Western District of Texas

WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was found guilty in a federal bench trial in Waco on Monday. Hugo Moreno-Mendez, 41, was sentenced to time served for one count of willful failure to register and one count of failure to provide DNA.

According to court documents, Moreno-Mendez was convicted of a state crime for unlawful installation of a tracking device on Sept. 26, 2024, and was sentenced to 180 days of confinement. He was taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on March 13, and charged with willful failure to register. Moreno-Mendez refused to comply with immigration officers and the standard procedures of submitting fingerprints and a DNA sample, adding the second count for failure to provide DNA. He has remained in federal custody since his arrest in March and will now be processed for removal.

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

ICE investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 232 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 8 through 14.

Two Mexican nationals were arrested in Seguin on Aug. 8, when they were caught allegedly transporting 137 kgs of methamphetamine and 7.5 kgs of heroin. A Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office K9 deputy conducted a traffic stop on Roberto Moreno-Rangel and Martin Gomez-Cisneros near the intersection of Highway 90 and Interstate Highway 10. After the two individuals allegedly provided conflicting stories to the deputy, the K9 conducted an open-air sniff inspection of the vehicle and allegedly alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics on the rear driver side fender well area of the vehicle. Further investigation of the vehicle allegedly revealed 48 bundles concealed in an aftermarket compartment. 47 of the bundles were allegedly found to contain methamphetamine, while the remaining bundle allegedly contained heroin. Charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, Moreno-Rangel and Gomez-Cisneros each face 10 years to life in prison, if convicted.

Among the new cases, Mexican national Heriberto Monsivais Lopez aka Erik Lopez, was arrested in San Antonio as part of an investigation into firearms trafficking to Mexico. On Wednesday, Homeland Security Investigations agents, along with officers from the Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, allegedly observed Monsivais Lopez sell two 9mm pistols and 28.93 g of suspected cocaine. He was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico on March 14, 2019. Monsivais Lopez is charged with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years imprisonment.

Salvadoran national Samuel Chulo-Aguilar was charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio, having been previously deported in 2012 through Phoenix, Arizona. In 2007, Chulo-Aguilar was sentenced to six years in prison following a conviction in Los Angeles, California, for lewd acts with a child under 14.

In Austin, Honduran national Jose Carcamo-Santos was taken into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody after he was arrested during a traffic stop by TX DPS on Aug. 9. Carcamo-Santos is charged with illegal re-entry and has been removed from the U.S. seven times between 2004 and 2022. He’s been thrice convicted for illegal re-entry and has three other convictions for controlled substance charges. 

Rosell Bladimir Ortiz-Garcia, also a Honduran national, was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Ortiz-Garcia has been deported seven times, the last one being on Feb. 26, after being convicted for assault causing bodily injury.

Victor Aaron Vargas-Leon, a Mexican national, was arrested near El Indio on Aug. 10 and charged with transporting illegal aliens. A criminal complaint alleges that Border Patrol agents found three illegal aliens and another deceased individual in the brush. Vargas-Leon was allegedly determined to be a foot guide for the group.

In El Paso, Mexican national Victor Hugo Lopez-Murillo was allegedly found in a storm drain just over a mile west of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry. He is charged with illegal re-entry, having been previously removed from the U.S. four times, the last time being in February following a felony conviction for trespassing in a habitation.

Mexican national Jorge Santillan-De La Cruz was arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry after he allegedly applied for admission into the U.S., presenting himself as a U.S. citizen who had lost his documents in Mexico. Customs and Border Protection officers found that Santillan-De La Cruz had previously been removed from the U.S. for the fourth time in March. Additionally, he has been convicted five times for theft and burglary offenses and twice for illegal re-entry.

Raul Robledo, a U.S. citizen, was charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after allegedly being observed acting as a look-out during a failed alien smuggling scheme in El Paso on Aug. 4. A criminal complaint alleges that, during the scheme, Border Patrol agents responded to subjects exiting a storm drain and observed multiple vehicles suspected of being involved in the smuggling operation. One subject was allegedly observed lifting the storm drain grate, then dropping it, injuring a female subject who was later transported to a hospital with finger amputations and a head injury. Border Patrol agents located four additional illegal aliens inside the storm drain. Further investigation revealed that Robledo had allegedly fled the scene and had served as a look-out on three other occasions.

