Western District of Texas

DEL RIO, Texas – As part of a Homeland Security Task Force case, a federal grand jury in Del Rio returned an indictment this week charging 11 defendants for their alleged involvement in an attempted alien smuggling operation that resulted in multiple illegal aliens being found dead inside a shipping container in May, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons.

According to the indictment, from at least April 2023 through May 12, 2026, the defendants and others operated a human smuggling organization that illegally used cargo trains to smuggle aliens further into the United States after illegally crossing them from Mexico. Each smuggled alien, or their families and friends, paid smugglers in Honduras, Mexico, the United States, and elsewhere between $1,500 and $10,000. 

The indictment alleges that, toward the end of April 2026, the organization began facilitating the smuggling of at least seven aliens from Acuña, Mexico into Del Rio. On or about May 9, after the smugglers illegally crossed the seven aliens from Mexico into the Del Rio area, the organization transported the aliens to an area near the Union Pacific train tracks in Del Rio. From approximately 1:18 p.m. to 1:25 p.m., while a Union Pacific train was stationary, smugglers, using red bolt cutters, allegedly cut the lock off a Conex shipping container’s door, loaded the aliens into the container, and then shut the door.

The shipping container was stacked on top of another and had no ventilation or cooling system. Based on the investigation, the recorded outside temperatures for that day ranged from 88 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit. In total, seven aliens were loaded into the container, including one 14-year-old child. It was secured from the outside and could not be opened from the inside. The train then departed Del Rio and traveled east along U.S. highway 90 to San Antonio. 

Once the train arrived in San Antonio, smugglers opened the door to the Conex container and discovered the aliens in peril. The smugglers then fled the scene, allegedly leaving one of the deceased aliens near the railroad tracks. Smugglers left the remaining aliens in the shipping container. The next day, the train departed south along its route to Laredo. 

On May 10, a worker at the Union Pacific Rail Yard in Laredo saw a leg sticking out from a Conex shipping container. Upon inspection, six aliens were discovered deceased in the shipping container. Laredo law enforcement contacted San Antonio agents for assistance. Later, San Antonio law enforcement discovered the seventh alien deceased and abandoned by the railroad tracks in San Antonio. Ultimately, seven aliens died from being in the Conex shipping container—four were Mexican nationals and three were Honduran nationals. One of the aliens was a 14-year-old child. The investigation revealed that at least one alien messaged a loved one, pleading for help.

The 11 defendants charged are:

1. Karina Garcia, 37, of Del Rio 
2. Edson Alejandro Perez, 18, of Del Rio
3. Seferino Huerta-Casillas, 35, of Mexico
4. Jonas Ulloa-Aguilera, 25, of Honduras
5. Mayra Alejandra Huerta, 32, of Del Rio 
6. Maria Norma Neri de Moran, 56, of Mexico
7. Damian Huerta Analucas, 55, of Mexico
8. Rosario Cristal Lopez-Saldana, 26, of Mexico
9. Eric Hernandez, 40, of Eagle Pass 
10. Franklin Williams Ayala Aguilera, 30, of Honduras 
11. Pascual Raymundo Loarca, 34, of Guatemala 

Mayra Alejandra Huerta was arrested May 12 in Del Rio and initially charged with one count of harboring illegal aliens. She has remained in federal custody and now faces two charges in today’s indictment. Last week, eight other defendants were arrested over a multi-day HSTF operation across central and south Texas. Two defendants, Karina Garcia and Seferino Huerta-Casillas, remain at large.

All 11 are charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and one count of aiding and abetting transport of illegal aliens resulting in death. If convicted, the defendants will each face up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Spears, Todd Keagle, and Ashley Ellis-Dotson are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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 – The owner of a crafted precious metals dealer in Waco and an alleged co-conspirator were arrested this week on criminal charges related to their alleged dealings of stolen jewelry, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Clemond Earl Busby aka Bull, 65, of Waco, allegedly arranged for multiple jewelry store robbers to meet with Michael Wayne Habern Jr., 53, the owner of Waco Jewelers, in the parking lot of Habern’s store for the purpose of selling stolen jewelry to Busby and Habern. At times, the robbers would allegedly negotiate transactions with both Busby and Habern. At other times, the indictment alleges, Busby would act as an intermediary between Habern and the robbers.

On one or more of the occasions, Busby and Habern allegedly received stolen jewelry from the robbers with price tags still attached and sometimes in display cases that were also taken from the jewelry stores during the robberies. 

The indictment alleges that Busby and Habern would pay the robbers less than the true value of the jewelry and exclusively in cash. 

Habern and Busby are both charged with one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, nine counts of accessory after the fact, and one count of misprision of a felony. If convicted, they both face up to 113 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, Texas Anti-Gang Taskforce, Waco Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security, Austin Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the case.

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 jury convicted an Austin man Wednesday of wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, John Stuart Robison, 63, convinced an investor to pay $1 million into a business bank account controlled solely by Robison. Robinson represented the money would go to benefit the University of Austin. The money was to be kept in an escrow account unless and until Robison raised an additional $1 million.

As part of the scheme, Robison lied to the investor about land that Robison controlled or had under option. Robison also presented false option contracts for property and claimed that all monies spent on the project were from Robison's personal accounts. 

One day after the money was wired into the business account, Robison fraudulently transferred $250,000 into another of his bank accounts. This money was used to benefit Robison rather than the University of Austin. Within a few months of the receipt of the wired funds, Robison had essentially spent the entire $1 million.

Robison was indicted on Nov. 18, 2025, and arrested Nov. 21. Now convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the one count of wire fraud and up to 10 years in prison for the money laundering charges.

The FBI and Austin Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dan Guess and Britni Verdeja prosecuted the case.

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A Bario Azteca gang member pleaded guilty today in federal court in El Paso, Texas, for being part of a racketeering and drug trafficking conspiracy which included acting as the lookout in the murders by Barrio Azteca members of a U.S. Consulate Juarez employee, her husband, and the husband of another U.S. consulate employee.

Enrique Guajardo Lopez, also known as “Kiki,” 59, of Juarez, Mexico, pleaded guilty today to racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to distribute and import drugs. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Lopez faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. 

According to court documents and information presented in court, Lopez is one of 35 Barrio Azteca members and associates based in the United States and Mexico who were charged in the third superseding indictment in 2011 for allegedly committing various criminal acts, including racketeering, narcotics distribution and importation, retaliation against persons providing information to U.S. law enforcement, extortion, money laundering, obstruction of justice, and murder. Of the 35 defendants, 10 Mexican nationals were charged for their role in the March 13, 2010 murders of U.S. Consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton; her husband Arthur Redelfs; and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of a U.S. Consulate employee. All the defendants have been apprehended, and 30 have pleaded guilty. Three defendants have been convicted at trial and one committed suicide before the conclusion of his trial. One defendant remains pending trial. 

The Barrio Azteca (BA) is a violent street and prison gang that began in the late 1980s and expanded into a transnational criminal organization. In the 2000s, the BA formed an alliance in Mexico with “La Linea,” which is part of the Juarez Drug Cartel (also known as the Vincente Carrillo Fuentes Drug Cartel or VCF). The purpose of the BA-La Linea alliance was to battle the Chapo Guzman Cartel and its allies for control of the drug trafficking routes through Juarez and Chihuahua. The drug routes through Juarez, known as the Juarez Plaza, are important to drug trafficking organizations because they are a principal illicit drug trafficking conduit into the United States. The gang has a militaristic command structure and includes captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and soldiers — all with the purpose of maintaining power and enriching its members and associates through drug trafficking, money laundering, extortion, intimidation, violence, threats of violence, and murder. The BAs were directly involved in drug trafficking, and BA members would also conduct enforcement operations for VCF, including acting as hit men to commit murders and assaults. On the day of the Consulate murders, Lopez acted as a lookout for other BA members who targeted and murdered the victims. Enriquez was four months pregnant, and her fetus was also killed. 

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas, Acting Special Agent in Charge Conal Whetten of the FBI El Paso Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Mark Putnam of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) El Paso Field Division made the announcement.

This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Chief Jay Bauer of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Amy Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Spitzer of the Western District of Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico and the Criminal Division’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations provided significant assistance in this case.

The case was investigated by the FBI El Paso Field Office, Albuquerque Field Office (Las Cruces Resident Agency); DEA Juarez; and DEA El Paso. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, New Mexico Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico.

AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin to 220 months in prison for trafficking fentanyl while in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, on March 24, 2023, Daltha Ray Terrell, aka Goo Ray, 31, presented himself to a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his arm claiming that someone had shot him. Officers secured his car and obtained a search warrant. Located within the car were approximately 636 blue pills with “M-30” markings. Officers also discovered two firearms. 

Further investigation revealed that Terrell was not shot by another individual but had shot himself when attempting to pull his firearm from his jacket. Additionally, the pills found in his vehicle tested positive for fentanyl. 

Months later, on Dec. 1, 2023, officers responded to an overdose on an Austin Capital Metro bus. The victim was declared deceased after efforts to revive him failed, and officers located a small amount of crushed blue powder that field tested for fentanyl. Video surveillance reflected that the deceased victim had boarded the bus near Terrell’s residence. Evidence from the victim’s phone and CashApp revealed that Terrell was the victim’s dealer. Autopsy results opined that “fentanyl toxicity” was the sole cause of the victim’s death.

A state search warrant at Terrell’s residence resulted in the discovery of approximately 2,000 blue ''M-30" pills suspected to contain fentanyl, two handguns—one of which was equipped with a machinegun conversion device—and a shotgun that was later discovered to be stolen in a home invasion robbery one month prior to the execution of the search warrant. 

The investigation revealed that from June 6, 2023, until the date of Terrell’s arrest on May 22, 2024, Terrell engaged in the unbroken distribution of fentanyl in excess of 400 grams. Terrell pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Austin Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Gardner prosecuted the case.

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EL PASO, Texas – A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer made his initial appearance in federal court after he was indicted and subsequently arrested for charges related to his alleged false reporting of details involving excessive use of force, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, while acting under color of law as a federal law enforcement officer on August 22, 2021, Jesus Espinosa, 52, of El Paso, is alleged to have used unreasonable force, including a chokehold, to detain an individual, resulting in bodily injury. Additionally, an indictment alleges Espinosa knowingly and willfully made materially false, fictitious and fraudulent statements and representations in his answers to his supervisor’s questions regarding the incident. Allegedly, Espinosa claimed that the individual he detained was aggressive and non-compliant, which initially caused an erroneous official report of assault on a federal officer rather than a true report detailing excessive use of force.

Espinosa was indicted July 15 and arrested July 17. He is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of false statement to a U.S. government agency. The defendant made his initial court appearance on July 17 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert F. Castaneda of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for the deprivation of rights charge and up to five years in prison for the false statement. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, and Customs and Border Protection Office of Professional Responsibility are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Wisniewski 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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SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 234 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 10 through July 16, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. 

Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes, thefts, and multiple prior removals.

Among the new cases, two illegal aliens were arrested as the result of a stash house disruption in El Paso on July 13. A criminal complaint alleges U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station observed Jorge Lucero-Banda, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Diogenes Silva-Orozco, an illegal alien from Nicaragua, depart and later return to an apartment that had been under investigation for alien smuggling activities. A search of Silva-Orozco’s cell phone allegedly revealed numerous videos and photos depicting illegal aliens inside a separate residence where agents later encountered 14 illegal aliens. The complaint alleges Lucero-Banda served as a caretaker at the stash house as was paid $1,000 per week. Lucero-Banda and Silva-Orozco are charged with bringing in and harboring aliens.

Jorge Camacho-Olivas, an illegal alien from Mexico who has been previously deported eight times, allegedly attempted to enter the U.S. on Tuesday by eluding inspection from U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that the day after his most recent removal, CBP officers observed Camacho-Olivas moving on foot alongside a truck that was driving up to an inspection booth. He was then detained. Camacho-Olivas has a 15-year history of multiple illegal re-entry convictions and one conviction for alien smuggling.

Antonio Gomez-Raygoza, also an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested after he allegedly presented a copy of his Mexican Voters Registration Card to a CBP officer at the Paso Del Norte POE and claimed to be a U.S. citizen. A system query on his name revealed Gomez-Raygoza has been removed from the U.S. six times and has been convicted for illegal re-entry, auto theft and first-degree burglary.

An Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for speeding and discovered the driver, Lester Josue Hernandez Flores, was an illegal alien from Honduras who has been previously removed from the U.S. six times. Hernandez was arrested and turned over to ICE custody. During an inventory search of Hernandez’s vehicle prior to impoundment, ACSO allegedly discovered a .45 caliber handgun with a magazine containing one round. Hernandez is now charged with one count of illegal alien in possession of a firearm and, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in federal prison with a maximum $250,000 fine.

Alfonso Landin Garcia, an illegal alien from Mexico, was transferred into ICE custody from the Bexar County Jail where he had been booked for evading arrest. Landin has three DUI convictions on his record and is now charged with illegal re-entry.

Also an illegal alien from Mexico, Efrain Dominguez Arenas aka Juan Hernandez Ramirez was transferred into ICE custody from the Bastrop County Jail. Dominguez has been removed from the U.S. six times and has three DWI convictions.

German Alejandro Contreras-Enamorado, an illegal alien from Honduras, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Contreras-Enamorado has been deported three times and was convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in November 2020. 

Illegal alien from Cuba, Yorman Reyes-Marin aka Mikel Rodriguez Masaguer, was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Reyes-Marin was deported for the first time in October 2025 yet has a lengthy criminal record that includes multiple assault convictions, including one aggravated assault conviction, along with disorderly conduct and trespassing.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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The Scoular Company (Scoular), an agricultural supply chain company based in Omaha, Nebraska, will pay over $10 million to resolve an investigation by the Justice Department into a years-long scheme in which it relied on bribery of Mexican officials to deliver trains of goods across the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Scoular entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information filed in the Western District of Texas charging the company with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

“The Scoular Company used customs brokers as part of a long-running scheme at the Mexican border to pay more than $400,000 in bribes to Mexican officials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “A portion of those bribes ultimately benefited people who helped operate a cartel, even though Scoular did not know about it.  This resolution shows that bribery and corruption not only undermine fair play and competition for Americans, but also hurt our national security interests in stopping the scourge of dangerous cartel activity.”

“Nothing crosses into or out of Mexico without the approval and payment to Mexican drug cartels.  American businesses that engage in any cross-border trade bear a significant amount of responsibility to do so without benefitting those cartels and without threatening our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The bribery scheme in which the Scoular Company engaged demonstrates the dangerous corporate corruption we in the Western District of Texas are committed to fighting on behalf of the American people.”

According to court documents, between 2013 and 2019, Scoular relied on multiple customs brokers to ensure that its shipments of corn and other products successfully crossed from the United States into Mexico. Under Mexican law, those shipments were subject to inspection for dirt, soil, and other impurities. To ensure that Scoular’s shipments successfully transited the border despite inspections that found such dirt, soil, and other impurities, Scoular authorized multiple third-party customs brokers to bribe Mexican officials at the border. At the direction of Scoular employees, and for Scoular’s benefit, those brokers paid bribes of approximately $2,000 per Scoular train and invoiced the bribes back to Scoular for reimbursement of reinspection fees, which Scoular paid. Scoular employees communicated about shipments and bribes via WhatsApp and other means. In total, Scoular authorized bribes of more than $400,000 and avoided fees and costs of more than $6.5 million.

As part of the DPA, Scoular agreed to pay a $9,769,521 criminal penalty and $414,351 in forfeiture. Scoular will also continue cooperating with the department in any ongoing or future criminal investigation arising during the term of the DPA. Further, Scoular has committed to implementing a compliance and ethics program designed to prevent and detect violations of the FCPA, and other applicable anti-corruption laws, throughout its operations. Scoular will periodically report to the department on remediation and implementation of compliance measures throughout the term of the DPA.

The department reached this resolution with Scoular based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense and the determination during the course of the investigation, that, unbeknownst to the company or its employees, a portion of the bribes paid in connection with Scoular’s shipments benefited persons associated with the criminal operations of a cartel operating at the U.S.-Mexico border. Scoular did not receive voluntary disclosure credit pursuant to the Department of Justice’s Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy, because it did not voluntarily and timely disclose to the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section the conduct described in the Statement of Facts. 

Scoular received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) conducting an internal investigation into the misconduct and providing evidence to the department, including detailed factual presentations; (ii) providing information and evidence to the department that identified those involved in the misconduct; (iii) producing and organizing materials in response to the department’s voluntary document requests, notwithstanding certain deficiencies in the early part of the investigation; and (iv) securing counsel for current employees.   

Scoular also engaged in timely remedial measures, including (i) increasing compliance sensitivity across the organization through enhanced business engagement; (ii) implementing the findings of an external compliance program maturity assessment and an anti-corruption risk assessment, including by restructuring its compliance function and incorporating senior leadership oversight across compliance and business activities; (iii) reducing operational risk by eliminating the use of customs brokers associated with reinspection fees in Mexico; (iv) strengthening risk-based review and monitoring procedures, and coordinating those efforts through the use of specific software tools; (v) updating and launching a revised Code of Conduct, along with several key policies and procedures related to its compliance program, including anti-corruption, bribery, conflicts of interest, and third party management; (vi) improving and implementing risk-based screenings and approval requirements for third-party providers; implementing anti-corruption and audit right provisions in third-party contracts; (vii) implementing revised financial controls procedures that relate to high-risk transactions, and (viii) providing general and targeted anti-corruption training to relevant personnel.

In light of these considerations, the criminal penalty reflects a 25% reduction from the bottom of the applicable guidelines range, and the term of the DPA is for a period of three years.

In a related case, a customs broker who paid bribes on behalf of Scoular, Carlos Leopoldo Alvelais, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the FCPA on Oct. 23, 2025. Sentencing in that case is scheduled for July 20.

The FBI is investigating the case. 

Trial Attorney Connor Mullin and Assistant Chief William E. Schurmann of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanof for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act (FEPA) matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA and FEPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.

DEL RIO, Texas – A Homeland Security Task Force investigation resulted in an illegal alien from Mexico being sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 20 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. 

According to court documents, on April 20, 2025, Veronica Sanchez-Pineda, 47, of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, approached the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in a pickup truck and gave Customs and Border Protection officers a negative declaration for contraband including narcotics. A secondary inspection resulted in the discovery of a crystal-like substance inside an auxiliary tank in the bed of the truck. The substance tested positive for 521.03 kg of methamphetamine. Sanchez-Pineda consented to a search of her cell phone, which contained a text message about a “job” in Eagle Pass as well as screenshots of money transfers between the defendant and another individual. 

Sanchez-Pineda was arrested at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. She was named in a four-count indictment on May 14, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 22, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Daisy Gonzalez prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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DEL RIO, Texas – A Houston man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 30 years in prison for trafficking methamphetamine into the United States from Mexico, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Yobany Vega, 25, attempted to enter the U.S. through Eagle Pass Camino Real Bridge 2 on Dec. 6, 2024. Customs and Border Protection Officers noticed a non-factory compartment during secondary inspection and discovered 41 bundles hidden in the vehicle. Further inspection revealed that the bundles contained 40.5 kgs of 100% purity level methamphetamine.

Vega was arrested on Dec. 6, 2024. He pleaded guilty on Sept. 19, 2025, to all four counts of his indictment, which included conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and importation of methamphetamine. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Duarte II and Nallely Duarte prosecuted the case.

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

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AUSTIN, Texas – A former elementary school teacher was sentenced by a federal court in Austin to 200 months in prison and 10 years supervised release for receipt and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, a digital forensic analysis of seized devices determined that Carl David Innmon, 51, possessed more than 16,000 files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a laptop computer and an additional 349,728 files depicting CSAM on an external hard drive. Thousands of the images possessed by Innmon involved prepubescent minors under the age of 12. 

Innmon was a fifth-grade teacher in the Austin Independent School District at the time of his April 2025 arrest and had previously worked as a substitute teacher at approximately 20 other schools within the district. He faced up to 20 years in prison.

“This now-convicted pedophile was tasked with caring for the most vulnerable among us: our children,” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. “Instead, he used children to satisfy his deviant sexual desires. In cooperation with our state, local and federal law enforcement partners, my office will always aggressively pursue pedophiles like this one, and our message to them is this: pedophilia is not a sexual preference; it’s a crime, and we will always make sure you do the time.” 

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant Sparks 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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Three Texas tax return preparers – a tax return preparation business owner and two of his employees – were sentenced today to 50 months, 26 months, and 18 months in prison for their roles in conspiring to file false tax returns on behalf of clients. Two other tax return preparers who admitted to filing false tax returns for clients as part of the same scheme still await sentencing.

“No matter the scheme, the agency, or the program involved, those who cheat on their taxes for personal enrichment undermine the very foundation of public trust,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division is working across all fronts to detect, investigate, and prosecute criminal tax violations. We will protect the integrity of our tax system and ensure that those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of honest citizens face the full weight of federal prosecution.”

“Though they used a pencil and paper rather than a gun and a mask, these defendants are nothing more than common thieves,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The United States is ‘We the People,’ and when you steal from the people, we will hold you to account. Thank you to our partners at the National Fraud Enforcement Division for their great work here on behalf of the American people.”

According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately January 2019 to October 2022, Mathews Chacko, Anish Pillai, and Subhala Suresh conspired to defraud the United States by filing tax returns for clients that contained false business expenses. These false expenses artificially reduced the taxes that the clients owed to the IRS, which enabled them to receive refunds to which they were not entitled. At times, Chacko and his co-conspirators included false business expenses on client returns without their clients’ knowledge, then sometimes provided false explanations to clients justifying the false items. At other times, Chacko and his co-conspirators informed clients by email that they were submitting false information to the IRS. Chacko admitted to causing a tax loss to the United States exceeding $3.5 million but less than $9.5 million. Pillai admitted that he caused approximately $1.5 million to $3.5 million in losses to the United States. Suresh admitted that she caused approximately $250,000 to $550,000 in losses to the United States.

Chacko pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the IRS. Pillai and Suresh both pleaded guilty to aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. Chacko was sentenced to 50 months in prison, Pillai was sentenced to 26 months in prison, and Suresh was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

Acting Assistant Deputy Chief Marissa R. Brodney and Trial Attorney Michael L. Jones of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

A San Antonio-based member of a Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) group related to the 764 network was sentenced today to 40 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and to pay $10,000 in restitution for racketeering activity and multiple acts relating to the sexual exploitation of children.

According to court documents, Alexis Aldair Chavez, also known as Zack and Zack8884, 19, was an administrator and online leader of the ‘8884’ network, which is a network related to 764. These NVEs share accelerationist goals that include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government. Members of 8884 work in concert with one another towards a common purpose of destroying civilized society through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable populations, including minors. 

NVEs engage in criminal conduct within the United States and abroad, in furtherance of political, social, or religious goals that derive primarily from a hatred of society at large and a desire to bring about its collapse by sowing indiscriminate chaos, destruction, and social instability. NVEs demand, coerce, and extort victims to engage in variety of violent conduct, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder.

“Chavez’s crimes reveal the ruthless exploitation and manipulation at the core of NVE groups,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “These organizations target children as part of their broader mission to spread terror. These groups ultimately seek nothing less than the destruction of our society. NSD will use every resource at its disposal to identify and prosecute 764-linked criminality and to protect the most innocent among us from these predators.”

“What Alexis Chavez and other members of these Nihilistic Violent Extremist groups have done to the vulnerable children they target is among the most disturbing conduct this office has prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Parents need to know what their children are doing online and must stay engaged, ask difficult questions, and not fall into the trap of believing their child is “just playing games” or “just talking with their friends.” There is darkness present within many people in this world that want nothing more than to see the United States and western civilization fail. There is no limit to the actions these individuals will take to accomplish that goal, including torturing and abusing children. Regardless of one’s inherent motivations, our office and our law enforcement partners at the local, state and federal levels investigate and prosecute these cases with absolute dedication because protecting our children is not just a priority; it is the priority.”

