Western District of Texas

SAN ANTONIO – A New Braunfels man was sentenced in federal court in San Antonio to five years in prison for selling non-controlled but dangerous substances through the mail.

According to court documents, Evan Asher Field, 42, and codefendant Michael Dominic Diaz, 31, purchased bulk quantities of various drugs, including synthetic opioids and benzodiazepines, and re-sold them through a website Field created in September 2019. 

The drugs, most of which originated in China and were not regulated or approved for any use by the FDA, can potentially cause toxic and fatal overdoses if consumed by humans.  The two defendants repackaged the drugs into consumer-size containers and shipped them to various locations throughout the United States.  The initial website remained online until September 2021, when Diaz launched a second website offering a nearly identical service. 

Despite disclaimers on the website and product packaging stating “for research purposes only,” and “not for human consumption,” the two defendants were aware that customers were purchasing the substances for personal use and consuming the drugs. Multiple consumers suffered overdoses, including some which were fatal. 

In addition to imprisonment, Field was also ordered to pay a $250,000 fine. Codefendant Diaz is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 21.

“The defendants in this case recklessly endangered the lives and well-being of the numerous individuals who purchased unregulated substances from them,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “We hope that this sentence brings attention to this type of conduct and serves as a warning to those who would engage in it.”

“Unapproved prescription drugs can present a serious health risk to those who buy and use them. The drugs can contain unknown ingredients and can be made under unknown conditions,” said Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who traffic in unapproved and potentially dangerous drugs.”

“Synthetic drugs remain the primary driver of the opioid epidemic, and attempting to profit off the epidemic plaguing our communities is an apparent complete disregard for human life,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Field Office.

The FDA and DEA investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Chung and Amy Hail prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted utilizing resources from the Dark Market and Digital Currency Crimes (DMDCC) Task Force. The DMDCC Task Force is a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI – Baltimore, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department, targeting the use of dark net marketplaces and digital currencies to facilitate criminal activities.

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ALPINE, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 70 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, Erick Botello Reyes, 21, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico at the Presidio Port of Entry on April 2. Upon inspection of his vehicle, a Customs and Border Protection K-9 alerted CBP Officers of a possible narcotics presence inside the vehicle’s dashboard.  The officers searched the vehicle, locating 9.4 kilograms of cocaine and 347.3 grams of fentanyl. Reyes was then taken into custody. He pleaded guilty on June 29 to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

“Cutting off these trafficking attempts disrupts the activities of cartels and other drug trafficking organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “In coordination with our federal, state and local partners, my office continues to hold accountable the individuals who bring fentanyl into the country and carelessly poison our communities.”

“The sad truth is that the fentanyl epidemic in our communities continues to claim so many lives and it’s utterly unacceptable," said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division. “HSI remains committed to investigate and ultimately dismantle drug smuggling organizations who attempt to smuggle and peddle deadly drugs in our communities. This sentence will give ample time for the defendant to think about his criminal activity behind bars.”

HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Greenbaum and Matthew Ellis prosecuted the case.

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ALPINE, Texas – An Alpine man was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 78 months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material.

According to court documents, Timothy Rey Korteland, 19, engaged in multiple conversations, sexual in nature, with a minor in another state over the messaging application Discord. An FBI agent executed a search warrant for Korteland’s Discord account, revealing multiple instances of Korteland claiming to have child sexual abuse material. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI conducted a search warrant at Korteland’s residence, removing all electronics in his possession, and found multiple video files depicting young children engaged in sexual activity saved in an application on his cell phone.

Korteland pleaded guilty to the possession of child pornography charge on March 28.

“This defendant, by his own estimate, possessed around 2,000 videos of child sexual abuse material and other illicit sexual content, and was forming an online relationship with a minor,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “I appreciate the collaborative efforts by our federal law enforcement partners to prevent Korteland from causing any further harm to his victims. This federal prison sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who seeks out and possesses material of this nature, that we will be relentless in our pursuit of justice.”

“The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to protect children from those who seek to exploit their innocence,” said Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “These types of cases serve as a reminder of the importance for parents/caregivers to be aware of who their children are talking to when they are online and playing in group gaming platforms.”

“This sentence is a testament to the repugnant nature of child exploitation crimes which only perpetuates the trauma endured by victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the HSI El Paso Division. “HSI agents make it a top priority to protect vulnerable children from victimization by working with their law enforcement partners to investigate predators involved in child sexual abuse material and ensure they are held accountable for their heinous actions.”

The FBI and HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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ALPINE, Texas – An Oklahoma woman was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 168 months in prison for importing and possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with intent to distribute.

According to court documents, Cherakee Lee Perez, 33, provided a negative declaration during a Customs and Border Patrol vehicle inspection at the Presidio Port of Entry from Mexico into the U.S.  A narcotic detection canine discovered more than three dozen packages hidden in the vehicle.  29 of packages contained approximately 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, while the other 13 contained seven kilograms of fentanyl.  Perez admitted to transporting the drugs for a drug trafficking organization.  

“The sentencing of Perez should serve as a warning to drug trafficking organizations and the individuals who attempt to transport drugs into the U.S. on their behalf,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to disrupt and dismantle these organizations.”

“This HSI investigation demonstrates that we stand ready to aggressively investigate criminals who profit from distributing dangerous drugs, contributing to the devastating opioid epidemic in our country,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division. “This sentence ensures one fewer person is out on the streets poisoning our community.”

HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

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WACO, Texas– Four individuals have been arrested on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in fentanyl trafficking resulting in the death of the dependent spouse of a Fort Cavazos soldier.

According to court documents, Julio Bonilla-Tirado aka “Falo,” 36, of Copperas Cove; Gilberto Hernandez-Marin aka “Joyto,” aka “Lento,” aka “El Viejo,” 28, of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico; Juan Cabral aka “Juanki,” 31, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico; and Adxel Romero-Flores aka “Axel,” 31, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico were allegedly responsible for transporting more than two pounds of fentanyl pills into the Central Texas area, some of which caused the death of a U.S. Army dependent spouse. 

Bonilla-Tirado was arrested by Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Copperas Cove Police Department in Copperas Cove on Sept. 14. Hernandez-Marin was arrested by the Puerto Rico Police Department on Oct. 8. Cabral was captured by the United States Marshal Service Puerto Rico Fugitive Task Force on Oct. 19. Romero-Flores is currently incarcerated within the judicial system of Puerto Rico for an unrelated criminal offense and is pending transfer into federal custody.

Bonilla-Tirado, Cabral, Romero-Flores, and Hernandez-Marin are all charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute at least 400 grams of fentanyl resulting in death and unlawful communications. If convicted, each defendant faces a penalty of 20 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Maria Thomas for the Army CID Central Texas Field Office made the announcement.

Army CID is investigating the case with valuable assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division; the Killeen Police Department; the Copperas Cove Police Department; and the Puerto Rico Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Blanton is prosecuting the case.

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

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AUSTIN, Texas – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment charging two men with crimes related to the robberies of postal carriers.

According to court documents, Camren Hamilton, 22, of Saint Louis, Missouri, and Jonathan Rangel, 26, of Austin, allegedly robbed two postal carriers in Round Rock on Sept. 30. The affidavit in a filed complaint alleges that Rangel also assaulted multiple letter carriers with the intent to rob them in Georgetown and Austin in the days prior. The affidavit alleges that in each incident, the assailant demanded that the carriers give him their Arrow Key, which enables the carrier to access mail receptacles on their route.

Hamilton is charged with two counts of robbery of mail matter, money or other property of the United States and two counts of receipt, possession, concealment and disposal of stolen mail matter and property of the United States. Rangel is charged with four counts of robbery of mail matter, money or other property of the United States and two counts of receipt, possession, concealment and disposal of stolen mail matter and property of the United States.

The defendants made their initial court appearances on Oct. 2 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin M. Howell of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, they each face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas; and Inspector in Charge Scott Fix of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Houston Division made the announcement.

The USPIS is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Guess is prosecuting the case.

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

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DEL RIO, Texas – A Beaumont man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 420 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

According to court documents, Kevin Ritchie, 34, directed others to continue his drug distribution of cocaine and heroin in Eagle Pass, Texas on a weekly basis while incarcerated on federal charges. Ritchie was a lieutenant in the Partido Revolucionario Mexicano (PRM) gang, an illicit prison-based gang with cells located throughout the United States, including Del Rio, Eagle Pass and San Antonio. The PRM gang cooperates with Mexican drug cartels, such as the Gulf Cartel and Sinaloa Cartel, to import and distribute various narcotics from Mexico into the United States.  A search warrant granting access to a Facebook account revealed Ritchie orchestrated drug trafficking through social media correspondence. Under Ritchie’s direction, the individuals deposited the proceeds to his prison commissary account. Ritchie was sentenced as a career offender due to his numerous other federal felony convictions.