Mexican national Luis Heriberto Baca-Baca was arrested while crossing the Rio Grande River with nine other individuals determined to be in the U.S. illegally. Baca-Baca allegedly served as the foot guide for the group and had been observed entering the U.S. illegally with a group of 14 individuals the day prior.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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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SAN ANTONIO – A Texas Mexican Mafia gang leader was sentenced today to 25 years in federal prison for his role in a meth trafficking conspiracy.

According to court documents, David Botello, aka Torito, aka Bully, aka Bully-Man, 54, of San Antonio, was a “lieutenant of lieutenants” in the Texas Mexican Mafia throughout the course of a Drug Enforcement Administration-led investigation that began in July 2020. On or about July 28, 2020, Botello was arrested by San Antonio Police during a traffic stop after officers discovered he was driving without a license. Botello was also found to be in possession of approximately 150 grams of methamphetamine, nine new cell phones, and $585. Further investigation revealed Botello was conspiring with other members of the Texas Mexican Mafia to possess and distribute large quantities of methamphetamine.

On April 21, 2021, Botello was charged in three counts of a 14-count indictment that included 11 co-defendants. Along with two charges related to meth trafficking, Botello was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He had previously been convicted for murder and aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.

Botello pleaded guilty on Dec. 11, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine.

“This investigation demonstrates our office's commitment to dismantling criminal organizations in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “As a leader of the Texas Mexican Mafia, Botello was responsible for the distribution of large quantities of methamphetamine in San Antonio, enriching himself and his fellow gang members to the detriment of so many of our fellow citizens. We are thankful for the outstanding collaboration of our federal, state and local partners in this case, which coalesced around the common cause of bringing this murderer and gang member to justice. In the Western District of Texas, this is what we do.”

The DEA, FBI, San Antonio Police Department’s Gang Unit, Bexar County Sheriff’s Department, Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Yuen 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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SAN ANTONIO – A Frio County man was sentenced in federal court to 235 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, Joe Corona, 34, sold a package containing 486 grams of pure methamphetamine for $2,850 on March 3, 2021. Drug Enforcement Administration agents and Frio County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at Corona’s residence on April 23, 2021, discovering 67.7 grams of pure methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and a .38 caliber revolver, .38 special ammunition, and a box of .357 magnum ammunition. Further investigation revealed that Corona had worked for a drug trafficking organization, transporting methamphetamine from Mexico into the U.S., and was paid $1,500 per trip.

Corona was originally arrested on state charges by the Texas Department of Public Safety on Sept. 28, 2021. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 20, 2021, and transferred into federal custody on Jan. 25, 2022. Corona pleaded guilty to a superseding information on May 9, 2025, and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jason K. Pulliam on Aug. 13.

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

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Frio County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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A Honduran national was sentenced today to over 18 years in prison for participating in an international drug trafficking conspiracy.

“Working with Belizean authorities, the Justice Department dismantled a major international drug trafficking operation before more than a ton of cocaine could be transported internationally,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Transnational criminal networks that move vast quantities of narcotics pose a direct threat to the safety and health of the American people. Through strong coordination with our foreign partners, we continue to attack the problem before narcotics cross our borders.”

“This case is proof that there is no safe haven for those who poison our communities from abroad,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “A ton of cocaine was stopped before it could ever reach our streets, and a key player in that operation will now spend years behind bars. DEA will continue to hunt down cartel operatives wherever they are — from remote airstrips to the highest levels of their networks — and we will bring them to justice.”

According to court documents, Carlos Humberto Henriquez Gomez, 57, of San Pedro Sula, Honduras, was a member of a transnational drug trafficking organization that used a U.S.-registered aircraft to transport more than a ton of cocaine from Venezuela to Belize.

Henriquez Gomez played a key role in planning and carrying out the operation. In 2018, he traveled to Belize to inspect a clandestine airstrip for suitability to land a narcotics-laden aircraft. In 2019, he returned to prepare the airstrip for arrival, then assisted in offloading the cocaine for transport within Belize. Authorities intercepted the aircraft and a vehicle carrying the narcotics, seizing more than 1,300 kilograms of cocaine.

The DEA Orlando District Office investigated the case. The Belize Police Department’s Anti-Narcotics Unit and DEA Belize provided critical assistance. Henriquez Gomez’s capture and transfer to Washington, D.C., were made possible thanks to key coordination between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

Trial Attorneys Douglas Meisel and Colleen King of the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood. 