“Nothing is more abhorrent than those who prey on children and other vulnerable members of our society and this defendant will pay a steep price for doing just that,” said Acting Assistant Director Coult Markovsky of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “The FBI has made it a high priority to identity and arrest Nihilistic Violent Extremists who coerce juveniles into horrific acts of self-harm. We will never let up on our efforts and will continue working closely with our Justice Department partners to ensure these predators are held accountable.”

“This sentencing demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering resolve to identify, hunt down, investigate, and prosecute criminals like Chavez who prey on children through violent online networks, including 764, and orchestrate horrific, unspeakable acts of exploitation and violence,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “These predators use social media, messaging apps, gaming platforms, chat rooms, and video services to groom vulnerable children. Staying engaged in your child's online life, maintaining open communication, recognizing the warning signs, and reporting suspicious online activity to law enforcement are critical to stopping these offenders. Learn more at: PSA. The FBI will use every lawful authority at our disposal to dismantle these criminal networks and hold offenders accountable because no child should ever become the next victim of these predators.”

On or about October 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator attempted to have a minor female kill herself in a video chat by overdosing on pills. The two conspirators recorded the attempted suicide to obtain “content” that would allow them to maintain and increase their status within 8884. Approximately two months later, Chavez and the minor female victim worked together to coerce a female located overseas to strip naked on camera, cut herself, and engage in sexual acts. They also extorted another female by forcing the victim to cut the name “Zack” into herself.

Around Dec. 29, 2023, Chavez and a co-conspirator coerced another minor female to cut her tongue as well as torture and kill a cat on a live video call. That same month, Chavez and another co-conspirator worked together to groom and extort several other minor females. In one instance, the two conspirators coerced a female victim to light her arm on fire and have the fire burn through her skin and deeper into her body, while on a recorded video chat within the 8884 channel. They also groomed another minor female victim, forcing her to drink her own urine and attempt to overdose on unknown pills.

On or about Jan. 23, 2024, Chavez and a co-conspirator threatened and coerced a minor female victim to engage in sexually obscene activities and other egregious acts. He was arrested on Oct. 24, 2024, and pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2025, to one count of racketeering, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.

The FBI San Antonio Field Office investigated the case with assistance from FBI Washington Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Bill Harris for the Western District of Texas, and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and James Donnelly of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.

The Justice Department remains vigilant against the threat of Nihilistic Violent Extremist (NVE) networks, like 764, that operate within the United States and around the globe. NVEs often target vulnerable individuals, including minors, using social media platforms to share CSAM and gore material, and groom victims toward committing acts of violence. Victims are often extorted, coerced, compelled, and blackmailed into complying with NVE demands, including self-mutilation, online and in-person sexual acts, harm to animals, sexual exploitation of siblings and others, acts of violence, threats of violence, suicide, and murder. For more information on how to protect children and others, read about the online risks here: Parents, Caregivers, Teachers — FBI and the FBI’s March 2025 public service announcement.

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 Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

SAN ANTONIO – A Mexican National was sentenced by a federal court in San Antonio to 27 years in prison for leading an international methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, Arturo Leija-Alvarado, 43, led an organization that trafficked well over one thousand kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States, for distribution in and around the San Antonio area. The conspiracy involved large quantities of methamphetamine that were smuggled into the United States while hidden in various ways, most commonly in large loads of lettuce. 

At the time that Leija led the drug trafficking organization, Leija had already been convicted twice of illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal and had been removed from the United States on at least three separate occasions.  Following his most recent removal, Leija illegally reentered the United States during the Spring of 2024, and by May 2024 was already coordinating a load of methamphetamine hidden in 16 pallets of lettuce:

Leija coordinated and oversaw the smuggling of multiple additional large loads of methamphetamine during July, August, and September 2024. These loads were also hidden in shipments of lettuce, and often included hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine at a time:

One load from September 2024 included at least approximately 500 kilograms of methamphetamine by itself:

Evidence in the case also depicted a large number of firearms that were possessed during this conspiracy, including more than twenty that were depicted in these photographs from July 2024:

As the conspiracy continued, law enforcement learned that Leija and his co-conspirators were receiving the shipments of methamphetamine at a secluded property in Atascosa, Texas.  After unloading the methamphetamine at the Atascosa property, Leija’s drug organization distributed the methamphetamine into the San Antonio community and surrounding areas.

On October 17, 2024, after obtaining a federal search warrant for the property, law enforcement observed a semi-truck with a flatbed trailer arrive at the ranch.  Immediately prior to executing the warrant, law enforcement observed a group of individuals, overseen by Leija, spend several hours using welding tools to cut open hidden compartments on the trailer. 

Shortly after midnight on October 18, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant and found dozens of packages of methamphetamine that had been wrapped in tape, covered in grease, and secreted inside of hidden compartments on the flatbed trailer that had been welded shut.  Subsequent DEA laboratory testing confirmed that the packages seized on this day alone contained 63 kilograms of 100% methamphetamine hydrochloride, i.e., crystal meth.

Agents arrested Leija  inside an RV on the property.  Agents found a firearm and $21,646.00 in U.S. currency in that RV, and another firearm elsewhere on the property.

Leija was arrested along with co-conspirators Francis Edward “Eddie” Hilliard and Richard William Aaron Patton.  The trio were charged with various offenses, including Conspiring to Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.  All three Defendants subsequently pled guilty to that charge.

In addition to Leija’s sentence of 27 years, Hilliard, who is 77 years old, was sentenced last month to 145 months in prison, and Patton is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

“Mr. Leija ignored our immigration laws, ignored our drug laws, and ignored our gun laws,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. “However, he cannot ignore the fact that he will now spend the next couple of decades behind walls of steel and concrete. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who helped put this case together and to AUSA John Fedock, who carried this case through to the finish line.” 

“Drug traffickers smuggle more than just illegal drugs—they bring violence, fuel crime, and put American lives at risk with every shipment," said DEA San Antonio Field Division Special Agent in Charge Miguel Madrigal. Through the dedicated efforts of DEA San Antonio and its law enforcement partners, thousands of lethal doses of illegal drugs were prevented from reaching San Antonio and communities across the nation. This prosecution is another victory that reflects the DEA’s unwavering commitment to protecting the public, disrupting drug trafficking organizations, and saving American lives.”

“It is our priority to make the community safer, and by removing the leader of a prolific drug trafficking organization, we have gotten one step closer to our goal,” said Daniel Faith, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. "Along with our law enforcement partners, we have been able to disrupt the distribution of drugs throughout our community. Let this be a message that we will not back down from our fight against violent organized crime.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, San Antonio Police Department, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, and Hondo Police Department investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John Fedock prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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DEL RIO, Texas – A Homeland Security Task Force case resulted in a San Antonio woman being sentenced today to 40 years in federal prison for her role in an illegal alien hostage taking conspiracy disrupted by the U.S. Border Patrol Targeting Unit, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, on Aug. 4, 2024, Jailene Marisol Reyes, 28, made a phone call to a man, telling him that his fiancé was being held at Reyes’s house and that if he did not pay a $6,000 ransom, the fiancé would be sold to other people. San Marcos Police Department officers traced the phone number from the man’s phone to Reyes as part of their investigation and requested assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. After a meet-up was arranged between the man and Reyes, TX DPS troopers conducted a traffic stop on Reyes, arresting her and rescuing the hostage. A stolen handgun was also located inside Reyes’s vehicle.

Further investigation revealed that Reyes allegedly worked for Spencer Garnett Demps aka “Chucky” and assisted in the smuggling of illegal aliens into the United States. Reyes also stated that the hostage had been transported to her from Eagle Pass and that, while Reyes expected to be paid, she wouldn’t receive payment until the hostage was released to her family.

Reyes was named in a five-count indictment on May 28, 2025, charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, harboring illegal aliens for profit, conspiracy to commit hostage taking, and hostage taking. She was arrested on June 6, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 5, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking.  During the sentencing hearing the victim in the hostage taking event testified that she was told by the organization that she would be sold or sex trafficked, if her fiancé did not pay the ransom. Ultimately, the fiancé did show up to a predetermined location to pay the $5,000 ransom, but a co-defendant robbed him at gun point and the organization continued to hold the victim until she was rescued.

Co-defendant Jonathan Andre West was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on May 14, 2025. Mario Barrientos Jr. pleaded guilty on Feb. 9, to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking, and Nicholas Sagini Nyaosi both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens. They both remain in custody awaiting sentencing. Spencer Garnett Demps was arrested on Dec. 6, 2024, and remains in custody pending further court proceedings.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Brett Miner prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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A Guatemalan man pleaded guilty today for his involvement in a 2022 mass casualty alien smuggling event in San Antonio, Texas, that resulted in 53 deaths and 11 aliens injured.

“Miranda-Orozco was an important organizer in a complex alien smuggling organization that prioritized profits and endangered people,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case highlights that immigration offenses and alien smuggling have far-reaching impacts. Here, 53 people lost their lives. Targeting those involved in these dangerous crimes and aggressively prosecuting them remains one of the highest priorities of the Department. The Criminal Division and our partners will continue to ensure border security, the orderly administration of our immigration laws, and the protection provided by those laws.”

“Sixty-four people suffered through sweltering Texas heat in the back of a smuggling trailer, leaving less than a dozen survivors clinging to life, all because smugglers like Miranda-Orozco decided profits were worth more than human lives,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This guilty plea is another step toward justice for every one of those 64 and their families, and it sends a clear message that no matter where you attempt to hide, this office, the greater Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners across the government, will find you and hold you accountable.”

“Together, we have ensured that Orozco will face justice for the unimaginable pain and suffering he inflicted on so many people in the name of greed,” said Executive Associate Director John Condon of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Our efforts will undoubtedly prevent further loss of life at the hands of this criminal and will help ensure vulnerable individuals are protected from the dangers of human smuggling.”

According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco conspired with other human smugglers to facilitate the travel of multiple aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States. Miranda-Orozco organized and facilitated the smuggling of multiple aliens for illegal entry into the United States who ended up dying or injured in the back of a tractor trailer that was found in San Antonio on June 27, 2022. The tractor trailer was loaded with 64 aliens and investigators later determined that it had traveled approximately 156 miles from Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio in 90-degree Fahrenheit heat without functioning air conditioning in the trailer. First responders pronounced 48 aliens dead at the scene and five aliens later died at the hospital, totaling 53 deceased. Among the deceased were six juveniles and at least one pregnant woman. Two of Miranda-Orozco’s clients, both illegal aliens from Guatemala, died in the tractor trailer mass casualty incident. According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco admitted that he arranged for the aliens’ transportation and accommodations throughout Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. 

In August 2024, Miranda-Orozco was arrested in Guatemala pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. His arrest was part of a large-scale takedown during which Guatemalan law enforcement executed multiple search and arrest warrants across Guatemala. He was extradited from Guatemala in March 2025. 

Miranda-Orozco pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring an alien into the United States resulting in death; aiding and abetting bringing an alien into the United States resulting in death; and aiding and abetting bringing an alien into the United States resulting in serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8 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.

HSI San Antonio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI Guatemala’s invaluable team members, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the San Antonio Police Department; the San Antonio Fire Department; and the Palestine Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and extradition of Miranda-Orozco and, along with the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), provided crucial assistance in this matter.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney/JTFA prosecutor Jose Luis Acosta for the Western District of Texas, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.

The Justice Department thanks its Guatemalan law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting Miranda-Orozco, and the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office and Anti-Human Smuggling Unit for making the extradition possible.

The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Acting Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.

A Mexican national was sentenced today to five years in prison for smuggling children into the United States from Mexico.  

According to court documents, Manuel Valenzuela, 35, and other members of an alien smuggling organization brought unaccompanied alien children between the ages of five and 13 illegally into the United States from Juarez, Mexico, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events. The drivers and their co-conspirators would then present U.S. documents to inspecting officers falsely claiming the documents belonged to the children, and that they were the parents of the children. Once inside the United States, the children were then transported to El Paso. During one smuggling event, one of the children was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with THC poisoning.

“Needing to sedate children with THC under the guise of giving them candy, shows just how heinous crimes like this are,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Smuggling unaccompanied children into the country, pretending to be their parents, and then lying to U.S. immigration officials shows the lengths to which criminals like this will go to smuggle children across our borders. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will put an end to this conduct.  Protecting children and keeping our borders safe go hand-in-hand.”