“This defendant, associated with a large drug trafficking network, has proven his tendency to place personal profit above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “His dedication to criminal activity while in confinement has led to another much lengthier 35 years in federal prison. My office will aggressively prosecute criminals who continue to support the illicit activities of cartels while incarcerated.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, Maverick County Sheriff’s Office, El Paso Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Holly Pavlinski and Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A U.S. District Judge in San Antonio sentenced a Laredo man yesterday to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for providing a false statement in required information kept by a firearms dealer. FBI agents arrested him in April 2023; he pleaded guilty to an indictment on June 22, 2023.

According to court documents, Brandon Ray Speed, 20, provided an incorrect home address when he attempted to purchase a 12-gauge shotgun at a sporting goods store in San Antonio on December 11, 2022. Speed’s attempted purchase was delayed due to expanded background checks for purchasers under age 21 required under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and he never completed the purchase.

At sentencing, the prosecution explained that the Laredo Police Department arrested Speed in December 2022 for making terroristic threats related to the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.  Speed had a history of using firearms to promote and amplify his social media posts glorifying the Uvalde gunman, which included a video clip of Speed driving past the memorial at Robb Elementary school, with the caption “Long Live Salvador.” The prosecution argued that Speed’s history of alien smuggling activities warranted an increased sentence and that a substantial sentence was needed because of the dangers Speed posed to the community, which included his admission that he fantasized about committing a school shooting.

The FBI’s Behavioral Threat Assessment Center, in conjunction with local law enforcement’s San Antonio Behavioral Threat Assessment Group, provided key information and analysis to assist prosecutors and investigators in this case, including an assessment that Speed posed a high risk of committing acts of violence, which helped authorities to allocate resources appropriately.

“This is a great example of coordinated efforts by local and federal law enforcement to intervene early and keep our community safe using the full panoply of prosecutorial options at our disposal,” said Jaime Esparza, United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas.  “I thank our partners at the FBI for their commitment to the investigation in this case, which led to our prosecution and prevented the defendant from inflicting any danger in our communities.”

“Brandon Speed provided false statements on an official form while trying to purchase a gun after demonstrating concerning behavior in several other areas of his life,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division.  “I would like to thank the San Antonio Behavioral Threat Assessment Group, the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, and our local law enforcement partners for their exceptional work on this case.”

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Stephenson prosecuted the case.

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WACO, Texas – A group of eight Texas men were indicted in Waco on criminal charges related to their alleged drug and gun activity.

Federal grand jury indictments charge Jeremiah Pittman, 21; Shamall McDonald, 21; Juan Christian Rodriguez-Luhan, 20; Raeshawn Demond Roberts, 21; Jacob Deshaun Raglin, 24; Javion Lavelle Cooper, 19; Tyson Charae Hawthorne, 21; and Dantawn Richardson, 20, with possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Raglin was arrested in Arlington Tuesday, while the remaining defendants were arrested in Waco. Richardson was already in Waco Police custody on unrelated charges. During the arrests, law enforcement officers recovered four firearms, 13 ounces of methamphetamine and more than four pounds of marijuana.

If convicted, each of the eight defendants faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the marijuana charge and a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison consecutive to any other prison term for the firearm charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

Members of the Texas Anti-Gang Taskforce, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Waco Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), McLennan County Sherriff’s Department and McLennan County District Attorney’s Office are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Blanton is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.   The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.  The Texas Anti-Gang Taskforce is a group of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors focused on reducing gang violence and dismantling gangs in the Central Texas area. 

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

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WACO, Texas – A Killeen man was sentenced in a federal court in Waco to 97 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, Eric Darnell Johnson, 34, sold cocaine to dozens of individuals within Killeen, including servicemembers and civilians associated with the Department of the Army. A search warrant of Johnson’s residence led to the seizure of approximately 200 grams of cocaine, methamphetamine, and synthetic narcotics. Law enforcement officials also recovered more than 20 firearms from Johnson’s residence, three of which were discovered to have been stolen.

“This sentence is a victory for the safety of Fort Cavazos and the surrounding community,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “It’s also a warning to anyone who would consider making the same poor decision to put service members, their families, and others at risk. We and our dedicated law enforcement partners will not tolerate drug trafficking in our district.”

“This conviction shows our desire to eliminate the threat of drug trafficking which endangers our communities” said Special Agent-in-Charge Maria Thomas for the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) Central Texas Field Office.  “The Central Texas Field Office will continue to partner with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to protect our communities and the Department of the Army from the dangers of drug trafficking.”

Army CID, the Bell County Organized Crime Unit, and the Killeen Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Kucera prosecuted the case.

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A federal court in Texas ordered a San Antonio pharmacy and its pharmacist to pay a $275,000 civil penalty and imposed restrictions related to the dispensing of opioids and other controlled substances.

Pursuant to an agreed consent judgment and permanent injunction, the court enjoined Zarzamora Healthcare LLC, doing business as Rite-Away Pharmacy & Medical Supply #2, along with pharmacist-owner Jitendra Chaudhary, from dispensing certain opioid prescriptions, including combination opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions. The order also mandates that the defendants undergo periodic comprehensive reviews of their dispensing practices to ensure compliance with the order and the Controlled Substances Act.

The order resolves a civil complaint the government filed on Jan. 21, 2022, in the Western District of Texas. The complaint alleged that the defendants repeatedly dispensed opioids and other controlled substances in violation of the Controlled Substances Act by filling prescriptions while ignoring “red flags” – that is, obvious indications that the prescriptions were not for any legitimate medical use. The complaint also alleged that the defendants altered prescriptions that lacked required information in order to make them appear to be in compliance with DEA regulations.

“The Controlled Substances Act requires pharmacies and pharmacists to ensure that opioids are dispensed for medically legitimate purposes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold accountable professionals who flout their obligations regarding potentially dangerous prescription drugs.”

“The distribution of opioids and other prescription drugs by healthcare practitioners throughout the country has caused immense harm to our communities over the years,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “My office takes this issue very seriously and will litigate against healthcare professionals when warranted.”

“A pharmacist must resolve all “red flags” before the dispensation of any prescription drugs,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Houston Division. “If the requirements of a proper prescription are not met, the men and women of the DEA Diversion Control Division are always ready to hold these pharmacists accountable .”

U.S. District Judge Jason K. Pulliam entered the consent decree in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

The DEA’s San Antonio District Office Tactical Diversion Squad investigated the case.

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Van De Walle for the Western District of Texas and Trial Attorneys Scott Dahlquist and Ryan Norman of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch.

Claims made in a complaint are merely allegations that the United States must prove if a case proceeds to trial. The claims resolved by the injunction announced today are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 70 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Cesar Tarango Cobos, 42, of Chihuahua, Mexico attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on Feb. 17. A secondary vehicle inspection revealed 94 brick-shaped bundles containing 38.72 kilograms of marijuana and 21 cylinder-shaped bundles containing 10.2 kilograms of methamphetamine stored in after-market compartments and in the rear bumper and side panel areas of the vehicle.

“Agents at the ports of entry remain vigilant and I commend all of our law enforcement partners for their investigative work in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “As the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are committed to working with our federal partners to prosecute drug traffickers and protect our communities from the detrimental effects of their crimes.”

“With this conviction, FBI El Paso and our Drug Enforcement Administration partners are working together to have a positive impact at the local level,” said Special Agent in Charge John Morales for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “We are sending a strong and unified message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated, and, in turn, we are keeping our communities safer and free from methamphetamine which continues to cause horrific damage in too many of our communities.”

“Over 100,000 Americans died last year due to illicit synthetic drugs, primarily fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Eric Castañeda of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “The men and women of the DEA will continue to prioritize, with laser focus, those who traffic these harmful drugs.”

The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers prosecuted the case.

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EL PASO, Texas – Bradley Fariss Pieper, 27, of Las Cruces was indicted in a federal court in El Paso Wednesday, and charged with coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to allegations in a criminal complaint, Homeland Security Investigations agents arrested Pieper on Sept. 9, when he attempted to meet with a person he believed was a 15-year old girl for the purpose of performing sexual acts with her. Pieper had arranged the meeting and communicated his intentions in chats on social media. 

The indictment charges Pieper with one count of coercion and enticement. The defendant was arrested Sept. 9 and made his initial court appearance Sept. 11 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anne T. Berton of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. At the Sept. 20 detention hearing, Judge Berton ordered Pieper to be detained without bond pending trial.

If convicted, Pieper faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Osterberg is prosecuting the case.