DEL RIO, Texas – Kenneth Wayne Mulkey, a former high school teacher and coach in Sabinal, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to court documents, on Oct. 11, 2024, Kenneth Wayne Mulkey, 43, used the social media application Snapchat to ask another user for their age, sex and location. After the user identified themselves as a 14-year-old boy living in Orlando, Florida, Mulkey stated that he was a 40-year-old football and track coach. Mulkey then requested a sexually explicit photo of the minor. According to the geolocation information contained within Mulkey’s cell phone, Mulkey was within 40 meters of Sabinal High School at the time he sent these initial messages.  The following day, Mulkey sent a sexually graphic photo of himself to the user. Mulkey asked questions and volunteered information to the minor that was sexually explicit in nature. He was arrested Jan. 31.

Mulkey faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case, with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Ekua Assabill 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 231 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Aug. 1 through 7.

Among the new cases, an Ecuadorian national was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. The defendant, Christian Patricio Murillo-Orellana, was previously deported to Ecuador on April 22 through Alexandria, Louisiana. Murillo-Orellana is a convicted felon, sentenced in 2024 to 195 days confinement for unlawful possession of a weapon and simple assault in Plainfield, New Jersey.

A Honduran national with a prior felony conviction was also arrested by USBP and charged with illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Leo Dan Olivera-Hernandez was previously deported to Honduras on Nov. 8, 2024. He was convicted in March 2022 for first degree burglary in Raleigh, North Carolina and sentenced to 44-65 months in prison.

In El Paso, Mexican national Isreal Garcia-Ibarra was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was located nearly five miles east of the Ysleta Port of Entry. Garcia-Ibarra was previously removed to Mexico for the second time on April 5 through Nogales, Arizona, following a March conviction for domestic battery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Jorge Alberto Lopez-Casique, also a Mexican national, was allegedly found trying to hide in the Chihuahuita Park near the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry on Wednesday, Aug. 6, after being deported from the U.S. to Mexico on July 21 through Del Rio. Prior to that removal, on June 20, Lopez-Casique was convicted in Dallas and sentenced to six months confinement for two felonies—theft from person and kidnapping.

Multiple illegal aliens were arrested this week for charges related to alleged human smuggling schemes involving storm drains. In one case, Andres Castaneda-Luna was one of seven illegal aliens who El Paso Police officers allegedly observed exiting a storm drain on Aug. 1. According to a criminal complaint, Castaneda-Luna has worked with an alien smuggling organization as a foot guide for approximately two years and, on this occasion, was smuggling a group of illegal aliens through the storm drain tunnel for $100 per person. Immigration records indicate Castaneda-Luna had been granted a voluntary return out of the U.S. on Oct. 30, 2023.

On Aug. 4, USBP agents allegedly observed two individuals attempting to pry open a grate connected to a storm drain a mile and a half east of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry in El Paso. A criminal complaint alleges that the individuals were identified as Javier Obregon-Flores and Jorge Solis-Soto, and both were determined to be Mexican nationals. The complaint alleges that Obregon-Flores became combative with the agents and attempted to flee on foot toward Mexico. Both were placed under arrest and charged with human smuggling conspiracy. The complaint alleges that Obregon-Flores and Solis-Soto were working with a smuggler and worked together with the intent of cutting rebar to further facilitate smuggling of illegal aliens.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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 – Multiple violent offenders in the U.S. illegally were sentenced to federal prison in Austin this week.

Nery Flores-Flores, of Mexico, was sentenced to 65 months in prison for illegal re-entry. Flores-Flores was arrested by the Kinney County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 9, 2024, for criminal trespass and evading arrest near Brackettville. He was remanded into federal custody on Feb. 21 and pleaded guilty May 12. Flores-Flores had previously been removed from the U.S. four times and granted two voluntary returns. He has also prior convictions for illegal re-entries, felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic violence/battery, and grand theft auto.

Mexican national Angel Mireles-Maldonado was sentenced to 51 months after he was encountered at the Travis County Jail in October 2024. He had been arrested and convicted for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and sentenced to 10 months. Prior to that, he had been convicted of three DWIs and assault causing bodily injury. Additionally, Mireles-Maldonado has been convicted of illegal re-entry twice before and removed from the U.S. four times.