“We fight every day in the Western District of Texas to ensure that the people and organizations responsible for heinous crimes like this are brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Criminal organizations like this one would be well advised to think twice before engaging in this type of crime. Our message to them is this: we will find you, we will secure a conviction, and we will ensure you are removed from society for as long as possible.”

“Drug traffickers who exploit children as part of their criminal schemes show total disregard for human life and safety,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan G. McRae of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso. “Using THC-infused candy to facilitate the smuggling of children across the border into the United States is reprehensible and cruel and puts vulnerable minors at serious risk. HSI will relentlessly pursue transnational criminal organizations responsible for these heinous tactics and bring them to justice.”

Valenzuela pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens, three counts of bringing aliens without authorization for financial gain, and one count of aiding and abetting on Nov. 10, 2025. 

HSI El Paso and U.S. Border Patrol led investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. 

Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hines for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).

AUSTIN, Texas – A Kyle man pleaded guilty in a federal court in Austin to embezzling more than $3.2 million from his former employer, Austin Freight Systems (AFS), announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Mitchell David Slentz, 34, was in charge of accounting operations at AFS, overseeing all accounting activities, financial reporting and internal controls, including submitting requests to JP Morgan Chase Bank to make payments to AFS’s vendors. Beginning no later than October 2023 and continuing at least until about March 2025, Slentz fraudulently misappropriated money from AFS through 147 payments, and deposited approximately $3,277,937.35 into his personal bank accounts through the use of interstate wire communications.

Using the criminally derived money, Slentz paid $25,000 on July 24, 2024, and $33,887.83 on Sept. 3, 2024, for student loan debt. Additional fraudulent activities were revealed through financial analyses of several of Slentz’s accounts. Furthermore, Slentz gambled extensively on an online gambling platform, depositing and/or winning more than $1 million through online gambling.

Slentz was charged via information on May 14 and made his initial appearance in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Dustin M. Howell on June 8. On June 29, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived proceeds. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Austin White Collar Crime Task Force investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Somers is prosecuting the case.

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EL PASO, Texas – A federal jury convicted a former U.S. Army civilian contractor in El Paso for stealing more than 200 pallets of Meals-Ready-to-Eat (MREs) valued at approximately $1,120,000, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. The case is being prosecuted in support of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Joseph Lavar Davis, 47, was named along with three other co-defendants in a two-count indictment on Feb. 12, 2025, for conspiracy to commit theft of government property and a substantive count of theft of government property between Feb. 24, 2020, and Aug. 12, 2020.

On Aug. 12, 2020, FBI and Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division agents executed a search warrant at a civilian warehouse in El Paso, where they found about 100 pallets of MREs. The investigation revealed that the owner of the company using the warehouse was purchasing the MREs from individuals who had stolen them from Ft. Bliss. 

Each of the indicted individuals played a role in the scheme, which involved a civilian contractor who knew how to request and pick up the MREs, a soldier to assist in picking up and transporting the MREs, an intermediary between the buyer of the MREs and these two individuals, and the civilian who sold the MREs online.

The investigation showed a scheme involving false paperwork to obtain MREs from Ft. Bliss, truck rentals to transport the MREs, coordination among the co-conspirators to pick up and deliver the MREs, communications and financial transactions between the co-conspirators.

While in the Army, Davis held a position in food service supply where he gained knowledge of the process to obtain MREs. Upon retirement, he was hired into a similar position as a civilian contractor and used that position to exploit the process and steal MREs from Ft. Bliss.

Davis created false requests, rented trucks to transport the MRE pallets, and picked up or arranged for others to pick up the MREs from Ft. Bliss. Davis also coordinated various individuals involved to obtain, deliver, and receive payment for the MREs. Davis both negotiated the sales price and received payment for the MREs.

“Joseph Davis betrayed the very country he once swore to protect in an effort to satisfy his own selfish ambition and a jury of his peers held him accountable for it,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. “Rooting out fraud that undermines our government and our military readiness is a priority of this administration. I want to thank our Assistant U.S. Attorneys, Lori Hughes and Mallory Rasmussen, as well as our support staff and law enforcement partners, for their excellent work in bringing this fraudster to justice. Their dedication resulted in a win for the Western District of Texas, a win for Justice, and a win for the American people.”

"This conviction should send a clear message the FBI and our law enforcement partners at the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division make it a priority to bring to justice those who resort to theft of government property for ill-gotten gain”, said Jarod Brown, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI El Paso Field Office. “We are stronger when we work together to seek justice and will continue to combat these issues through strong partnerships.” 

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lori Hughes and Mallory Rasmussen are prosecuting the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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A Mexican man extradited from Mexico pleaded guilty today for conspiring to smuggle thousands of aliens from multiple countries into the United States for financial gain.   

According to court documents, beginning in November 2020 and continuing through September 2023, Efrain Zuniga-Garcia, 38, of Mexico, and others were part of a vast international alien smuggling organization (ASO) that illegally brought thousands of aliens from Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, and Ecuador into the United States across the border with Mexico. The ASO operated stash houses in Monterrey, Mexico and Piedras Negras, Mexico. A Pakistani smuggler based in Brazil originally contracted with aliens to enter the smuggling venture. In turn, this Brazilian-based smuggler worked with a San Antonio, Texas, based smuggler and an illegal alien from Honduras, Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga, to facilitate travel of the aliens from South America to the United States. Mejia-Zuniga directed operations, as well as paid armed foot guides (“coyotes”), load drivers, and stash house operators, including Zuniga-Garcia. According to court documents, Mejia-Zuniga admitted that the ASO smuggled between 2,500 to 3,000 aliens into the United States in just two years. Mejia-Zuniga stated the organization charged between $6,500 to $12,000 per alien, totaling approximately $16 to $30 million in financial gain. Mejia-Zuniga was sentenced to 10 years in prison in July 2025. Co-defendant Monica Hernandez-Palma, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced to 41 months in prison in May 2026.  

Zuniga-Garcia operated the stash house in Monterrey and coordinated with other members of the ASO to transport aliens to the stash house and then illegally into the United States. Zuniga-Garcia worked with others to house aliens for a period, after which the aliens would be turned over to the “coyotes,” who led them across the U.S.-Mexico border by crossing the Rio Grande River.  

Zuniga-Garcia pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States, bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain, and aiding and abetting. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Zuniga Garcia faces a mandatory minimum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas; and Acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio made the announcement. 

HSI Del Rio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force and U.S. Border Patrol (BP). The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Zuniga-Garcia.

Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case. 

The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.

SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 450 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 12 through June 25, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. 

Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes including assault and homicide, sex crimes against children, thefts, and multiple prior removals.

Among the new cases, convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico, Jose Gilberto Padilla-Yepez, was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Padilla-Yepez has been deported four times, the last one being in August 2022. His lengthy criminal record includes a 1991 homicide conviction and three previous burglary convictions in Dallas, a conviction in Nebraska for theft over $1,500, and a conviction in Arizona for robbery, assault, sexual assault, burglary and kidnapping. 

Also an illegal alien from Mexico, Juan Antonio Gonzalez Escamilla was arrested near Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. In January, Gonzalez Escamilla was convicted of illegal re-entry for the second time and deported for the sixth time immediately after. In addition to the two immigration convictions, Gonzalez Escamilla’s criminal record includes three DWI convictions. 

Martin Flores-Romero was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry near Eagle Pass on June 19. Flores-Romero is an illegal alien from Mexico who was deported for the second time in December 2025. He was convicted three times in 2023: once for tampering with government records, once for assault causing bodily injury, and once for terroristic threat causing imminent fear. 

Pedro Euceda-Aguero, an illegal alien from Honduras, is charged with illegal re-entry after he was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Eagle Pass on June 19. Euceda-Aguero was removed from the U.S. for the fourth time in December 2022. He has been previously convicted of four DWIs as well as escape from custody.

Illegal alien from Mexico, Francisco Javier Perez-Solis, was charged with illegal re-entry in San Antonio. Perez-Solis was encountered at the Atascosa County Jail in Jourdanton after he was arrested for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was transferred to ICE custody on June 24. In addition to the recent assault conviction, Perez-Solis’s criminal history includes three DWI convictions. He has been removed from the U.S. twice, the last being in June 2024.

Jose Humberto Gonzalez Calderon, an illegal alien from Mexico, was found in the Hays County Jail, where he was being held after receiving a deferred adjudication probation for a child grooming charge. He was transferred into ICE custody on June 16. Gonzalez Calderon’s criminal record includes convictions for a DWI and possession of a controlled substance in 2020, and a criminal trespass conviction in 2021. He was removed from the U.S. to Mexico in December 2021.

Carlos Emmanuel Gonzalez-Chavez, also an illegal alien from Mexico found in the Hays County Jail, was serving a sentence for assault causing bodily injury prior to being transferred to ICE custody. In 2025, he was convicted of possession of a controlled substance. Gonzalez-Chavez, who was previously removed from the U.S. in 2019, now faces a federal charge for illegal re-entry. 

U.S. citizen Tony Nefi Deanda was charged with alien smuggling in El Paso. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station apprehended eight undocumented minors near Socorro after the aliens crossed the Rio Grande River and used a ladder to climb over the international boundary fence. An investigation led the agents to identify Deanda as the alleged smuggler in contact with the apprehended aliens. Deanda was later detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry, arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station for further investigation. In 2021, Deanda was convicted of importation of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and sentenced to 37 months in prison.

Michelle Aimee Rivera, also a U.S. citizen and a convicted alien smuggler, was arrested after attempting to enter the U.S. through the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on June 12. At the POE, her prior history of alien smuggling, including smuggling of minors, activated an alert and investigatory hold for her entry into the U.S. The investigation revealed that Rivera had allegedly smuggled a female child into the U.S. through the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry on June 5 using her daughter’s U.S. birth certificate. Rivera also stated, according to a criminal complaint, that she was paid $1,000 to smuggle the child and that she recorded a video of the video to send to a co-conspirator via cell phone, as she had been instructed to do. In 2017, Rivera was convicted of bringing in and harboring aliens and was sentenced to 24 months of probation.

Guadalupe Guerrero is charged with alien smuggling following her arrest on June 18. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station tracked a van from Fabens to El Paso. The van was allegedly identified as being involved in a previous alien smuggling attempt in April. According to a criminal complaint, the agents observed multiple subjects, appearing wet and muddy, exit the van and enter an apartment. Later that morning, agents allegedly observed Guerrero arrive at the apartment in a large SUV. The agents investigated the apartment, which was noted in the complaint as being dirty and unkempt with scattered trash and a foul smell. Inside, the agents allegedly encountered Guerrero with her seven children. Further investigation revealed that Guerrero was allegedly housing illegal aliens and coordinating with a smuggler.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations 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 Kyle man was sentenced in a federal court in Austin to 288 months in prison for three charges related to multiple armed robberies he committed in 2025, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, Yael Williams, 39, used a firearm during robberies at a Subway restaurant and two 7-11 stores in Austin in June and July 2025. In the presence of store employees, Williams took cash and other property by force and by threatening the employees with a .22 caliber revolver. During his robbery of the Subway restaurant, Williams fired several shots at two bystanders, one of whom was attempting to intervene and prevent the robbery.

Williams pleaded guilty in November to one count of discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and two counts of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

“When you pull a gun on someone in this district, you will face serious consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Yael Williams robbed three businesses, shot at bystanders, and, in so doing, showed a callous disregard for human life. Americans cannot make good on the promise of America when they don’t feel safe in the very place in which they live. In the Western District, we’re committed to making our neighborhoods, towns, and cities places where Americans can thrive, not merely survive. The sentence secured in this case shows our commitment to that mission.”

The Austin Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie prosecuted the case.

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AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin man was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Keithrick Carter, 22, was a drug dealer who primarily sold blue “M30” fentanyl pills and marijuana. On March 23, 2023, a 24-year-old male living in Leander was found deceased in his apartment. In the man’s bathroom, Leander Police found an unlabeled pill bottle containing one blue “M30” pill and some marijuana. The autopsy and toxicology determined the cause of death as “drug toxicity: fentanyl.” A review of the deceased man’s phone revealed a text exchange between the victim and Carter.