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

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UPDATE: On Aug. 17, 2026, Christopher John Pettit entered a guilty plea to three counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Under the new plea, Pettit will receive a sentence between 235 and 293 months. 

SAN ANTONIO – Former San Antonio Attorney Christopher John Pettit, 56, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to wire fraud and money laundering.

According to court documents, from around October 2019 to July 2022, Pettit made numerous misrepresentations that persuaded his clients to deposit money with his firm, Chris Pettit and Associates, PC, which funds the clients believed would be used for services such as living trusts, irrevocable trusts, estate planning services, investments, and real-estate transactions, but which Pettit instead misused for his own enrichment and as part of a Ponzi-type scheme.

In one scheme, Pettit opened trustee accounts with client funds and simply moved the money to his own accounts, rather than using the funds for the benefit of the trust. Other fraudulent schemes included falsely promising to invest client money in high percentage bonds and instead wiring the funds to his personal account. He also falsely represented himself as a Qualified Intermediary for a 1031 real-estate exchange, which he used to convince clients to wire millions of dollars from asset sales into accounts he controlled and then misused for his own enrichment. Pettit would use his victimized clients’ funds to pay other client debts as well as to support an extravagant lifestyle. The schemes resulted in an estimated loss to the victims of between $20 million and $65 million.

Pettit pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 11, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the wire fraud counts and up to 10 years for the money laundering counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case in conjunction with representatives of the Texas State Securities Board and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Almonte and Kelly Stephenson are prosecuting the case.

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A California man was sentenced today to 33 years and nine months in prison for multiple obscenity crimes involving children.  

According to the indictment, Ron Kuhlmeyer, 65, of Santa Rosa, operated a website that globally distributed stories about the rape, murder, and sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Law enforcement determined that Kuhlmeyer was running his obscenity website from Belize. Kuhlmeyer wrote many of the stories himself but also published the works of other offenders, including stories that had been previously published on Mr. Double, another website dedicated to publishing writings that detail the sexual abuse of children. Some of the stories on Kuhlmeyer’s website described the rape, torture, and murder of children, while others were accompanied by lifelike computer-generated images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.  

On June 13, Kuhlmeyer pleaded guilty to five counts of importation or transportation of obscene matters and one count of distributing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. Kuhlmeyer was previously convicted of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child in Sonoma County, California, in 2008 and served six years in state prison.

In June 2021, Thomas Arthur, the owner of Mr. Double, was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Francisco Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, and Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigation Division made the announcement.

HSI and the FBI investigated the case, with assistance from the government of Belize.

Trial Attorneys Austin M. Berry and Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandi Young for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national residing in Seminole was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso Monday to 12 months in prison for bribery of a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent.

According to court documents, Pedro Thiessen, 71, failed to declare $12,171 when entering the United States at the Ysleta Port of Entry in October 2022. Thiessen filed a petition to recover the funds and was interviewed by an HSI agent in January regarding the petition. Thiessen offered to pay the agent an unknown amount of money if the agent assisted with the recovery. The agent reported the offer to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR).

Thiessen again proposed a monetary offer to the agent during a phone call on Feb. 6. On Feb. 15, the agent arranged a meeting with Thiessen for the following day. Thiessen presented the agent with $1,000 at that meeting and was immediately arrested.

Thiessen pleaded guilty on July 7 to one count of paying a bribe to a public official.

“I appreciate the integrity and dedication of the HSI agent involved to report the bribe and lead us to the arrest of this defendant,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “We will prosecute and hold accountable anyone who offers a bribe to the honorable federal law enforcement officers serving in this district.”

“Homeland Security Investigations takes all bribery attempts of its employees extremely seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division. “In this case, an individual offered a monetary bribe to one of our special agents in return for assistance in recovering thousands of dollars he attempted to smuggle into the country. As a result, he is facing time in prison.”

HSI and ICE OPR investigated the case.

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

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EL PASO, Texas – An El Paso woman was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to 87 months in prison for wire fraud and impersonating a federal employee.

According to court documents, Ana Maria Hernandez, 53, portrayed herself to be a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) employee and defrauded numerous undocumented noncitizen victims and their family members by falsely representing that she would process their immigration applications for a substantial fee. Hernandez’s victims provided her with the documentation required to file and adjust their immigration status. She was not an employee of CIS and never took any actions to adjust the victims’ status. Investigation revealed that Hernandez had amassed thousands of dollars of unexplained wealth within the 18 months coinciding with her fraudulent activity. Following her arrest on Jan. 23, 2023, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas and the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso Division began receiving calls from dozens of potential victims in Hernandez’s fraud scheme.

Hernandez pleaded guilty in April to 10 counts of wire fraud and one count of impersonation. In addition to her 87 months imprisonment, Hernandez was ordered to pay $123,275 in restitution and a money judgement order of $19,870.

“This defendant misled vulnerable migrants for financial gain by convincing them that she was a federal employee who could assist them on their path to U.S. citizenship,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “My office will prosecute anyone who fraudulently takes advantage of our federal agencies and their beneficiaries, and we will ensure their victims are afforded proper reparations.”

“The message is clear: Have no doubt. Individuals who impersonate a federal officer and exploit trusting individuals for their own personal gain, will be held accountable for their crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the HSI El Paso Division. “HSI will leverage its investigative abilities in order to identify, arrest and prosecute these piranhas in society.”

HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Aguayo prosecuted the case.

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AUSTIN, Texas– A Jonestown man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin today to possessing an unregistered destructive device, namely a pipe bomb, that detonated in a hospital parking garage.

According to court documents, on Aug. 9, Raymond Luke Garner, 38, parked his pickup truck in a parking garage at St. David’s Hospital in Austin. A short time later, there was an explosion in the back of Garner’s truck. Investigators found the remains of a pipe bomb near the truck. They also found a quantity of a homemade high explosive, circuit boards/timers, electric matches, and other items. 

While he was detained by police, Garner contacted another individual to ask that person to move a box out of Garner’s home. That box was later found to contain, among other things, a quantity of the high explosive, precursor chemicals, and electric matches. Searches at other locations revealed a recipe for the high explosive, remote control devices, and other components for destructive devices.  Garner has admitted that he was in possession of an unregistered destructive device on Aug. 9.

Garner pleaded guilty to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device and faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas; FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr., San Antonio Division; and ATF Special Agent in Charge Fred J. Milanowski, Houston Division, made the announcement.

The ATF and FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force were the lead federal agencies investigating the case.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Austin Police Department, Austin Fire Department, and Cedar Park Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Karthik Srinivasan is prosecuting the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A Converse man and six alleged co-conspirators were arrested this week on criminal charges related to their alleged conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court documents Aaron Sams, 39, owns and operates Sams Contracting Consulting and Training LLC.  The indictment alleges he used his business to advertise and market a service to historically underutilized business zone (HUBZone) companies. 

HUBZone is a Small Business Administration (SBA) program designed to provide federal contracting assistance for qualified small businesses to increase employment opportunities, investment and economic development in such areas. The program gives preferences in government contracting to businesses that qualify as a HUBZone small business.  To qualify for the HUBZone program a business must maintain its principal office in an SBA-designated HUBZone and have at least 35% of its employees living in a HUBZone.

The indictment alleges that Beverly Smith, 40, of Converse; Jesus Rodriguez, 63, of San Antonio; Uchennaya Ogba, 35, of San Antonio; Kristin Harrison, 37, of Killeen; Jonathan Adams, 36, of Lawrenceville, Georgia; and Barbara Sanders, 41, of San Antonio, all conspired with Sams and his business to defraud the United States.

According to the indictment, Sams and Rodriguez worked together to identify a group of close friends and family who would serve as fake employees and provide them with personal identifying information such as their driver’s license and social security card.  The fake employees, who are co-defendants in this case, are alleged to have known that Sams would send their information to companies in order to be placed on a particular company’s payroll, and each fake employee purportedly paid a kickback to Sams and/or Rodriguez of approximately 20 percent of each payroll deposit they would receive.

The indictment also alleges that Sams and his co-conspirators created email addresses for the fake employees using an email address at a domain that Sams had complete control of, and that Sams and Rodriguez would sanitize the fake employees’ resumes by removing real phone numbers and email addresses from the resumes to ensure that HUBZone companies could never contact any fake employees directly.

The seven defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case with valuable assistance from the Department of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations; Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Major Procurement Fraud Field Office; Small Business Administration Office of General Counsel; Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General’s Central Region; U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daphne Newaz is prosecuting the case.

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

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PECOS – An Odessa man pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Angel Vargas-Valdivia, 23, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on August 8.  During a Customs and Border Protection inspection, officers noticed evidence of tampering on the rear quarter panels of Vargas’s vehicle, as well as abnormally heavy vehicle doors.  X-ray imaging revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s quarter panels, side doors, rear cargo door, trunk and roof.  Further inspection revealed 154 bundles weighing approximately 72.2 kilograms.  A crystal-like substance extracted from the bundles tested positive for properties of methamphetamine.

