that mission.”

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

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

HOUSTON – A total of $148,149,674.47 has been collected in combined criminal, civil and asset forfeiture actions in calendar year 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Across all criminal matters, the Southern District of Texas collected $21,572,847.34 in restitution for crime victims and recovered an additional $85,932,764.13 through civil enforcement actions for the American taxpayer. Working with partner agencies and divisions, the Southern District also collected $40,644,063 through asset forfeiture. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.

“The Southern District of Texas’ mission is not only to protect the physical safety of our fellow citizens, but also to safeguard the taxpayer from fraud and abuse. Over the past year, my office has pursued an aggressive enforcement strategy to recover debts owed to crime victims and the American people. Those efforts have proven successful. The funds we recovered represent the delivery of justice and concrete results for taxpayers,” said Ganjei. “By imposing considerable financial penalties on offenders, my office will continue to make crime more costly and less profitable. Our case results send a loud and unequivocal message to would-be offenders: crime doesn’t pay.”

One matter that has led to some of the significant collections includes the case against Emylee Thai. She allegedly owned and operated a lab which submitted claims to Medicare for genetic testing that were medically unnecessary, induced by kickbacks and included false statements as to dates of service and diagnosis codes, all designed to improperly inflate reimbursements. She fled the country, which paused the criminal prosecution. However, the Southern District of Texas filed a civil forfeiture action seeking approximately $5 million in real property tied to the scheme. The court entered a default judgment, and the properties were successfully forfeited. The case is being prosecuted in partnership with the Criminal Division’s Texas Health Care Fraud Strike Force.

The district has ongoing proceedings and is also seeking forfeiture in other significant matters to include a Medicare fraud scheme involving $90 million in fraudulent billing. A podiatrist and self-proclaimed CEO of a local medical clinic, David Jenson and Nestor Rafael Romero Magallanes, both of Spring, allegedly conspired to fraudulently bill Medicare for skin substitute products for patients who did not have qualifying wounds – or any wounds at all – and falsified medical records to support these fraudulent claims. SDTX has seized approximately $83 million in alleged fraud proceeds, with nearly $70 million of it in cryptocurrency, and is seeking forfeiture of those monies as part of the prosecution and parallel civil forfeiture matter.

A case out of South Texas charging two family members with illicit oil importation, money laundering and material support to a Mexican cartel designated as a foreign terrorist organization, has also led to significant forfeiture seizures and restraints. Maxwell Sterling Jensen, Draper, Utah, and James Lael Jensen, Sandy, Utah, allegedly funneled U.S. currency to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion and facilitated illicit crude oil shipments into the United States. The pending criminal case seeks the imposition of an estimated $300 million money judgment as well as the forfeiture of funds, vehicles, oil barges and real properties.

The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the federal government and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. Restitution is paid to the victim; criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which then distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs.

The Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

HOUSTON – The first month of the new year has come to a close with another 299 filed cases related to immigration and border security, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

From Jan. 23-29, a total of 169 people have been charged with felony reentry after removal, and another 108 face allegations of illegal entry. Most have felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, various immigration crimes and more. The filed cases also include 26 individuals accused of human smuggling with four others accused of other crimes.

In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Javier Andres Rivera received a 60-month federal prison sentence for illegally reentering the country without authorization. He has prior convictions for aggravated robbery with a firearm, possession of more than 50 pounds of marijuana, terroristic threats and illegal reentry. He was first removed in 2011 and illegally returned three times.

In Laredo, Mexican national Erik Villegas Cusi was ordered to prison for 51 months for conspiring with others in Mexico to smuggle fentanyl and cocaine during a family trip. Authorities discovered the drugs hidden in an aftermarket compartment in the undercarriage of his vehicle as he entered the United States with his wife and minor son.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

An indictment or 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 50-year-old resident of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison after admitting to conspiring to import four kilograms of fentanyl and two kilograms of cocaine from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Erik Villegas Cusi pleaded guilty Sept. 29, 2025. 

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña has now ordered Cusi to serve 51 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. In handing down the sentence Jan. 29, the court noted the toxic nature of this drug and the effect it currently has on the population of the United States. 

On Feb. 14, 2025, Cusi approached the International Bridge No. 2 in a sedan with his wife and minor son as passengers. An x-ray of his vehicle revealed anomalies in the center of the car, prompting further inspection. Authorities drilled into the undercarriage and discovered an aftermarket compartment containing six bundles with 4.02 kilograms of fentanyl and 2.05 kilograms of cocaine. 

Cusi initially denied knowledge of the drugs and claimed a mechanic in Mexico may have been responsible. In the presence of law enforcement, he contacted the mechanic who confirmed he had only performed brake work. 

Further investigation revealed significant underbody modifications to create the hidden compartment. The muffler and catalytic converter had been removed, reshaped and rewelded before installation. There were also cuts beneath the center console and additional insulation used to seal the compartment after the drugs were placed there. 

As part of his plea, Cusi admitted he had conspired with others in Mexico to smuggle the drugs into the United States during the family trip. According to documents filed with the court, Cusi knew he was transporting the drugs from Mexico into the United States at Laredo and was then supposed to deliver the drug-laden vehicle to other people in the United States.

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection, its Laredo Evidence Collection Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration Southwest Regional Laboratory. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.