An investigation by the Austin Police Department confirmed that Carter was dealing fentanyl in the form of blue “M30” pills. Carter was indicted for one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death on May 6, 2025. He was arrested on May 21, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2026. U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman sentenced Carter on June 24. 

“This administration has made clear that protecting Americans from the fentanyl crisis is a national priority, and we are at the front of that fight every day in this district,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Keithrick Carter knowingly sold poison in a pill bottle to a young man in our community. He was held directly responsible for that young man’s death and will now spend the next 20 years of his life in federal prison. However, no measure of manmade justice can assuage the pain felt by the victim’s family in this case. The best we can do is to remove the defendant from society so that he cannot inflict the same level of grief on any other families in our community. I’m proud of AUSA Keith Henneke and our law enforcement partners for making that happen in this case.”

“Fentanyl remains the deadliest drug threat facing our nation, devastating families and claiming the lives of young people across the country,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration San Antonio Division, Miguel Madrigal. “That is why the DEA remains committed to holding those who traffic this deadly substance into our communities accountable and to protecting the safety and well-being of our citizens.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Leander Police Department, and the Austin Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced criminal charges against Christina Charles, 52, in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown. 

Charles is charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and to solicit and receive health care kickbacks in connection with a hospice fraud scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Charles received illegal kickbacks in return for referring patients to multiple San Antonio area hospice companies. Based on those referrals, Charles caused the submission of over $9 million in claims for hospice services that were procured through illegal kickbacks and bribes and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. Medicare paid approximately $3 million based on those claims. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Chung of the Western District of Texas.

“Americans place a lot of trust in their healthcare providers,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “When those in the healthcare field engage in fraudulent conduct, it erodes that trust. Here in the Western District of Texas, we have and will continue to hold providers accountable, both civilly and criminally, when they attempt to defraud federal healthcare programs and steal from the American taxpayer.”

The charges announced by U.S. Attorney Simmons are part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. 

The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: cases in 56 federal districts and 45 U.S. states and territories, with 50 state Medicaid Fraud Control Units participating, the most in Department history. 

In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a previously-charged $1.2 billion telemedicine fraud scheme. 

The Takedown involved the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; the seizure of over $182 million in cash, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and full-spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.   

This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including: 

• Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
• 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
• Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
• 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.

Also, as part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, Ellen B. Duncan, M.D., of Boerne, and her practice entity, Ellen Boyle Duncan, PLLC d/b/a Duncan Medical Group, located in San Antonio, reached a civil settlement in the amount of $3,440,538.65 to resolve allegations that Dr. Duncan: (i) caused the submission of claims to Medicare and TRICARE for injections of Fluid Flow, aka Fluid GF, an amniotic-based product that is considered an experimental, unapproved biologic; and (ii) upon being later informed this product was not eligible for reimbursement, took steps to avoid repayment of the reimbursements. The case was settled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin M. Van De Walle of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit for the Western District of Texas.

In Killeen, Trevor’s Place LLC, an applied behavioral analysis clinic located in Killeen, Texas, agreed to entry of a $430,280.79 civil consent judgment to resolve allegations the company submitted inflated claims for reimbursement to the TRICARE program by misrepresenting and billing for services not provided. The case was settled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Parnham for the Western District of Texas.

Descriptions of each case from Districts across the country involved in the Health Care Fraud enforcement action are available on the Department’s website here.

An indictment, information, or complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – Two illegal aliens from Venezuela were sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to a combined 32 years in prison for sex trafficking of a 16-year-old starting in Colombia and extending to Richmond, Kentucky and San Antonio, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Giannys Alexandra Ramirez-Fernandez, 21, and Nelson Adrian Perez-Martinez, 23, conspired, knowing that a 16-year-old undocumented Venezuelan orphan, would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. 

Ramirez-Fernandez, who was 17 years old at the time, began a relationship with the minor victim when the minor was 13 years old and living with her adopted parents in Colombia. The two crossed illegally into the United States in December 2022. Perez-Martinez, a friend of Ramirez-Fernandez from Venezuela, crossed illegally into the U.S. in December 2023 and joined them. Perez-Martinez and Ramirez-Fernandez traveled with the minor victim from Kentucky to San Antonio for the minor victim to engage in prostitution. Once in San Antonio, an advertisement was posted on personals for commercial sex with the minor victim. All three – Ramirez-Fernandez, Perez-Martinez, and the minor victim – shared in the proceeds from the commercial sex. 

An investigation revealed that, in 2024, Perez-Martinez and Ramirez-Fernandez accompanied the minor to approximately six different motels in San Antonio from July 19 to July 30. The three shared a room at each location, paid for in cash by proceeds from the child’s commercial sex acts.

Perez-Martinez and Ramirez-Fernandez were arrested on July 30, 2024, as part of an ongoing investigation into domestic sex trafficking. An undercover San Antonio Police officer with the Human Exploitation Unit responded to an advertisement posted on a website for escort services. Posing as a customer, the officer contacted the phone number on the advertisement and was instructed to meet at the Studio 6 motel on Pasteur Court in San Antonio. Once the undercover was in the motel room with the minor, the victim agreed to sexual services for a fee, and the officer signaled for the arrest team. Simultaneously, Perez-Martinez and Ramirez-Fernandez were arrested, as they were identified as spotters for the operation.

On Sept. 17, 2025, Ramirez-Fernandez pleaded guilty to three counts: aiding and abetting sex trafficking of children, conspiracy to sex traffic children, and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. On Oct. 1, 2025, federal prosecutors filed a five-count superseding indictment charging Perez-Martinez with aiding and abetting sex trafficking children; aiding and abetting benefitting from sex trafficking children; conspiracy to sex traffic children; aiding and abetting coercion and enticement; and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. A jury found Perez-Martinez guilty on all counts on Feb. 23, 2026. Prior to that, in October, an initial trial for Perez-Martinez resulted in a hung jury.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sentenced Perez-Martinez to 240 months in federal prison and lifetime supervised release. On Tuesday, Judge Biery sentenced Ramirez-Fernandez to 150 months in federal prison.

“We will not abide illegal aliens who come to this country, take advantage of our many freedoms, and then enrich themselves to the detriment of others,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “The illegal alien defendants in this case sought to enrich themselves to the detriment of a child by forcing that child to engage in sex with adult men, and now they’re getting paid exactly what they’re owed: decades in prison.” 

“Human trafficking has no place in the world,” said acting Special Agent in Charge, John A. Pasciucco, HSI San Antonio. “The suffering and abuse endured by the minor victims at the hands of this organization is unconscionable, and these sentences reflect the severity of those crimes. Our agents, analysts, and specialists work tirelessly—both globally and domestically—to pursue traffickers and, most importantly, to rescue victims across the country and around the world,” 

Homeland Security Investigations and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the FBI.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia McNab and Sade Bogart prosecuted the case.

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

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As the result of a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, a brother and sister were both sentenced this week to life in prison and 33 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a large-scale alien smuggling organization (ASO) directly linked to the Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).

“The individuals sentenced today for coordinating these crimes are a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of human trafficking across the southern border,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under this Administration and this Department of Justice, such heinous criminal conduct and collaboration with deadly Mexican cartels will not be tolerated.”

“The reach of Mexican drug cartels does not stop at the border,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This violent, cartel-backed Alien Smuggling Organization operated for years in this country, endangering the lives and livelihood of so many.  This case shows why our goal of eliminating Mexican drug cartels and their affiliates is worthy, necessary, and in the best interest of the American people. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with our HSTF partners, the Western District of Texas will continue to aggressively lead the way.”

“HSI Eagle Pass’s unwavering commitment to justice has resulted in the lengthy imprisonment of two ruthless human smugglers whose actions led to hostage taking and the tragic loss of life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This sentencing sends a powerful message: HSI will never tolerate those who exploit and endanger innocent lives for profit. The success of this HSTF investigation highlights the vital importance of collaboration. Our agents, working closely with dedicated law enforcement partners, dismantled Guzman’s criminal enterprise and ensured they face the full weight of justice. By combining our resources and expertise through the HSTF, we safeguard our communities and bring the most dangerous offenders to justice.”

According to court documents, Edgar Daniel Guzman, 32, of Albertville, Alabama, was a leader/organizer of a Transnational Criminal Organization that operated in Mexico and across the southern United States — including Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas — since at least 2021. Between 2021 and 2026, the ASO committed numerous acts of violence including murder, attempted murder, home invasion, and armed kidnapping. In his role, Guzman coordinated several failed alien smuggling attempts on behalf of the ASO and maintained CashApp accounts that revealed direct ties to co-conspirators and financial transactions connecting to corresponding smuggling events. Guzman pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking. He was sentenced on June 22 to life in prison. 

Guzman’s sister, Jesika Guzman-Garcia, 35, an illegal alien from Guanajuato, Mexico, was one of many co-conspirators in the ASO. She was tied to a smuggling event that resulted in the deaths of the smuggling load driver and two illegal aliens. As in her brother’s case, an investigation revealed that a CashApp account belonging to Guzman-Garcia was linked to several failed human smuggling events within the Western District of Texas. Using the app, Guzman-Garcia made 459 payments to individuals from July 25, 2018, to April 1, 2023, totaling $84,046. Guzman-Garcia pleaded guilty on Aug. 7, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death. She was sentenced on June 23 to 405 months in federal prison.

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Alia Moses for the Western District of Texas sentenced Guzman and Guzman-Garcia and presides over the case. More related sentencings are scheduled in the coming months. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

SAN ANTONIO – A federal jury in San Antonio convicted a Hondo man today of one count of Interstate Threatening Communication, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jay Anthony Villarreal, 25, left his home in Hondo on June 28, 2025, with the intent to carry out an attack in Washington D.C., to overthrow the government. Villarreal was armed with an AR-15 semi-automatic assault weapon, a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, along with extra loaded magazines and multiple boxes of ammunition for each gun. He also possessed in his vehicle a police scanner, binoculars, a Bible, and a copy of the Texas Penal Code. 

As part of his plan to overthrow the government, Villarreal used social media in an effort to solicit military veterans to join him. A friend of Villarreal’s in Maryland saw the social media post on the morning of June 29, 2025, viewed it as potential mass murder situation, and reported it to the FBI. Another of Villarreal’s acquaintances from Hondo was disturbed by the messages and wanted to avert a mass killing so he reported it to the Hondo police. Furthermore, multiple family members and friends sent messages to Villarreal while he was on his drive from Hondo to Washington D.C., prompting him to turn around in the Beaumont area and return home on June 29 at approximately 8:00 pm. Later that day, FBI agents searched Villarreal’s home, resulting in the discovery of two U.S. military smoke grenades—all in addition to the firearms and materials he had in his vehicle.

Villarreal was arrested on July 2, 2025. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery presided over a jury trial that began on June 15, 2026, and resulted in the guilty verdict. A sentencing hearing is currently scheduled for Sept. 21.

“Today, a federal jury found this defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for threatening to carry out a violent attack in our Nation’s capital,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Thankfully, in this case, friends and family members recognized the veracity of the threat and contacted the FBI, preventing what could have been a mass casualty event. Given the darkness that invades the minds of so many, and the prevalence of violent acts committed in the name of politics, it is more important now than ever to say something if you see something. That single decision can lead to a swift response and lives saved, as it did in this case. Special thanks to the FBI and Hondo Police for acting quickly and recognizing the seriousness of the situation.”

“Threats of violence against the U.S. government or the community, particularly when coupled with access to firearms, demand the utmost seriousness,” said Daniel Faith, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “We commend the Hondo Police Department for its swift action and prompt reporting to the FBI. We also would like to thank members of the community who saw something and reported their concerns to law enforcement. This guilty verdict underscores the strength of our coordinated efforts through the FBI San Antonio Joint Terrorism Task Force and makes clear that those who threaten violence will be brought to justice.” 

The FBI-Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the San Antonio Police Department, Hondo Police Department, and UTSA Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Roomberg and Kirk Mangels are prosecuting the case.

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DEL RIO, Texas – As a result of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation, a Big Lake woman was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 288 months in prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. 