Vargas pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine. A sentencing date has not been set.  Vargas faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola, El Paso Division, made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Van Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.

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DEL RIO – A Temple, TX man was sentenced yesterday to 136 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death.

According to court documents, between July 24, 2020, and July 26, 2020, Saul Benitez-Gonzalez, 22, conspired with Raul Perez-Benitez (indicted separately) and others to smuggle non-citizens from Mexico to the United States.  Benitez helped and prepared Perez to illegally transport nine Mexican citizens into the United States. 

On July 26, 2020, U.S. Border Patrol agents encountered Perez driving a GMC Sierra five miles north of Brackettville.  When the agents tried to conduct an immigration inspection, Perez failed to yield and a highspeed chase ensued.  Agents terminated pursuit after speeds of 100 miles per hour were reached.  

Later that morning agents discovered the GMC  had an accident.  The GMC appeared to have flipped and rolled after hitting a large boulder.  Of the nine Mexican citizens being transported by Perez in the GMC, two died from fatal injuries received in the accident and three others were transported to a medical facility with serious bodily injuries.  Four others sustained minor injuries and were transported to a Border Patrol station for processing.

“Smugglers and those who support them have no regard for their human cargo,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza.  “We will continue to work hard with our fellow law enforcement partners to bring these smuggling networks down.”

“This sentencing serves as reminder that HSI will utilize every tool to investigate and dismantle human smuggling networks,” said Special Agent in Charge, Craig Larrabee, HSI San Antonio. “Those engaged in this illicit activity place personal profit ahead of public safety. Driven by greed, these criminals have little regard for the health and well-being of the people they smuggle.”

On January 13, 2023, Perez was sentenced to 63 months with credit for time served since his incarceration on July 26, 2020. 

HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Izaak Bruce and Larry Fadler prosecuted the case.

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DEL RIO – An Eagle Pass man was sentenced on Monday to 15 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on October 21, 2021, a search warrant was conducted at the residence of Mario Alberto Torres Jr., 30, and co-defendant Kayla Saldana, 27, of Batesville, Texas.  During the search, law enforcement found over 350 grams of methamphetamine and two handguns.  

“Through the efforts of the Eagle Pass DEA, a significant source of narcotics supply at the community level was disrupted,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza.  “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work hand in hand with law enforcement to rid our communities of these illegal and dangerous substances.”

“Mario Alberto Torres Jr., was profiting off small communities by selling poison in the form of meth," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Houston Division. "Let this sentence be a clear message to anyone considering harming our cherished communities. Our collaborative efforts with our federal, state, and local partners continue to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to protecting our citizens' lives.”

On July 18, 2022, Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.  Torres has remained in federal custody since his arrest on October 21, 2021.

On April 4, 2022, co-defendant Kayla Saldana pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  On April 20, 2023, Saldana was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

The DEA investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.

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EL PASO – An El Paso man was sentenced on Monday to 120 months in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to court documents, between March 2, 2022, and January 25, 2023, Chriss Alexander, 24, had sexually explicit conversations, to include sending lewd photos of male genitalia, with someone he believed to be a minor.  On January 25, Alexander arranged to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity.  Agents from the FBI El Paso’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force arrested Alexander as he approached the minor’s residence.

“I applaud the FBI for seeking out and apprehending this predator before he could do harm to an actual child in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza.  “We will continue to work earnestly with our law enforcement partners to take pedophiles off the streets.”

“The FBI El Paso's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking task force is committed to protecting the children of our communities,” said FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge John S. Morales. “This defendant traveled to attempt to have sex with someone he believed to be a child. Our community can rest easy knowing this man will be behind bars in a federal prison.”

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mallory Rasmussen prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN ANTONIO – Christian Martinez, 29, of Palestine, TX, entered a plea of guilty today to multiple counts arising from a fatal tractor trailer smuggling incident. 

Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death; one count of Conspiracy to Transport Aliens Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Placing Lives in Jeopardy; one count of Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death; and one count of Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Placing Lives in Jeopardy.

Martinez and co-defendant Homero Zamorano Jr., 47, of Elkhart, TX, the driver of the tractor trailer, were initially charged by indictment on July 20, 2022.  Four other co-defendants were identified and charged in a superseding indictment on June 7, 2023: Riley Covarrubias-Ponce aka Rrili aka Rilay, 30; Felipe Orduna-Torres aka Cholo aka Chuequito/Chuekito aka Negro, 29; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal aka Cowboy, 38; and Armando Gonzales-Ortega aka El Don aka Don Gon, 54,

The indictment alleges that in the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, and others exchanged the names of undocumented noncitizens who would be smuggled in an upcoming tractor-trailer load.  The four additional defendants charged in the superseding indictment allegedly orchestrated the retrieval of an empty tractor-trailer and its corresponding hand-off to the driver on June 27. According to the superseding indictment, Martinez drove Zamorano from Palestine to San Antonio where Zamorano picked up the empty tractor-trailer. Orduna-Torres allegedly provided the Laredo address at which Zamorano loaded the migrants into the tractor trailer.  The indictment also alleges that Gonzalez-Ortega traveled to Laredo to meet the tractor-trailer, where at least 66 undocumented individuals, including eight children and one pregnant woman, were loaded for smuggling.  Martinez, Covarrubias-Ponce, Orduna-Torres, Rivera-Leal, and Gonzales-Ortega then coordinated, facilitated, passed messages, and made each other aware of the tractor-trailer’s progress. 

Martinez is scheduled to be sentenced on January 4, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and HSI Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, San Antonio Division, made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and has received tremendous support from Customs and Border Protection; Border Patrol; Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; the San Antonio Police Department; the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office; the San Antonio Fire Department; the Marshall Police Department; and the Palestine Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Amanda Brown are prosecuting the case.

These charges resulted in coordination with Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is part of the JTFA, which was established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime. JTFA consists of federal prosecutors and attorneys from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest Border (District of Arizona, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, and Western District of Texas), from the Criminal Division and the Civil Rights Division, along with law enforcement agents and analysts from DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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

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DEL RIO – A Del Rio man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, followed by eight years of supervision upon release, and ordered to pay a fine of $10,000.

According to court documents, between December 1, 2019, and February 19, 2020, Trever Lloyd Sexton, 29, caused a child victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography.  Sexton also placed a hidden camera in the child’s bathroom, which recorded the victim showering. Forensic analysis of Sexton’s phone revealed a video and photos of himself sexually molesting the child victim along with 37 images depicting child sexual abuse material of other prepubescent children.

“Thanks to the agents of HSI for helping us get another pedophile behind bars and out of our neighborhoods,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza.  “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to take predators off the streets.”

“With today’s sentencing, HSI has removed a dangerous child predator from the community,” said Special Agent in Charge, Craig Larrabee, HSI San Antonio. “Preventing and investigating crimes against children is a high priority for HSI. We will continue to dedicate law enforcement resources to identify and bring to justice child predators who traumatize and victimize children."

HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex G. Beasley along with former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ben Tonkin and Steven Kam, prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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AUSTIN, Texas – A Georgetown man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin on Wednesday to 70 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for an enhanced charge of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, David Lloyd Walther, 57, knowingly searched for, downloaded, distributed and possessed child sexual abuse material, including child pornography—some of which depicted prepubescent minors—using BitTorrent, a peer-to-peer file sharing network.  During a search of Walther’s home and vehicle in November 2022, two large computer hard drives were located and found to contain more than 100,000 images and more than 5,000 videos of child sexual abuse material.  At the time of his arrest, Walther was the pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Round Rock.

In addition to the prison and supervised release terms, the judge also ordered Walther to pay restitution of $61,000.

“Many families in the Round Rock area placed their trust in this man when he served as a leader in faith for their community,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “I hope that those families can find comfort in knowing our law enforcement partners and justice system are committed to protecting them, ensuring that predators such as Walther cannot continue to pose a threat to innocent children.”

“This case was especially disturbing given the defendant’s position of trust in the community,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division.  “This sentencing sends a strong message to child predators that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will never relent in our duty to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation wherever these crimes are present in our nation.”