Angel Navarro-Miranda, also a Mexican national, was sentenced to 12 months and one day for illegal re-entry. He was encountered at the Travis County Jail on March 12 after being arrested for DWI, collision involving damage. Prior to his arrest in March, Navarro-Miranda had been convicted of DWI four times between August 2000 and May 2009. He had previously been removed from the U.S. in September 2010.

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

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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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EL PASO, Texas – An active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Bliss was arrested today in El Paso on criminal charges of attempted transmission of national defense information to a foreign adversary and attempted export of controlled technical data without a license.

According to court documents, Taylor Adam Lee, 22, holds a Top Secret (TS) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance. From approximately May 2025 through the present, Lee sought to establish his U.S. Army credentials and send U.S. defense information to Russia’s Ministry of Defense. In June 2025, Lee allegedly transmitted export-controlled technical information on the M1A2 Abrams Tank online and offered assistance to the Russian Federation, stating, “the USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” and added, “At this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian federation when I’m there in any way.”

In July, at an in-person meeting between Lee and who he believed to be a representative of the Russian government, Lee allegedly passed an SD card to the individual. Lee proceeded to provide a detailed overview of the documents and information contained on the SD card, including documents and information on the M1A2 Abrams, another armored fighting vehicle used by the U.S. military, and combat operations. Several of these documents contained controlled technical data that Lee did not have the authorization to provide. Other documents on the SD card were marked as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and featured banner warnings and dissemination controls. Throughout the meeting, Lee stated that the information on the SD card was sensitive and likely classified.

During and after the July meeting, Lee discussed obtaining and providing to the Russian government a specific piece of hardware inside the M1A2 Abrams tank. On July 31, 2025, Lee delivered what appeared to be the hardware to a storage unit in El Paso. After doing so, Lee sent a message to the individual he believed to be a representative of the Russian government stating, “Mission accomplished.”

Lee was arrested Wednesday morning and made his initial appearance in federal court the same day.

“National security has long been one of the highest priorities of the Justice Department, and here in the Western District of Texas, we remain alert for those who wish to help our adversaries and harm the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Our enemies, both foreign and domestic, should be aware that we diligently investigate and aggressively prosecute these cases. I appreciate the investigative work by our partners in the FBI and the Army Counterintelligence Command, and I look forward to continuing our work with them as we proceed with the prosecution of this important case.”

“Lee allegedly violated his duty to protect the United States in favor of providing national defense information to the Russian government,” said Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to protect U.S. national security and bring to justice those who seek to undermine it.”

“The men and women of the United States military work hard to defend American citizens at home and abroad,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Britton Boyd for the FBI El Paso Field Office. “Today the men and women of the FBI were able to help protect our brave soldiers from future threats with the arrest of Taylor Adam Lee. I would like to thank our partners from the Department of Defense and FBI Washington Field Office.”

“This arrest is an alarming reminder of the serious threat facing our U.S. Army,” said Brigadier General Sean F. Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “Thanks to the hard work of Army Counterintelligence Command Special Agents and our FBI partners, Soldiers who violate their oath and become insider threats will absolutely be caught and brought to justice, and we will continue to protect Army personnel and safeguard equipment. If anyone on our Army Team sees suspicious activity, you must report it as soon as possible.”

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command and the FBI El Paso Field Office.

Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Brown and Mallory Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas are 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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Taylor Adam Lee, 22, of El Paso, Texas, was arrested today on charges of attempted transmission of national defense information to a foreign adversary and attempted export of controlled technical data without a license.

“According to the criminal complaint, the defendant sought to transmit sensitive national defense information to Russia regarding the operation of the M1A2 Abrams, our Nation’s main battle tank,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division will continue to work with our law enforcement and military partners to ensure that such serious transgressions are met with serious consequences.”

“National security has long been one of the highest priorities of the Justice Department, and here in the Western District of Texas, we remain alert for those who wish to help our adversaries and harm the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Our enemies, both foreign and domestic, should be aware that we diligently investigate and aggressively prosecute these cases. I appreciate the investigative work by our partners in the FBI and the Army Counterintelligence Command, and I look forward to continuing our work with them as we proceed with the prosecution of this important case.”

“The FBI’s investigation revealed Taylor Lee allegedly attempted to provide classified military information on U.S. tank vulnerabilities to a person he believed to be a Russian intelligence officer in exchange for Russian citizenship,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “Today’s arrest is a message to anyone thinking about betraying the U.S. – especially service members who have sworn to protect our homeland. The FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to protect Americans and safeguard classified information.”