According to court documents, on April 4, 2022, Anahi Sanchez, 28, approached the Del Rio Port of Entry driving a Chevrolet Camaro, and applied for entry into the United States from Mexico. Sanchez told the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) that she and her son, who was also in the vehicle, were returning to Big Lake after visiting family in Mexico. The CBPO referred Sanchez to a vehicle inspection, which resulted in the discovery of anomalies in the driver and passenger rear quarter-panels of the vehicle. A subsequent canine inspection resulted in a positive alert for narcotics, and a physical inspection revealed 30 packages hidden in a trap door near the rear driver side and passenger side wheel wells. All of the packages were determined to contain fentanyl, with a gross weight of 18 kilograms. Sanchez was placed under arrest on-site.  

Law enforcement was able to determine that Sanchez was a regular and trusted courier for a transnational criminal organization and that she had crossed the international border numerous times in different vehicles loaded with narcotics.  In total, she was held accountable for approximately 130 kilograms of fentanyl for her role in the criminal conspiracy. It was also determined by law enforcement that she typically took the narcotics to the greater Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Sanchez was named in a five-count indictment on May 4, 2022, and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, conspiracy to import fentanyl, importation of fentanyl, and laundering of monetary instruments. On Dec. 16, 2022, Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

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

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 254 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 5 through June 11, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes including crimes against children, thefts, and multiple prior removals. Across the district, 76 of the charges are for improper entry by an alien, 142 are for illegal re-entry, 20 cases are for alien smuggling, and 13 are for fraud and misuse of visas, permits and related documents.

Among the new cases, four individuals were arrested near Socorro and charged via a criminal complaint with alien smuggling after their alleged smuggling scheme was foiled by U.S. Border Patrol agents on June 7. The complaint alleges that agents located and apprehended eight illegal aliens who admitted they had crossed the Rio Grande River, used a ladder to climb over the international boundary fence, and entered the U.S. without inspection or authorization. During processing at the Ysleta Border Patrol Station, agents observed that one of the illegal aliens had received incoming calls and messages from multiple phone numbers associated with alien smuggling activity. Further investigation led to the location and arrests of Adrian Silvestre Ortiz, Sheyla Carrillo-Aguilar and Veronica Madrid, who were allegedly involved in the planned pickup and transportation of the illegal aliens. An alleged fourth conspirator, Irvin Alonso Guzman Luna, admitted he served as the foot guide for the illegal aliens after they crossed into the U.S., according to the criminal complaint.

U.S. citizen Ashley Villalobos is charged with alien smuggling for allegedly attempting to smuggle two Mexican children from Hidalgo that she picked up at a grocery store in Ciudad Juarez. A criminal complaint alleges that Villalobos stated she was going to be paid $1,500 per child and had smuggled illegal alien minors twice in May.

Raul Oliver Rede-Mendez, an illegal alien from Mexico with a lengthy record of felony convictions, was found at or near Texas State Highway Loop 375, about a half mile west of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry in El Paso. Rede-Mendez has also gone by the names Raul Fierro-Mendez, Juan Rede, and Raul Reyes. He’s been removed from the U.S. four times, the last being in May 2024, following an illegal re-entry conviction. He’s also been convicted of failure to stop at the scene of personal injury, theft by shoplifting, obstructing judiciary/congress/legislature, assault, and more.

Edwin Eberaldo Miranda-Hinojosa, an illegal alien from Bolivia, was arrested in El Paso for allegedly attempting to evade immigration laws by appearing under an assumed or fictitious name. According to a criminal complaint, Miranda-Hinojosa applied for admission into the United States at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry via the pedestrian primary, presenting a counterfeit Border Crossing Card. The complaint alleges that Miranda-Hinojosa initially claimed that the document was his but then stated that he obtained it from another individual and was going to pay $4,000 for it after he entered the U.S. Miranda-Hinojosa was removed from the U.S. in December 2025, following his second DWI conviction within five years. He has also been previously convicted multiple times of assault and battery of a family member.

Javier Granados-Leon, an illegal alien from Mexico with eight prior deportations, was found in the Hays County Jail on June 4. His criminal record includes three convictions for improper entry by an alien, four convictions for illegal re-entry, two DWIs, two failures to identify, two convictions for manufacturing/delivering controlled substances, and one conviction for assault causing bodily injury. Granados-Leon has also gone by the names Miguel Basilio Hernandez and Mondregon-Jaimes. He’s now charged again with one count of illegal re-entry.

On June 5, ICE Enforcement Removal Operations officers responded to assist Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers with a traffic stop on Interstate Highway 35 in New Braunfels. According to a criminal complaint, the driver of the pulled over vehicle was Alejandro Quezada-Mota, an illegal alien from Mexico, who was previously removed from the United States in December 2011. In April 2008, Quezada-Mota was convicted in Harris County of aggravated sexual assault of a child and was sentenced to seven years confinement. He now faces one count of illegal re-entry and, if he’s convicted, up to 20 years in federal prison.

In Del Rio, Santos Rutilio Barahona-Banegas, a convicted felon and illegal alien from Honduras, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Barahona-Rojas has been deported five times, the most recent being in March 2023. His criminal record includes prior convictions of cocaine possession, family violence and child cruelty, illegal re-entry, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.

Also in Del Rio, USBP agents arrested Fernando Omar Aguilar-Gonzalez aka Manuel Aguilar Pena. Aguilar-Gonzalez is an illegal alien from Mexico who has been deported from the U.S. four times, the last being in July 2019. He has been previously convicted of grand larceny, possession of a controlled substance, escape from confinement, and burglary of a habitation. He’s now charged with illegal re-entry. 

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations 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 – An Eagle Pass man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 225 months in prison for his leadership role as an illegal alien stash house operator, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Edgar Alejandro Elizondo aka “Flaco,” 20, was a stash house operator and leader/organizer for a large-scale illegal alien smuggling organization (ASO). A Homeland Security Task Force investigation led by Homeland Security Investigations revealed that Elizondo operated several stash houses in Eagle Pass that fed the organization’s transportation cell, to include tractor-trailer transporting events. In at least one event, Elizondo was personally involved in holding illegal aliens at gun point. 

Additionally, Elizondo was involved in an aggravated hostage-taking event in Houston, whereby the members of the ASO engaged in a daytime shootout in an effort to recover illegal aliens that had been stolen from a stash house operated by Elizondo. 

On April 23, 2025, Elizondo was named in an eight-count superseding indictment. He was arrested on July 25, 2025, and has remained in custody since. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy on Dec. 22, 2025. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.

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

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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EL PASO, Texas – Two Lawful Permanent Residents from Mexico made their initial appearances in a federal court in El Paso this week, facing criminal charges related to their alleged smuggling of illegal aliens, including a minor, from Mexico into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, on June 7, Abraham Romo-Rivera, 39, and Amairani Munoz-Molinar, 29, approached the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in a vehicle and applied for admission into the United States. The vehicle had New Mexico plates, and Romo-Rivera was allegedly the driver of the vehicle. Romo-Rivera was accompanied by multiple passengers, including Munoz-Molinar. A criminal complaint alleges that Romo-Rivera and Munoz-Molinar presented the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer (CBPO) with their Lawful Permanent Resident Cards and Romo-Rivera additionally presented identification documents for two other passengers, declaring them to be his son and daughter. The documents allegedly bore the information of other individuals, and the CBPO noticed that the female passenger attempted to avoid showing her face. 

The CBPO referred the vehicle to secondary inspection, where Romo-Rivera and Munoz-Molinar allegedly maintained that the two passengers were their son and daughter. The CBPO also recognized that the photo on the female’s supposed identification document did not match the female, leading her to allegedly disclose that she was not the person depicted on the I.D. and was a citizen of Mexico.

Further investigation revealed that Romo-Rivera was allegedly going to be paid $10,000 to smuggle illegal aliens into the U.S. During a pat-down search of Munoz-Molinar, a CBPO allegedly located a manila envelope containing the actual Mexican birth certificates and Mexican passports belonging to the two illegal aliens. The male passenger was determined to be a minor.

Romo-Rivera and Munoz-Molinar were arrested and charged with one count of bringing in and harboring aliens. If convicted, they each face 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Van Pelt is prosecuting the case.

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

A criminal 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 – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court to 60 months in prison for trafficking more than 2.5 kilograms of heroin, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. The Drug Enforcement Administration led the Homeland Security Task Force investigation.

According to court documents, from June 28, 2024, to Oct. 15, 2025, Jose Luis Hernandez aka “Chino,” 46, delivered heroin to a buyer three times. Hernandez first delivered 3.4 ounces of heroin as a “sample” to the buyer. Hernandez later delivered 16.4 ounces of heroin and 1.99 kilograms of heroin.  Hernandez coordinated smuggling the heroin into the United States from Mexico.  

Hernandez was charged in a four-count indictment on Oct. 15, 2025. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez presided over the case.

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

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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SAN ANTONIO — Following the recent Justice Department announcement that revealed the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced the local contributions from the two FBI divisions in the Western District of Texas. 

Operation Spring Cleaning is a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.

In the nationwide total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1,100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of nearly 1,000 illegal firearms—dozens of which were equipped with machinegun conversion devices (MCDs)—and more than 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics.

“I applaud our FBI partners across the El Paso and San Antonio divisions, who have led this initiative with the assistance of state and local law enforcement to crack down on the violent crime that infiltrates our communities, ” said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. “It’s operations like this that reinforce the freedom and liberty we have as Americans.”

“During Operation Spring Cleaning, FBI El Paso and our Midland Resident Agency worked alongside our state, local, and federal partners to surge more resources to address threats posed by local gangs towards our neighborhoods,” said Jarod Brown, Special Agent in Charge, FBI El Paso Field Office. “Our gang personnel shared intelligence and participated in operations to dismantle the gang’s ability to inflict violent crime on our community. The FBI's priority is to defend our communities by leveraging our resources to help our partners.” 

“Through Operation Spring Cleaning, the FBI San Antonio Safe Streets Task Force, including the San Antonio Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, took coordinated, sustained action against violent criminal enterprises and the networks that enabled their illicit activities,” said Daniel Faith, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “During one day of this operation, law enforcement seized 24 firearms from a criminal enterprise known to operate in high-traffic commercial areas throughout San Antonio. These efforts demonstrated our joint commitment to dismantling violent criminal organizations and preventing acts of violence in the communities we serve.”

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DEL RIO, Texas – An Eagle Pass man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, on April 17, 2025, Eagle Pass Police Department (EPPD) responded to an incident involving a recording device found in a store dressing room. EPPD identified Reginaldo Gonzalez Jr., 21, as the perpetrator. Gonzalez admitted to placing the recording device in the dressing room to record women while they were undressed. Additionally, Gonzalez admitted that he had child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on his cell phone. 

EPPD contacted Homeland Security Investigations agents the following day. HSI conducted a records check on the National Center for Missing Children (NCMEC) and the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) database for the phone number belonging to Gonzalez. Results revealed that there were three CyberTipline reports associated with the phone number. 

Over the course of the investigation, HSI agents learned that Gonzalez was employed as a pharmacy tech at the store where the recording device was found, and that after his shift on April 17, he went to the fitting room, found a hole in the ceiling, and recorded people changing in the fitting room. He further explained that he recorded additional family members secretly in the bathroom using his cell phone, specifically, a prepubescent minor family member. One video found on Gonzalez’s phone, depicting the nude minor victim, is 24 minutes and 37 seconds long and was saved in a file on Dec. 26, 2024. 

During the investigation, HSI discovered numerous photos and videos of child pornography saved on the Defendant’s device, including an image that depicted a class roster with student ID’s along with several screenshots of school emails. There was a folder labeled “girls” that contained 31 folders with a total of 197 items, which were categorized and identified to belong to several high school students. The login information for 144 Snapchat accounts belonging to several students was saved into the device. Defendant also admitted to having hacked accounts belonging to the students to access their personal photographs and then attempted to anonymously extort them to create CSAM. 

Gonzalez was arrested on April 19, 2025, and has remained in federal custody since. On May 14, 2025, he was indicted on one count of production of child pornography, to which he pleaded guilty on Sept. 29, 2025. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case. 