The FBI San Antonio Division's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force investigated the case with assistance from the Round Rock Police Department, the Collin County Sheriff’s Office, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office and the Williamson County Children's Advocacy Center.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Devlin prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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DEL RIO, Texas – A Sanderson man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio Tuesday to 15 years in prison for sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, Pedro Chalambaga Olivares, 54, attempted to elicit inappropriate photos of a seventeen year-old girl in June 2018, prompting the girl’s mother to contact the Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, who then began working with the Terrell County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO).  Olivares contacted what he thought was a 16 year-old girl and attempted to obtain sexually explicit photos of her and arrange a meeting to engage in unlawful sexual conduct.  Having been told she was a minor in high school, Olivares requested sexually graphic photos, drove by her residence in an attempt to see her, described his intentions with her, and suggested how the minor could escape her father’s home to meet.

On June 17, 2018, Olivares advised the minor to meet him at a football field.  Agents observed Olivares waiting in the bleachers for approximately 20 minutes before they arrested him.  Agents recovered three condoms from the front pocket of his shorts, along with a soft drink and a bag of candy the minor had requested.

Olivares was arrested for online solicitation of a minor for sexual conduct.  He pleaded guilty on Sept. 16, 2021 to one count of sexual exploitation of children.

“This defendant will spend the next 15 years in federal prison for criminal desires he fully intended to act on,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “This case opened when a young girl raised concerns to her mother and those concerns were relayed to law enforcement.  I commend both of them and our partners for their part in putting this predator away and protecting our communities.”

TX DPS and the TCSO investigated the case with assistance from Office of the Texas Attorney General Criminal Investigations Division Child Exploitation Unit.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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WACO, Texas – Four individuals were arrested in Bell County Thursday on criminal charges related to their alleged fentanyl trafficking.

According to court documents, Anthony Perez-Diaz aka “Krosty,” 37; Anthony Perez-Perez aka “Mundo,” 43, Jose Ublies-Rivera aka “Wichy,” 49; and Emanuel Giovanni Hernandez-Miranda aka “Goldo,” 30, were identified as narcotics distributors in January by Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) special agents. 

The four defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl.  They made their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.  If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

TX DPS CID; the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division; Killeen Police Department; Copperas Cove Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; and United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Blanton is prosecuting the case.

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

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EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an eight-count indictment Wednesday charging four alleged members of a drug trafficking organization with charges related to the trafficking of fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as straw purchasing and trafficking firearms.

According to court documents, Maria del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 37, of Mexico coordinated the delivery of methamphetamine and fentanyl pills from Mexico into the United States through the El Paso ports of entry, using codefendant Bryan Alexis Munoz-Castro, 20, of El Paso as a courier.  The indictment details that, upon a search of the residence, FBI special agents discovered approximately 2.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately 300 grams of fentanyl, $6,480 in drug proceeds, and two cell phones at Munoz-Castro’s residence.

The indictment claims Navarro-Sanchez and Munoz-Castro coordinated the trafficking of weapons from the U.S. to Mexico.  In mid-summer of 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) intercepted communications of Navarro-Sanchez and learned of an agreement to purchase 20 AK-47 type rifles and two Barrett .50 BMG caliber rifles for $66,000. 

On Aug. 21, codefendant Rene Hernandez-Cordero, 51, of Mexico, allegedly crossed into the U.S. from Mexico with approximately $63,000 in his possession to meet codefendant, Jesus Gerado Ramos, 52, of El Paso, and purchase the firearms.  Ramos allegedly intended to transport the weapons into Mexico, however he and Hernandez-Cordero were arrested at the site of the purchase.

Navarro-Sanchez is charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of straw purchasing firearms, and one count of trafficking in firearms.  If convicted, she faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison for each of the two controlled substance charges and a maximum penalty of 15 years for each of the charges related to firearms.

Munoz-Castro is charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, two counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of straw purchasing firearms, and one count of trafficking in firearms.  If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison for four of the controlled substance charges, a maximum penalty of 15 years for each of the charges related to firearms, and a penalty of five to 40 years for a fifth controlled substance charge.

Hernandez-Cordero is charged with two counts of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, one count of straw purchasing firearms, one count of trafficking in firearms, and one count of bulk cash smuggling. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison for four of the controlled substance charges, a maximum penalty of 15 years for each of the charges related to firearms, and a maximum penalty of 10 years for the bulk cash smuggling charge.

Ramos is charged with one count of straw purchasing firearms and one count of trafficking in firearms.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years for each charge.

A federal district court judge will determine any sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Boshek II for the ATF Dallas Field Division; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater for the FBI El Paso Field Office made the announcement.

The ATF and FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Myers is prosecuting the case.

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

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MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland man was sentenced in a federal court in Midland today to 108 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aiding and abetting wire fraud.

According to court documents, William Logsdon, 55, used the trust he had built with community members during his time as a lacrosse coach and teacher in the Midland area, and even the trust he had established with members of his own family, to convince them to “invest” in a Ponzi scheme. Logsdon conducted the scheme in concert with his mother-in-law, Jamie Thompson, a former geologist in the oil and gas industry who had previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years of supervised release.

Together, Thompson and Logsdon told their victims that the money they were “investing” was being used to purchase royalty interests for various oil, gas and mineral projects located in Texas and New Mexico. The royalty interests were allegedly being purchased through various entities, including an entity called the National Royalty Group, or NRG.  In actuality, the National Royalty Group did not exist, and rather than purchasing royalty interests, Thompson and Logsdon used the money to primarily pay for personal expenses, as well as to advance the Ponzi scheme by providing some “distributions” back to earlier “investors.”

Between them, Logsdon and Thompson defrauded more than 20 victims out of more than $2.1 million, with Logsdon being responsible for a subset of those victims and losses.  Both Logsdon and Thompson have been ordered to jointly-and-severally pay restitution to their victims according to their responsibility. 

“The individuals that perpetrated this scheme demonstrated extreme greed and disregard for their victims, many of whom were friends, colleagues and even family members,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “In doing so, they harmed the lives and livelihoods of those they claimed to care about. I want to thank the Midland Police Department for tirelessly working to secure these convictions and helping the victims to secure a measure of justice.”

The Midland Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.

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MIDLAND, Texas – A Midland woman was sentenced in a federal court in Midland on Friday to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,251,416.67 in restitution for wire fraud and filing a false tax return.

According to court documents, while working as a secretary for Bridges Equipment, LTD, Tamara Dawn Allen, 49, fraudulently cashed her employer’s checks using the owner’s signature stamp and made electronic payments to her personal bank accounts from company accounts.  The scheme amounted to a total loss of at least $868,770.60.  Additionally, Allen underreported her income on her taxes over a four-year span, for a total amount of $553,390.00.

Allen pleaded guilty to counts one and 24 of a 31-count superseding indictment on May 12.

“The fraud perpetrated by this defendant, a long-time employee at a family-owned business, resulted in substantial losses and destroyed relationships,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “I appreciate the work of our partners for investigating this case. Just as with violent crime, we will continue to vigorously prosecute all white collar and fraud cases in the Western District of Texas.”

“Ms. Allen took advantage of her position to personally enrich herself at the expense of her employer and their partners,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas M. Goodwater for the FBI El Paso Field Office.  “The victims can have confidence that the defendant will be held accountable for the crimes she committed and sends a message to other fraudsters that their schemes and deception will not be tolerated in our community.”

“Allen spent years stealing from her employer, gaining wealth at everyone else’s expense, including law abiding taxpayers,” said Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “The special agents and prosecutors rigorously documented every deceptive transaction, ensuring that the case against her was irrefutable. As experts in financial crimes, CI regularly partners with other law enforcement agencies to help ensure justice is served.”

The FBI and CI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Mahoney prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today to 360 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in the death of 20-year-old Isabella Render.

According to court documents, Patrick James Hall, 29, met Render on Oct. 28, 2020, in a San Antonio hotel room located off I-10, where he had been selling the drug in the form of small round blue pills disguised as oxycodone.  Render had been unconscious in Hall’s hotel room for an extended period when Hall returned a missed call to Render’s friend.  Hall notified the friend that she needed to pick up Render from the hotel because she had overdosed.  He then left the location without calling for emergency services.  Render’s friend, however, did alert emergency services who pronounced Render dead upon their arrival.  She had been deceased for some time.  A toxicology report showed that Render had an amount of fentanyl in her blood that exceeded 24 times a fatal dose.

Hall was arrested on Nov. 19, 2020 on State charges.  Text messages sent from his phone confirmed that he had been selling the pills to multiple individuals at the time of the Render’s death, and that he himself had overdosed on the pills earlier in the month.  Hall was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on four counts related to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute.

“Fentanyl has proven to be a very deadly drug that is being used to poison our communities and this sentence reinforces our position that those who traffic it will be held accountable for the harm they cause,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “My hope is that families of fentanyl victims—in this case, Isabella’s family—can see these sentences as progress and that they can find some measure of relief through our justice system.  I also thank our law enforcement partners at the Drug Enforcement Administration and the San Antonio Police Department for their successful investigative work in this case.”