“This arrest is an alarming reminder of the serious threat facing our U.S. Army,” said Brigadier General Sean F. Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command. “Thanks to the hard work of Army Counterintelligence Command Special Agents and our FBI partners, Soldiers who violate their oath and become insider threats will absolutely be caught and brought to justice, and we will continue to protect Army personnel and safeguard equipment. If anyone on our Army Team sees suspicious activity, you must report it as soon as possible.”

“Lee allegedly violated his duty to protect the United States in favor of providing national defense information to the Russian government,” said Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. “The FBI is steadfast in our commitment to protect U.S. national security and bring to justice those who seek to undermine it.”

According to court documents, Lee is an active-duty service member in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Bliss, and holds a Top Secret (TS) / Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) security clearance. From approximately May 2025 through the present, Lee sought to establish his U.S. Army credentials and send U.S. defense information to Russia’s Ministry of Defense. In June 2025, Lee allegedly transmitted export-controlled technical information on the M1A2 Abrams Tank online and offered assistance to the Russian Federation, stating, “the USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” and added, “At this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian federation when I’m there in any way.”

In July, at an in-person meeting between Lee and who he believed to be a representative of the Russian government, Lee allegedly passed an SD card to the individual. Lee proceeded to provide a detailed overview of the documents and information contained on the SD card, including documents and information on the M1A2 Abrams, another armored fighting vehicle used by the U.S. military, and combat operations. Several of these documents contained controlled technical data that Lee did not have the authorization to provide. Other documents on the SD card were marked as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), and featured banner warnings and dissemination controls. Throughout the meeting, Lee stated that the information on the SD card was sensitive and likely classified.

During and after the July meeting, Lee discussed obtaining and providing to the Russian government a specific piece of hardware inside the M1A2 Abrams tank. On July 31, 2025, Lee delivered what appeared to be the hardware to a storage unit in El Paso, Texas. After doing so, Lee sent a message to the individual he believed to be a representative of the Russian government stating, “Mission accomplished.”

The FBI Washington and El Paso Field Offices are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command.

Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan Brown and Mallory Rasmussen for the Western District of Texas and are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

SAN ANTONIO – A San Angelo man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 80 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of two children while being required to register as a sex offender. U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam handed down the sentence.

According to court documents, Carlos Julian Ruiz, 29, was required to register as a sex offender for sexually assaulting a child in 2013. He was identified in January 2023 as one of three individuals involved in a mobile messaging app group dedicated to the sexual exploitation of children, and who was sexually assaulting and exploiting numerous female children, including a seven-year-old girl. Ruiz shared several images of the girl in the group chat, and an investigation determined that Ruiz had sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions between Sept. 1, 2022, and Jan. 13, 2023.

FBI agents learned through their investigation that Ruiz also befriended the parents of two girls, ages three and two, when the three-year-old was an infant. Ruiz routinely spent extended periods of time alone with both children and sexually assaulted them. According to Ruiz’s plea agreement, he agreed to provide his co-defendant, Trevor Metterhauser, with access to one of the girls for the purpose of sexual assault and production of child sexual abuse material. Metterhauser was allegedly a member of the mobile messaging group and currently awaits trial in a separate case in New York and has not yet appeared in federal court within the Western District of Texas.

In December 2022, Ruiz transported both girls from their home in the Northern District of Texas to a hotel in San Antonio, where he allegedly met Metterhauser, who had flown in from New Jersey with supplies he intended to use to facilitate the sexual assaults of the children, including Oxycodone. Ruiz filmed Metterhauser’s acts of sexual abuse with a video camera.

Ruiz was arrested in February 2023 and charged in both the Western District of Texas and the Northern District of Texas with a total of five counts: one count in each district for sexual exploitation of children and one count in the Western District of Texas for aiding and abetting the sexual assault of a child. He pleaded guilty to the first four counts in November 2024.

“Those who use children for their own twisted sexual gratification will not walk free in the Western District of Texas,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. “Here in the Western District, we will aggressively and consistently push back against this darkness that has, sadly, become so prevalent in our society. I want to thank our law enforcement partners who helped bring Ruiz to justice, and I want to thank our colleagues in the Northern District of Texas for their work on this case.”

“A violent offender who committed unspeakable and abhorrent crimes against children has been brought to justice, thanks to the exceptional work of FBI Albany, FBI Dallas, and the FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force,” said the FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp. “Multiple victims have been rescued, and the FBI remains unwavering in its commitment to work in close partnership with law enforcement and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to protect children and pursue those who prey on our most vulnerable.”