HSI investigated the case with assistance from EPPD.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

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DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national with legal permanent resident status was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 195 months in prison for conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. 

According to court documents, Armando Garcia-Martinez aka “Leche” aka “El Compadre” aka “Mando,” 43, was a recruiter for the alien smuggling organization that transported a family of illegal aliens from San Antonio to Austin in August 2023. In that event, the family, consisting of a man, a pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child, were taken hostage by the ASO. Defendants sexually assaulted the pregnant woman, threatened to kill the woman’s seven-year-old boy if payments were not made, and they also threatened to sell the woman’s unborn baby if they did not get the money they sought. On July 9, 2023, a relative paid at least $1,000 to the ASO due to the threats made toward the family. Still, the ASO continued to demand payment to different accounts as a condition for the release of the aliens.

Beyond his involvement in this particular smuggling event, Garcia-Martinez’s role in the ASO was to get the illegal aliens to drivers in Eagle Pass who would smuggle the aliens to San Antonio or Austin. On average, Garcia coordinated two to three trips per week for codefendants Juan Antonio Flores and Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez. Generally, Garcia-Martinez picked up the illegal aliens belonging to codefendant Anthony Ballones Jr. near the train tracks in Eagle Pass and took them to codefendants Ambar Obregon and Tomas Estrada-Torres.

Garcia-Martinez was indicted on April 24, 2024, and arrested May 31. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2024.

On Feb. 11, co-defendant Flores was sentenced to 212 months for his role in the case. Co-defendants Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo and Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya were sentenced to 360 months and 180 months in federal prison, respectively. Estrada-Torres was sentenced to 151 months, and Rodolfo Daniel De Hoyos was sentenced to 170 months. Gonzalez, Obregon and Ballones have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.

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

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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DEL RIO, Texas – An Oklahoma man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 360 months in prison for trafficking cocaine from Mexico into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons. The Homeland Security Task Force investigation was led by ICE Homeland Security Investigations.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Jordy Alexander Amaya, 28, approached the Eagle Pass Port of Entry on Sept. 16, 2024. During an inspection of his vehicle, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered approximately 1.9 kilograms of cocaine. Testimony during the trial revealed Amaya had ties to a Texas-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributes methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl. Records also indicate that Amaya previously crossed into the U.S. in a known DTO vehicle in 2022 and 2023.

Amaya was indicted in October 2024 on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, one count of conspiracy to import cocaine, and one count of importation of cocaine. He was convicted of all four counts after a jury trial concluded on August 27, 2025. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and William Golden prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 297 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 29 to June 4, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes and unlawful carrying of weapons, thefts, sex crimes, and multiple prior removals.

In Austin, illegal alien Hilario Benitez-Mondragon was charged with illegal re-entry after being found in the Travis County Jail. According to publicly available Travis County court records, in May, he was convicted of second-degree felony sexual assault and sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication in Travis County’s 299th District Court. He was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in 2014. 

Of the nearly 300 new cases, 172 were filed in Del Rio, including an illegal re-entry charge against Neptaly Reyes-Reyes, an illegal alien from Honduras. U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended Reyes-Reyes near Eagle Pass and discovered that he has been previously deported three times, the last being on March 14, 2025, through Louisiana. Reyes-Reyes is a convicted felon with a criminal record that includes multiple petit theft convictions, third degree grand theft, illegal re-entry, and cocaine possession. 

Miyagui Maclen Aleman Herrera, also an illegal alien from Honduras, was arrested near Eagle Pass on May 30 after being deported for the third time on Feb. 25. Aleman Herrera was previously convicted of indecency with a child by exposure and sentenced in Harris County to two years in prison.

An illegal alien from Nicaragua was also arrested by USBP agents near Eagle Pass. Jimmy Jose Mena-Aleman has been convicted of multiple felonies in Miami, Florida, including carrying a concealed weapon robbery, burglary of a motor vehicle/grand theft, and aggravated battery. He was deported for the second time on Sept. 5, 2024.

In San Antonio, Adolfo Lopez-Alcaraz aka Adolfo Lopez was encountered at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center following his arrest for unlawful carrying of a weapon. Lopez was convicted on May 29 and subsequently transferred to ICE custody on June 1. Lopez now faces a federal charge of illegal re-entry. He was previously removed from the U.S. in November 2019.

Illegal alien from Mexico, Jorge Jesus Cuellar-Ortiz, was charged in El Paso with fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents after he allegedly presented a Texas driver’s license bearing the personal information and photo of another person at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges Cuellar-Ortiz told the U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer that he was an El Paso-born U.S. citizen who was traveling to work construction after visiting family in Mexico. According to the complaint, further inspection resulted in Cuellar-Ortiz admitting his true identity as a Mexican national. The complaint also alleges he had previously lived illegally in the U.S. for 21 years. Cuellar-Ortiz’s criminal record contains two DWI convictions.

Florentino Soto-Esquivel aka Florentino Escobar, an illegal alien from Mexico, was charged with illegal re-entry in Austin. Soto-Esquivel has been removed from the U.S. only one time, but has been previously convicted of assault and four DWIs.

In Austin, illegal alien Hilario Benitez-Mondragon was charged with illegal re-entry after being found in the Travis County Jail. According to publicly available Travis County court records, in May 2026, he was convicted of second-degree felony sexual assault and sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication in Travis County’s 299th District Court. He was previously removed from the U.S. in 2014. 

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations 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 New Mexico man was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso to life in prison for the carjacking, kidnapping and murder of a Las Cruces man, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in December 2023, Brayden Matthew Alvarado, 23, of Vado, New Mexico, carjacked a man before driving him onto Fort Bliss desert property and fatally shooting him in the head with a 12-gauge shotgun. 

On Dec. 13, 2023, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division conducted a crime scene investigation and collected the body of a deceased individual. Two days later, an autopsy identified the individual as Abel Patrick Tarin, who had previously been reported missing by the Las Cruces Police Department and Dona Ana Sheriff’s Office.

Tarin’s vehicle was subsequently located, having been towed and impounded in El Paso. A search of the vehicle resulted in blood evidence and the discovery of a gunshot hole on the interior, as well as several fingerprints belonging to Alvarado. Further investigation led to Alvarado’s arrest on Dec. 22, 2023.

Alvarado was indicted on Jan. 17, 2024. On Aug. 14, 2025, a federal jury found him guilty of kidnapping resulting in death and carjacking resulting in death. The kidnapping conviction carries a mandatory life in prison penalty.

The FBI, Army CID, El Paso Police Department, and Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Rasmussen, Lori Hughes and Patricia Acosta prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in federal court today to 386 months in prison for his role in an armed robbery, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, beginning on or about Dec. 15, 2020, Brian Gonzales, 31, exchanged text messages with co-defendant London Morgan using coded language to coordinate several armed robberies in the San Antonio area. On Dec. 17, 2020, Morgan traveled from Dallas to the San Antonio area and robbed a store clerk at gunpoint with Gonzales’s cousin, Kevin Gonzales. The next morning, Morgan dropped off Kevin Gonzales and another individual at a San Antonio gas station, where they committed a second armed robbery. They followed that with a third armed robbery at a pawn shop later that morning.

Beginning on Dec. 27, 2020, Morgan corresponded with Gonzales and another conspirator, Christopher Harrell, to plan several additional armed robberies in the area. Morgan, Harrell, and Kevin Gonzales then committed armed robberies on three pawn shops on Dec. 28 and 29, 2020.

Morgan and Harrell were named in a 13-count indictment in August 2022. Brian and Kevin Gonzales were both named in a 13-count superseding indictment on Oct. 4, 2023. Brian Gonzales pleaded guilty on Sept. 11, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and four counts of aiding and abetting brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam sentenced Gonzales to 50 months for count one—to run concurrent to his current state imprisonment—and 84 months for each of the other four counts.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Yuen prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – An illegal alien from Cuba pleaded guilty in federal court today to labor trafficking after he helped smuggle three Cuban women into the U.S. and forced them to work in strip clubs across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Yoirlan Tome-Rojas, 46, helped bring three adult females from Cuba to the U.S. by paying for their flights, drivers, hotels, and the coyotes who smuggled them across the U.S.-Mexico border. Tome-Rojas charged the women a travel debt up to $50,000 each and forced them to work in strip clubs seven days a week. Throughout the months the women were in his custody, he transported them to Indiana, Detroit, Michigan, and San Antonio for them to work in various clubs.

Tome-Rojas required the women to provide him with all of their earnings and prohibited them from leaving or ending their work until their respective travel debts were paid off. He continually added the cost of food, clothes, shelter, transportation, and more to the women’s travel debts. 

Two of the women were with Tome-Rojas for approximately three months and, according to Tome-Rojas only paid approximately $1,000 toward their debt. Throughout their victimization, the women feared for their own safety and for the safety of their families in Cuba. 

Tome-Rojas pleaded guilty to three counts of labor trafficking. Each count holds a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia McNab and Karina O’Daniel are prosecuting the case.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 350 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 22 to May 28, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DWIs, violent crimes, burglary, patronizing prostitution, and multiple prior removals.

Among the new cases, 172 were filed in Del Rio, where Jeremias Perez-Ramirez, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents and charged with illegal re-entry. Perez-Ramirez was recently deported for the fourth time in February. A felon, his criminal record contains three DWI convictions, two convictions for driving with a suspended or invalid license, and unlawful restraint.

USBP agents also arrested convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico, Martin Roman-Barrera. Roman-Barrera was last deported in 2014, after he was convicted of aggravated battery in a public place and sentenced to three years of confinement. Prior to that, he was convicted of two DUI misdemeanors and driving on a suspended or revoked license.

In El Paso, federal prosecutors filed 152 new immigration cases, including an illegal re-entry charge against Ecuadorian national Luis Oswaldo Zhagui-Zhagui. Zhagui-Zhagui was removed from the U.S. for the third time in September 2025. In November 2021, his license was revoked after being convicted of his second DWI. 

A Midland-Odessa man was arrested near Fort Hancock and charged with alien smuggling. USBP agents pulled over a blue Mazda CX-5 on Interstate-10 Westbound at mile marker 78. A criminal complaint alleges that the vehicle was driven by Eduardo Zepeda, who was transporting five illegal aliens. Zepeda had allegedly received a call at home from a friend in Mexico, recruiting him to pick up the illegal aliens and transport them to a hotel in El Paso for $500 per person.

In San Antonio, Mexican national Gaspar Rodriguez-Garcia was transferred into ICE custody from the Bexar County Adult Detention Center, where he had been serving a three-year sentence for his third DWI conviction. Rodriguez-Garcia has twice been convicted of illegal re-entry. He now faces an illegal re-entry charge for the third time.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations 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 – Two Californians made their initial appearances in Del Rio for a number of drug-related charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and Xanax resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to an indictment filed April 22, Bertha Alisia Romo, 30, of Colton, and Rhemi Raymond Hernandez, 25, of Fontana, possessed and distributed at least 50 grams of Dihydrohydroxycodeinone, also known as oxycodone, and at least one kilogram of Alprazolam, otherwise known as Xanax, both of which resulted in the death of a purchaser. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy began in February 2023 and continued through the date of indictment. 

Also during the timeframe outlined in the indictment, Romo and Hernandez allegedly conspired to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. They were arrested in California on April 30 and first appeared before a magistrate judge in the Central District of California before being transferred to the Western District of Texas.

Romo and Hernandez are both charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone resulting in death; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Xanax resulting in death; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, Romo and Hernandez face up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh 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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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to bribe the Bexar County Sheriff in an attempt to obtain a Bexar County towing contract, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Muhammad Choudary, 78, owned and had operational control over a vehicle towing and heavy-duty recovery business which operated within Bexar County. On or about March 28, 2025, Bexar County solicited bids for towing and wrecking services for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Bexar County Constable Offices. Choudary used an associate, co-conspirator Anwar Tahir, as a middleman. 

During an April 16, 2025 lunch meeting set up by Tahir, Choudary and Tahir told the Bexar County Sheriff that they would pay the Sheriff $30,000 to use his position to award the Bexar County towing contract to Choudary’s company. The following day, the Bexar County Sheriff reported the bribery attempt to FBI.