“Today's sentencing of Patrick Hall represents the culmination of hard work by our local law enforcement partners and federal prosecutors," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux for the DEA’s Houston Division.  “I want to provide my most sincere condolences to the Bove family. While we realize nothing eliminates the pain and grief they have endured, we hope the knowledge that Hall is being held accountable for the death of their daughter, Isabella Render, and his inability to harm others will bring them some comfort.”

The DEA and SAPD investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Hail prosecuted the case.

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PECOS, Texas – A Ward County man was sentenced in a federal court in Pecos Monday to 188 months in prison for production and possession of child pornography. 

According to court documents, Elroy Wilkerson, 60, was arrested on Nov. 17, 2022 based on a complaint alleging he had been taking nude photos of a minor at his home in Monahans.  Ward County Sheriff’s Office obtained a search warrant for Wilkerson’s residence and seized six cellphones for forensic analysis.  Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Midland provided assistance and found 36 confirmed images of child pornography of the child victim as well as two videos in which the child victim is seen nude.

Wilkerson was found guilty in a jury trial in April on one count of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

“This 15-year federal prison sentence sends a clear message that those who exploit and prey on our children for sexual gratification will face severe consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “I commend the jury for their dedication to justice and decision to find this defendant guilty on both charges.  I also recognize and appreciate the successful investigative efforts of our local and federal law enforcement partners.”

“The harm that child predators cause to the most innocent members of our society is devastating and endures a lifetime,” said Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division. “Homeland Security Investigations will continue to vigorously investigate these cases alongside our law enforcement partners to hold these offenders accountable for the harm they cause in society.”

HSI and the WCSO investigated the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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SAN ANTONIO – A Missouri man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Wednesday to 72 months in prison for internet stalking.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from May 2020 to September 2020, Mark Joseph Uhlenbrock, 69, with the intent to harass and intimidate another person, used the internet to engage in a course of conduct that caused substantial emotional distress to his victim.  This course of conduct included posting nude photographs of the victim on the internet without the victim’s consent. Uhlenbrock was convicted by a federal jury at trial in May.

The conduct from this crime occurred while Uhlenbrock was still on supervised release for a 2016 federal conviction for internet stalking the same victim.  In 2016, Uhlenbrock was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after Uhlenbrock pleaded guilty to the same offense against the same victim.  As part of his plea in that case, Uhlenbrock admitted that from January 2006 to August 2015, he caused substantial emotional distress by posting nude photographs of his victim on the internet without the victim’s consent.

“For years, Uhlenbrock weaponized the internet to try and destroy one woman's life—not just once but twice,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “My hope is that this sentencing provides a sense of relief for the victim and sends a message that online stalkers like Uhlenbrock will be brought to justice.”

“This is a horrible crime with real consequences and trauma to the victim. Our agents and law enforcement partners are working to prevent these types of crimes every single day,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division.  “No one should have to live in fear of their private lives being posted online for revenge by someone they trusted.”

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Calve and Karina O’Daniel prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty in federal court in San Antonio on Thursday to eight charges in two indictments related to arson and felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Sean Aaron Smith, 29, maliciously attempted to damage and destroy, by means of fire, multiple cellular telephone towers around San Antonio between April 2021 and May 2022.

Smith was arrested in a traffic stop on May 13, 2022.  During the traffic stop, law enforcement officers located a handgun on the floorboard in front of the driver’s seat.  Executing a search warrant for Smith’s apartment on May 15, 2022, investigators found additional firearms.  Smith knowingly possessed the firearms after being previously convicted of two felony crimes where he served more than a year imprisonment on each.  

Smith pleaded guilty to six counts of arson of cellphone towers and two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. He faces a penalty of five to 20 years in prison for each charge related to arson, and up to 10 years in prison for each firearm possession charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. for the FBI San Antonio Division made the announcement.

The San Antonio Fire Department Arson squad, FBI, San Antonio Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and Texas Rangers are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg is prosecuting the case.

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AUSTIN, Texas – People’s Pharmacy Inc. has agreed to pay $200,000 in civil penalties to resolve allegations that it violated provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

People’s Pharmacy Inc., doing business as Peoples Rx, operates five retail pharmacies and one compounding laboratory in the Austin area. During a routine inspection of a Peoples Rx location in June 2022, DEA diversion investigators determined that the pharmacy had violated certain regulatory recordkeeping provisions, improperly dispensed controlled substances to practitioners for office use, and issued prescriptions without authorization.

During their inspection, DEA diversion investigators also learned that Peoples Rx had sold pseudoephedrine products without self-certifying as required by the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005 (CMEA). The CMEA regulates over-the-counter sales of ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine products, which are common ingredients in cough, cold, and allergy products that serve as precursor chemicals used in the illicit manufacture of methamphetamine or amphetamine.  Retail provisions of the CMEA include daily sales limits and 30-day purchase limits, placement of product out of direct customer access, sales logbooks, customer ID verification, employee training, and self-certification of regulated sellers.

The Diversion Control Unit in DEA’s San Antonio District Office led the investigation of this matter. The primary goal of the DEA’s diversion control program is to prevent, detect, and investigate the diversion of controlled substances from their lawful purpose into illicit drug traffic. In furtherance of this goal, DEA conducts inspections of pharmacies and other DEA registrants to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements relating to drug security and recordkeeping.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham negotiated the settlement on behalf of the government.

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

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AUSTIN – A federal grand jury in Austin returned an indictment today charging a Manor man with wire fraud.

According to court documents, Saint Jovite Youngblood, aka Kota Youngblood, 51, allegedly committed wire fraud against his victims by claiming Mexican drug cartel members were planning to commit violence against them.  Youngblood falsely claimed to be part of the elite U.S. Army’s Delta Force and offered protection to his victims from the cartels in exchange for money.  Youngblood also represented that funds obtained from his victim “investors” would be paid back with a significant return on the money.  Instead, Youngblood allegedly used most of the money on junkets to Las Vegas to gamble in casinos.

Youngblood is charged with two counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property. He was arrested on a sealed complaint on July 31, and had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Hightower of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.  Youngblood has remained in custody since his arrest.

If convicted, he faces up to 40 years in prison on each of the wire fraud charges and up to 10 years in prison on the monetary transaction charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and FBI Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Guess and Matt Harding are prosecuting the case.

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

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WACO, Texas – A Killeen woman was sentenced in federal court in Waco today to 30 years in prison for her connection to the murder of U.S. Army Specialist Vanessa Guillen.

According to court documents, Cecily Aguilar, 25, assisted Army Specialist Aaron Robinson in corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating and concealing evidence—that is, the body of Vanessa Guillen—in order to prevent Robinson from being charged with and prosecuted for any crime. Aguilar also altered and destroyed information contained in a Google account of Robinson.  During the investigation into the disappearance of Vanessa Guillen, Aguilar made four materially false statements to federal investigators.

On Nov. 29, 2022, Aguilar pleaded guilty to one count of accessory to murder after the fact and three counts of false statement or representation. 

“Our hope is that today’s sentence brings a sense of relief and justice to the Guillen family, who have endured such pain throughout these past few years,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Ms. Aguilar’s actions were indefensible, and she will now face the maximum penalty for the choices she made.  I’m grateful for our law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly on this case, as their dedication was essential in bringing this defendant to justice.”

The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Texas Rangers; Bell County Sheriff’s Office; Killeen Police Department; Texas Parks and Wildlife; U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division; and the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification Forensic Anthropology Unit investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff prosecuted the case.

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DEL RIO, Texas – An Ohio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio Thursday to 420 months in prison for illegal alien transportation resulting in death. 

According to court documents, Sebastian Tovar, 27, of Toledo, was driving a Dodge Ram near Del Rio on March 15, 2021, when a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) trooper attempted to stop the vehicle. Tovar tried to evade law enforcement but crashed into oncoming traffic. Eight undocumented noncitizen passengers in Tovar’s truck died in the crash, while one more was seriously injured. Additionally, two U.S. citizens were seriously injured in the head-on collision when Tovar struck their vehicle.

Following the crash, U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents encountered a Ford F-150 stopped in traffic near the crash site. The agents directed the driver of the Ford, to turn around and subsequently all its occupants fled on foot into nearby brush. USBP agents were able to locate 12 undocumented noncitizens who bolted from the Ford. After interviewing two of the undocumented noncitizens, USBP agents determined that the occupants of the Dodge and Ford were part of a human smuggling operation that was illegally transporting 20 undocumented noncitizens in the U.S. 

Codefendant Ruben Junior Rodriguez-Jaimes, 20, of Bastrop was sentenced last week to 180 months in prison.  Rodriguez-Jaimes was arrested on April 7, 2021, in the brush near Eagle Pass, when he was acting as the foot guide for four undocumented noncitizens.  Since December 2020, Rodriguez-Jaimes had successfully smuggled 38 migrants into the U.S.

In addition to their imprisonment, Tovar and Rodriguez-Jaimes were each ordered to pay a portion of restitution totaling the amount of $164,701.80.

“The defendants in this case displayed a complete disregard for human life, not only of the migrants they were smuggling, but also of the innocent civilians on the road the day of this incident,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “This is but one example of the danger these human smuggling organizations pose to our communities and especially to the migrants they smuggle.  We are grateful for the tremendous effort and cooperation of our law enforcement partners at the federal, state and local levels and for their diligence in working to identify all of those whose conduct led to this tragedy.”

“These sentences underscore Homeland Security Investigations’ relentless efforts to identify transnational criminal organizations, which make a profit from smuggling migrants into the United States with total disregard for people who may end up paying the ultimate price,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for the HSI San Antonio Division.  “HSI is committed to ensuring that those who prey on the innocent face justice.”

Five additional defendants pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of illegal alien transportation resulting in death: Lauren Michelle Malmquist, aka “Mama” and “Lala,” 34, of Cedar Park; Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, aka “Chayo” and “Flaco,” 35, of Luvianos, Mexico; Veronica Torres-Mendez, 36, of San Antonio; Jennifer Oralia Davis, aka “Paypa,” 41, of San Antonio; and Eduardo Rivera Benitez, aka “Lalo” and “Casper,” 25, of Bastrop. They each face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

The remaining three defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens: Marco Antonio Hernandez, aka “Temo,” 21, of Paige; Jose Eli Rodriguez, 22, of Austin; and Rogelio Manuel Luna, 34, of Austin. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

HSI, USBP and DPS investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.

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PECOS, Texas – A federal grand jury in Pecos returned an indictment today charging an Odessa man with importation and possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine.

According to the affidavit attached to a complaint, Angel Vargas-Valdivia, 23, attempted to enter the United States from Mexico through the Presidio Port of Entry on Aug. 8.  During a Customs and Border Protection inspection, officers noticed evidence of tampering on the rear quarter panels of Vargas’s vehicle, as well as abnormally heavy vehicle doors.  X-ray imaging revealed anomalies within the vehicle’s quarter panels, side doors, rear cargo door, trunk and roof.  Further inspection revealed 154 bundles weighing approximately 72.2 kilograms.  A crystal-like substance extracted from the bundles tested positive for properties of methamphetamine.

Vargas-Valdivia made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Fannin of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces a penalty of 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola for the Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division made the announcement.

HSI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Greenbaum is prosecuting the case.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – Three members of a San Antonio family pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to government contracts fraud for services at U.S. Army medical facilities.

According to the indictment, Kenneth Flores, 50, Christopher Flores, 54, and Irma Flores, 74, conspired together to defraud the United States by eliminating competition and fixing contract awards and prices on Army contracts for the housekeeping and janitorial services at Army Hospitals and Medical Centers. The scheme involved a corrupt partnership between the Floreses and co-conspirator government employees Karisa Waysepappy Kelley and John Jordan “Chip” Mathes, concerning millions of dollars in work on Army healthcare housekeeping and janitorial services contracts in return for bribes and kickbacks, eliminating the Flores’ competition in the process.

From Nov. 15, 2018, until June 25, 2020, Christopher Flores’s company, Alliance Supply, paid $216,710.46 to Mathes’ company, C & S Consulting.  From Feb. 21, 2019, until July 17, 2020, Alliance Supply paid Kelley’s company Waysepappy Consulting $57,906.50.  Irma Flores served as the bookkeeper for Allegiance Environmental Services, a company owned by Kenneth Flores, under which Alliance operated. Mathes and Kelley pleaded guilty in February.

Kenneth Flores pleaded guilty to one count in the indictment to conspiracy to defraud the United States and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Christopher and Irma Flores each pleaded guilty to an information charging them with one count of gratuity paid to public official, and each face a maximum penalty of two years in prison.  All three are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 27.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Floreses have agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $3.7 million.

The government dismissed the charges against Antonio Flores, Jr.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The Defense Criminal Investigative Service; Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General; and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Stephenson and Joe Blackwell, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jay Porier are prosecuting the case.

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"Four years after the tragedy in El Paso, our community continues to heal.  As we reflect on the memories of those we lost to such an unforgiveable act of hate, our thoughts remain with all of the victims, their families and the community members whose lives have changed forever." - U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas

SAN ANTONIO – A Von Ormy man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Tuesday to 220 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in serious bodily injury.

According to court documents, Andrew Carrillo, 30, was an accomplice to Rosalio Cano Jr. in the smuggling and kidnapping of an undocumented noncitizen in September 2021.  After meeting at Cano’s residence, where the kidnapped migrant had been held, Carrillo and Cano drove separately to an Econo Lodge in San Antonio.  Carrillo had designated the motel’s parking lot as the location where he and Cano would hand the kidnapped migrant over to the migrant’s family in exchange for cash.  Unbeknownst to Carrillo, he and another codefendant, Veronica Ortega, had been communicating and negotiating the migrant’s release with an undercover officer who had accompanied the migrant’s family member to the exchange.  After the undercover officer handed Carrillo and Ortega the $9,000 in U.S. currency, Homeland Security Investigations agents moved in to arrest the three defendants.  Carrillo and Ortega were taken into custody, while Cano fled and was arrested by the U.S. Marshal’s Service on Oct. 14, 2021.

Carrillo pleaded guilty to both counts on Feb. 7, 2023.  In addition to the prison sentence, Carrillo was ordered to pay $7,025.78 in restitution.

“The penalties in this case reflect the grave dangers of human smuggling,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “While restitution cannot erase the trauma kidnapping victims endure, we hope it will provide some measure of relief.  We will not stop working to protect the vulnerable people who are targeted for human smuggling and will continue to aggressively prosecute offenders.”

“Not only did these human smugglers conspire to undermine our nation’s immigration laws, but they also used intimidation and violence for their own profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division.  “If you enter into an agreement with a human smuggler, your loved one will not be treated with respect, they will simply be seen as a commodity, and will be placed in extreme danger.”

Cano was sentenced on Dec. 29, 2022 to 190 months in prison and ordered to pay $7,025.78 in restitution.  On Jan. 3, 2023, Ortega was sentenced to 60 months of probation and was also ordered to pay $7,025.78 in restitution.

HSI investigated the case with valuable assistance from the San Antonio Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Hail prosecuted the case.

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Four Guatemalan nationals pleaded guilty to their involvement in a deadly Guatemala-based human smuggling conspiracy.

Juan Gutierrez Castro, aka Andres, 46, pleaded guilty today, joining co-conspirators Felipe Diego Alonzo, aka Siete, 39; Nesly Norberto Martinez Gomez, aka Canche, 38; and Lopez Mateo Mateo, aka Bud Light, 43, who all pleaded guilty in July. 

According to court documents, the defendants admitted to conspiring with other smugglers to facilitate the travel of large numbers of migrants from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, into the United States. They charged the migrants and their families approximately $10,000 to $12,000 for the perilous journey. One of the journeys resulted in the death of a young indigenous Guatemalan woman, who died in Texas in May 2021. The woman’s family had paid the defendants approximately $10,000 for the journey to the United States. The defendants and their co-conspirators guided her for several days on foot through the desert to Odessa, Texas, where she ultimately died. The defendants and their co-conspirators dumped her body on the side of a road in Crane County, Texas. The defendants and their co-conspirators then arranged to pay the victim’s family in Guatemala.

Each defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring an alien to the United States resulting in death. They are expected to be sentenced later this year and face a statutory maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

As announced last year, extensive coordination between U.S. and Guatemalan law enforcement authorities led to the indictment and arrest of these four defendants, as well as the apprehension of 15 additional co-conspirators in Guatemala. Pursuant to an extradition request, in March 2023, Guatemalan authorities extradited Diego Alonzo, Martinez Gomez, Mateo Mateo, and Gutierrez Castro to the United States – the first ever extraditions from Guatemala to the United States on charges of human smuggling resulting in death and the first Guatemalan human smuggling extraditions to the United States in nearly five years.

Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, and Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

HSI Midland led the investigation, working in concert with HSI Guatemala and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations; ICE’s Parole and Law Enforcement Programs Unit; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Odessa and Midland Police Departments; the Texas Department of Public Safety; and the Ector County, Midland County, and Crane County Sheriffs’ Offices. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) and Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT) provided significant assistance in this matter. The Justice Department is grateful to Guatemalan law enforcement, who were instrumental in furthering this investigation.