The FBI then introduced an intermediary posing as a representative of the Sheriff. At an ensuing lunch meeting, Tahir, on behalf of Choudary, offered to pay the Bexar County Sheriff, through the representative, $10,000 upfront plus a payment of $25,000 a year for the life of the contract, in exchange for the Sheriff’s assistance in awarding the towing contract to Choudary’s company. 

Choudary pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and faces up to five years in federal prison. Tahir pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge on March 31. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case.

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

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WASHINGTON — The Justice Department today announced that San Antonio-based tow company Vehicle Management Solutions, Inc. (VMS) will pay $280,000 to resolve allegations that the company illegally sold or scrapped approximately 93 vehicles owned by U.S. servicemembers in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

“When members of our Armed Forces are called to fight for our country, they should not have to return home to find that their car has been illegally sold. Towing companies must comply with federal laws that protect servicemembers or face serious consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice stands with our men and women in uniform and will vigorously defend their rights under the law.”

“The Western District of Texas is proud to be home to countless military members and their families, as well as many veterans of our Armed Forces. Deploying is hard enough. Worrying about the safety and security of one’s personal property while deployed is a concern no member of our military should carry,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “In the Western District of Texas, we will always fight for those that fight for us, both while they are home and while serving our country overseas. This case is an example of our resolve and commitment to that mission.”

The Department alleges that VMS engaged in a pattern or practice of auctioning or otherwise disposing of vehicles owned by SCRA-protected servicemembers without obtaining the required court orders. The Department began investigating VMS after receiving a complaint from a servicemember whose vehicle was towed and auctioned by VMS in 2024 while he was serving on an overseas deployment in Kosovo.

The SCRA is a federal law that provides a variety of financial and housing protections to members of the U.S. military. The law prohibits a towing company from selling a vehicle owned by an SCRA-protected servicemember unless the company first obtains a court order authorizing the sale.

Under the settlement, VMS will pay $220,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. VMS will also pay a $60,000 civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury and will be required to make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.

The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $489 million in monetary relief for over 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

Note: Read the settlement here.

The Justice Department today announced that San Antonio-based tow company Vehicle Management Solutions Inc. (VMS) will pay $280,000 to resolve allegations that the company illegally sold or scrapped approximately 93 vehicles owned by U.S. servicemembers in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

“When members of our Armed Forces are called to fight for our country, they should not have to return home to find that their car has been illegally sold. Towing companies must comply with federal laws that protect servicemembers or face serious consequences,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice stands with our men and women in uniform and will vigorously defend their rights under the law.”

“The Western District of Texas is proud to be home to countless military members and their families, as well as many veterans of our Armed Forces. Deploying is hard enough. Worrying about the safety and security of one’s personal property while deployed is a concern no member of our military should carry,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “In the Western District of Texas, we will always fight for those that fight for us, both while they are home and while serving our country overseas. This case is an example of our resolve and commitment to that mission.”

The Department alleges that VMS engaged in a pattern or practice of auctioning or otherwise disposing of vehicles owned by SCRA-protected servicemembers without obtaining the required court orders. The Department began investigating VMS after receiving a complaint from a servicemember whose vehicle was towed and auctioned by VMS in 2024 while he was serving on an overseas deployment in Kosovo.

The SCRA is a federal law that provides a variety of financial and housing protections to members of the U.S. military. The law prohibits a towing company from selling a vehicle owned by an SCRA-protected servicemember unless the company first obtains a court order authorizing the sale.

Under the settlement, VMS will pay $220,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. VMS will also pay a $60,000 civil penalty to the U.S. Treasury and will be required to make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.

The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $489 million in monetary relief for over 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.

Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.

Note: Read the settlement here.

DEL RIO, Texas – A Grand Prairie man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 240 months in prison for his involvement in a failed human smuggling event, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, Van Donovan Brown aka “Sledge,” 31, was actively recruiting load drivers, particularly on Facebook, for an alien smuggling organization while living abroad in Colombia and facilitated an April 2023 smuggling attempt through a WhatsApp group chat. Records also indicated that Brown submitted multiple CashApp payments to co-conspirator John Klotz aka “Remy.”

Brown was indicted on Oct. 2, 2024, with co-defendant Cameron Alexander Ford. Ford was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison on March 4, and Klotz, who was sentenced to 72 months on May 1. A fourth defendant, Jeffrey Ray Jilpas, was arrested Feb. 20, and is currently awaiting hearings set for next month. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presides over the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

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DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted a Sureno gang member this week for possession of child pornography and failure to appear, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in February 2020, ICE Homeland Security Investigations received a Cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which revealed that a Google account had uploaded six videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to a Google Drive in January 2020. HSI agents reviewed the videos and confirmed they contained CSAM. The email account and its corresponding phone number belonged to Samuel Sandoval Chavez, 42. A search warrant for the Google account further revealed that Sandoval had searched terms included “cute teenage Latino boys” and “teen boyfriend.”

HSI found additional videos of child pornography saved on Sandoval’s account under a folder labeled with the “devil” emoji. HSI executed a search warrant on Sandoval’s home and retrieved a cell phone containing 71 images of child pornography and 82 images of child erotica. 

Sandoval was indicted and subsequently arrested in Idaho, where the district judge granted release pending trial and ordered Sandoval to appear in the Western District of Texas for initial appearance, a hearing at which Sandoval failed to appear. Sandoval had instead fled to Mexico and was later apprehended at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry in April 2025. 

At trial, defense attorneys argued that Sandoval did not knowingly possess the material because it came from a WhatsApp group chat and automatically downloaded to his phone. The evidence, however, showed that the material was not merely passively downloaded. A forensic review of Sandoval’s phone revealed cached data showing that he personally opened the images and videos. Given the strength of the government’s case, the jury returned a swift 30-minute guilty verdict. 

ICE HSI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Amy Greenbaum are prosecuting 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

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SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 319 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from May 15 to May 21, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for numerous DUIs, violent crimes, burglary and multiple prior removals.

Among the new cases, 110 were filed in El Paso, where convicted felon Martha Lopez, of Socorro, was charged with alien smuggling. A criminal complaint alleges Lopez had arranged to pick up a group of four illegal aliens in the early morning hours of May 19 near the intersection of Angus Drive and Carablanca Drive. She allegedly fled at a high rate of speed as law enforcement vehicles responded. A U.S. Border Patrol agent conducted a traffic stop and Lopez was placed under arrest. Later that morning, USBP agents allegedly located two illegal aliens at Lopez’s residence, which had previously been identified as a possible stash house. In 2005, Lopez was convicted for voluntary manslaughter and child cruelty.

Yvette Yarelli Vasquez also faces human smuggling charges. Vasquez is the girlfriend of previously convicted alien smuggler Yovani Garcia-Cruz. A criminal complaint alleges Vasquez was aware of Garcia-Cruz’s most recent alleged involvement in alien smuggling and the money he was receiving. The complaint also alleges agents discovered proof of life videos and messages sent to Vasquez by Garcia-Cruz. Further investigation allegedly revealed a proof of life video depicting a female child saying she was in El Paso. Another video of the child allegedly shows the tattooed hand of Vasquez providing food for harbored children.

Convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico Osiel Alfonso Marroquin-Morales was found nearly five miles west of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. He’s been removed from the U.S. to Mexico twice, the last being on July 9, 2025. In 2014, Marroquin-Morales was convicted of  a DUI, operating a motor vehicle without a license, and obstructing an officer in Tampa, Florida, for which he was sentenced to 45 days of confinement. In 2014, he was convicted in Indiana for causing death and serious injury while operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Juan Santiago-Alavez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was found approximately half a mile west of the Tornillo Port of Entry. He was previously deported for the second time on Nov. 11, 2025, and has six DUI convictions in his criminal record, along with convictions for domestic battery, false imprisonment, violating a court order, and vandalism. He now faces a charge for illegal re-entry.

In Del Rio, where 173 of the district’s new immigration cases were filed this week, Mexican national Juan Manuel Escareno-Anguiano was charged with illegal re-entry having been deported for the seventh time on Dec. 18, 2025. Escareno-Anguino’s lengthy criminal history includes three burglary convictions, escape from custody, and two convictions for re-entry after deportation.

Convicted felon and illegal alien from Mexico Luis Baena-Olivares was arrested near Del Rio for illegal re-entry. He was most recently deported for the sixth time on Oct. 15, 2025. Additionally, Baena-Olivares has been granted seven voluntary returns, the last one being in 2002. His criminal record of five felonies contains two illegal re-entry convictions along with convictions of robbery, kidnapping and evading arrest.

Mexican national Juan Pablo Bermudez-Cueto was arrested near Del Rio and charged with illegal re-entry. In December 2020, he was convicted in Kansas of kidnapping and inflicting bodily injury. For those convictions, Bermudez-Cueto was sentenced to 59 months imprisonment and then removed from the U.S. in April 2024.

Fidel Rodriguez-Herrera, an illegal alien from Mexico, was stopped by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers on May 14 for an alleged traffic violation in San Antonio. ICE Enforcement Removal Operations assisted and, according to a criminal complaint, Rodriguez-Herrera was taken into custody without incident. A review of his criminal record revealed an extensive criminal history from 1987 to 2011 and includes DUI, assault causing bodily injury, and failure to identify, along with multiple convictions for illegal re-entry.

In Austin, Marlon Ramirez-Castro, an illegal alien from Honduras, was transferred into ICE custody after being found in the Travis County Jail, where he was jailed for evading arrest. Ramirez-Castro was last removed from the U.S. to Honduras in 2016, after being convicted of bulk cash smuggling. Additionally, Ramirez-Castro has been convicted of DWI, terroristic threat, and two assaults causing bodily injury.

Mexico national Pedro Valadez-Galindo was also found in the Travis County Jail, after being arrested for assault of a pregnant person. He was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in 2009 following a conviction for possession of a controlled substance. 

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.

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

Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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WACO, Texas – Two Troy men were arrested on criminal charges related to their alleged Hobbs Act violations, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, Colton Carter, 20, and Donivan Bynum, 18, are alleged to have been involved in an armed robbery that resulted in the death of a Salado man on May 5. A criminal complaint alleges that Carter’s phone, obtained as part of the investigation, contained implicating messages and phone calls that led detectives to believe he had set up the robbery. The complaint further alleges Bynum was with Carter as the look out.

Carter and Bynum were arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Temple Police Department, Milam County Sheriff’s Office, and Belton Police Department.

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

A criminal 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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DEL RIO, Texas – A former U.S. Border Patrol Agent pleaded guilty in a federal court in Del Rio today to defrauding the U.S. government by spending his official duty hours running a personal business while submitting time cards and collecting bi-weekly government paychecks, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons, in support of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

According to court documents, in addition to being a USBP agent, Ramon Heriberto Cerda Jr., 41, of Eagle Pass, owned and operated a business known as El Eagle Mail. On multiple dates in February and March 2025, Cerda was observed at his residence during scheduled work hours despite his duties requiring him to be in the field.

To further observe Cerda’s activities, the FBI installed two surveillance cameras beginning on April 22, 2025, one providing a view of his home and the other providing a view of the El Eagle Mail business, located approximately 15 to 20 minutes away. Between April 22 and June 28, 2025, surveillance showed Cerda remained at his residence until approximately 2pm on weekdays, before traveling to the El Eagle Mail business where he remained until after 4pm. During the same time period, he submitted bi-weekly timecards reflecting that he worked for the USBP from 6am to 4pm, claiming a total of 399.58 hours of pay between April 22 and June 28, 2025. He received approximately $17,724.74 in pay for those reported hours.

In addition to the surveillance video, the FBI obtained cell site location data for both Cerda’s government issued phone and his personal phone. Analysis of the data also indicated Cerda was located at or near his residence during work hours and showed a lack of activity consistent with traveling to the Eagle Pass USBP station to pick up a government vehicle for his assigned transportation duties. Additional investigative methods also corroborated the surveillance video.

Cerda was indicted in October 2025 for four counts of wire fraud, four counts of false statement or representation made to an agency or department of the United States, and three counts of receiving stolen government money or property. Pleading guilty to one count of wire fraud, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II is prosecuting the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

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