The indictments, extraditions, and convictions of Diego Alonzo, Martinez Gomez, Mateo Mateo, and Gutierrez Castro, as well as the assistance provided by U.S. authorities to Guatemalan law enforcement, were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).

JTFA Co-Director James Hepburn of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Luis Acosta for the Western District of Texas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case, with substantial assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian Gallegos for the Western District of Texas and HRSP Historian/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland created JTFA in June 2021 in partnership with DHS to strengthen the Justice Department’s overall efforts to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities. JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime. Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who most significantly impact the United States; and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 200 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of human smuggling; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture. 

JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California. Dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTFA, led by HRSP, and supported by ODPAT, the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, OIA, and the Organized Crime and Gang Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners.

DEL RIO, Texas – A Del Rio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio last week to 57 months in prison with credit for time served for smuggling goods from the United States.

According to court documents, Hugo Medina, 40, was selected for an inspection in the outbound lane of the Del Rio Port of Entry on Sept. 24, 2020.  After he elected to not declare any weapons, ammunition or currency over $10,000, Customs and Border Protection officers located a black duffle bag containing small boxes in the trunk of Medina’s vehicle.  The officers confirmed that the boxes contained ammunition and took Medina into custody.  Following a vehicle inspection scan, officers seized a total of 10,498 rounds of ammunition.

“Transporting ammunition into Mexico is a serious offense,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “Along with our law enforcement partners, my office is committed to stopping the supply of dangerous weapons across the border into Mexico.”

“The sentencing sends a clear message to individuals who facilitate the illegal sale and movement of ammunition. Combatting ammunition smuggling is a top priority for Homeland Security Investigations,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Division.  “Through collaborative law enforcement with our federal, state and local partners, we aggressively investigate individuals involved in these activities to prevent the items from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”

Claudia Veronica Flores, who purchased the ammunition and arranged for it to be smuggled into Mexico, pleaded guilty on Aug. 15, 2022 to conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States in DR:21-CR-2145.  Her sentence hearing is currently scheduled for Dec. 4.

HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio Tuesday to 168 months in prison for one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, plus 60 months in prison for one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, Eduardo Puente, 46, of San Buena, Coahuila, Mexico, a convicted felon with two outstanding Texas arrest warrants, came under an FBI Safe Streets Task Force investigation in January 2022 and was identified as the source of supply for two controlled narcotics purchases of methamphetamine.  On Feb. 17, 2022, the task force, with assistance from Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers and Criminal Investigation Division agents, observed Puente carrying a white shoe box en route to a third controlled purchase, as part of the investigation.  DPS Troopers and CID agents conducted a traffic stop on Puente, which led to a foot pursuit, during which he tossed a Ruger .357 revolver.  Puente was assisted in the pursuit by an individual in a red Chevrolet Silverado, who picked Puente up to aid in his escape.  DPS executed a traffic stop on the truck and, though Puente again attempted to flee on foot, he was arrested.

In a search of Puente and his vehicle, DPS Troopers and FBI Agents seized eight small bags of suspected methamphetamine, a bag of a black tar substance suspected to be heroin, and $2,090 in cash.  In a search of Puente’s residence, FBI agents seized 2.281 kg of marijuana, 3.016 kg of heroin, and 44.021 kg of methamphetamine.  They also seized a .223 caliber rifle loaded with armor piercing rounds and approximately $6,400 in cash.

“I commend the efforts of our federal and state law enforcement partners in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “Their work on the ground resulted in a significant seizure of illegal drugs, which would have otherwise been distributed in our community.  This sentence is a victory for public safety, and I am grateful for their dedication to keeping our streets safe.”

“This sentencing sends a clear message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work diligently to hold criminals who are bringing dangerous drugs into our communities accountable for their actions,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Marcus Joachim for the FBI San Antonio Division. “The American people deserve to live in communities safe from violence and criminal activity associated with illegal narcotics trafficking."

The FBI and DPS investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karina O’Daniel prosecuted the case.

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MIDLAND, Texas – An Odessa man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Midland on Monday to one count of false statement during purchase of a firearm.

According to court documents, on June 29, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) responded to a fatal shooting in Odessa.  The agents located a Ruger firearm in their investigation and confirmed that it had been purchased on May 26 by Miguel Angel Rodriguez, 21.  Further investigation revealed that Rodriguez had straw purchased at least four total firearms, including the Ruger, for persons other than himself.

Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 2 and faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas and Special Agent in Charge Jeffery C. Boshek II for the ATF Dallas Field Division made the announcement.

The ATF is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mahoney is prosecuting the case.

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ALPINE, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal court in Alpine to 78 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to possess with to distribute cocaine and a second count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, Jaime Gabriel Juarez, 50, was pulled over on Interstate 20 in Reeves County on Dec. 2, 2022.  A search of his vehicle revealed multiple rectangular-shaped packages wrapped in plastic and resembling packages typically associated with kilogram quantities of narcotics.  The substances in the packages tested positive for properties and characteristics of cocaine.  Juarez admitted he was transporting the 2.5 kilograms of cocaine to Odessa.

Juarez was found guilty in a jury trial on April 18.

“I’m grateful to our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work in this case,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “Their efforts led to the arrest and conviction of a drug smuggler who is now spending the next six years in prison.”

“We want the communities where we live to be safer and healthier,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “Therefore, we will not tire of pursuing those who manufacture and distribute illicit narcotics.”

The DEA and Reeves County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

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ALPINE, Texas – An El Paso man was sentenced Monday in a federal courthouse in Alpine to 96 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

According to court documents, Hector Bernal Jr., 36, was a passenger in a vehicle that entered the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol Checkpoint in Alpine on Feb. 25.  While Border Patrol agents determined citizenship of the driver and Bernal, a Border Patrol canine alerted the agents to the presence of illegal controlled substances.  Agents then located eight large brick-shaped bundles in the rear passenger seat of the vehicle, which tested positive for characteristics of marijuana and collectively weighed approximately 112.7 kilograms, or 248.3 pounds.

“This lengthy eight year sentence reflects our commitment to combatting illegal drug trafficking and protecting our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas.  “I appreciate the DEA’s continued efforts to prevent drug smuggling, ensuring that those who engage in such activities are held accountable.”

“Those individuals who break our nation’s laws by distributing illegal narcotics will be pursued by the men and women of the DEA,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Millard of the DEA’s El Paso Division. “We thank our federal partners for their assistance in this case.”

On June 27, the driver, codefendant Hugo Mancinas, was sentenced to 60 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute marijuana. 

The DEA and U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case.

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AUSTIN, Texas – Two Austin area men were sentenced Monday in federal court in Austin to more than seven years in prison for their involvement in a fentanyl distribution organization.

According to court documents, Christopher Brock, 25, of Pflugerville, and Marcos Roberto Garcia aka “Alex,” 20, of Somerton, Arizona, were arrested with other organization members on Jan. 4, 2022, on charges of distributing fentanyl in the Austin area.  Brock served as a courier and retail dealer of counterfeit oxycodone tablets containing fentanyl.  Garcia was identified as the main source of the supply, purchasing the pills from Mexico and, with the help of co-conspirators, orchestrating their shipment from Arizona to Austin via the U.S. Postal Service.  Agents began investigating the organization in March 2021, in response to fentanyl overdoses in and around Austin.

On Monday, Brock was sentenced to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release.  Garcia was sentenced to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release.

“The defendants in this case took part in a large enterprise of criminal activity and will now face federal prison time thanks to the united efforts of our law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas.  “The penalties handed down to these young men should serve as examples to anyone who considers getting involved in these dangerous drug trafficking operations.”

"This sentence results from coordinated efforts that dissolved an enterprise profiting off our communities through manufacturing and distributing fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl," said Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the DEA Houston Division. "Fake pills threaten the American people. We caution every person never to take any pharmaceuticals unless prescribed by a licensed physician and dispensed from a licensed pharmacy. DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue any individual or organization bringing these deadly fake pills into our communities."

Eight codefendants have been sentenced since January.  Adi Martinez Marquez, 21, of San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was sentenced to 14 months in prison;  Ezequiel Azmitia-Jimenez, 20, of Lockhart, was sentenced to 36 months;  Fernando Beltran, 22, of Austin, and Oliver Garcia, 21, of Lockhart, each received 180-month prison sentences;  Matthew Juan, 20, of Austin, was sentenced to 90 months in prison;  Andres Ruben Ramirez, 24, of Austin, was sentenced to 48 months;  Daemon Garcia, 20, of San Marcos, was sentenced to 30 months; and Michael Bauman, 19, of Austin, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.

The DEA, FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, along with the Austin, Cedar Park, San Angelo and San Marcos Police Departments investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Marshall prosecuted the case.

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