The FBI’s Field Offices in San Antonio, Dallas and Albany, New York, investigated the case with assistance from the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.

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

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AUSTIN, Texas – A Leander man was sentenced in an Austin federal court on Friday to 37 months in prison for wire fraud resulting in the loss of approximately $1 million.

According to court documents, Nicholas Keith Bonneville, 25, convinced his victims that he was a successful foreign exchange trader who would use his own funds to match clients’ investments, dollar-for-dollar, up to $100,000 to help their portfolios grow faster. The FBI’s investigation resulted in the identification of more than 100 victims. In one instance, Bonneville falsely claimed to have turned an investment of $50,000 into $1 million—an approximate 2,000% return on investment—in less than a year through foreign exchange trading.

A review of Bonneville’s bank records confirmed that Bonneville used the money from his victims to pay personal expenses and repay other victims. Bonneville did not engage in foreign exchange trading as he had promised.

Bonneville was arrested in February and charged with one count of wire fraud. He pleaded guilty to the charge on May 15. In addition to the over three years imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman ordered Bonneville to pay $575,450.30 in restitution.

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

The FBI investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Harding prosecuted the case.

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According to court documents, naturalized U.S. citizen Carlos Fabian Velez, 54, of San Antonio, plead guilty to 1 count of Unlawful Procurement of Citizenship or Naturalization for knowingly making false, sworn statements on his naturalization application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1425(a). Specifically, in response to the question “Have you ever committed a crime or offense for which you were not arrested” on his Application for Naturalization, Velez answered, “No”, when in fact, as he then knew, he had committed the crime and offenses of possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography in San Antonio, Texas since at least 2014.

The guilty plea comes after VELEZ previously plead guilty to Distribution of Child Pornography and was sentenced to 210 months in prison. By pleading guilty to Unlawful Procurement of Citizenship charge, Velez is now subject to mandatory denaturalization. U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

The FBI’s Field Office in San Antonio, ICE-Homeland Security Investigations, US Citizen and Immigration Services-Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate (USCIS-FDNS) and Bexar County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Fidel Esparza III is 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons announced today that federal prosecutors in the district filed 176 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 24 through July 31, 2025. 

In one such case, Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers requested assistance from El Paso Border Patrol Agents after receiving information from a concerned citizen about an apartment possibly being used to house illegal aliens.  After agents arrived at the residence to perform an investigatory inquiry, an individual later identified as Jose Alfredo MACIAS-Mendoza answered the door and the agents encountered a total of 12 individuals in the apartment.  All 12 individuals stated they were in the United States illegally.  It was determined that MACIAS was being paid by an organization to oversee and harbor the illegal aliens and he was charged with alien smuggling.  Records reveal that MACIAS himself had previously been deported from El Paso to Mexico on April 19, 2024.

Jose REYNA-Aguilera was encountered at the El Paso County Detention Facility by a Deportation Officer assigned to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Criminal Apprehension Program.  Record checks revealed that REYNA is a citizen and national of Mexico without immigration documents allowing him to remain in the United States. REYNA’s immigration records established that he had been removed from the United States to Mexico on three prior occasions and was previously convicted of illegal reentry in October 2009 and April of 2011.

Deportation Officers encountered Daniel NAVA-Morales at the El Paso County Detention Facility.  Immigration records reveal that he was illegally in the country having first been removed from the U.S. to Mexico on August 4, 1998.  That removal order has been re-instated 6 times with NAVA last being removed to Mexico on January 18, 2024.  His criminal history includes convictions for illegal entry in 1999 and 2021, where he was sentenced to 3 years probation each time, and impersonating a United States Citizen, where he was sentenced to 11 months imprisonment in 2007.  He is being charged once again with illegal reentry.

In Del Rio, Texas, Azaraias Prudencio ALVARADO-Almendarez, a Honduran national who had previously been convicted of a sex offense against a child in Florida, was charged with illegal reentry.  ALVARADO has a criminal history beginning in 2007 with convictions for burglary and two “hit and runs,” one of which was a felony resulting in injury.  ALVARADO has been deported 3 times, the last time being to Honduras on June 21, 2024.

El Salvadoran National Celso RIVAS-Gonzalez was arrested by Border Patrol Agents on July 26, 2025, for illegal reentry.  RIVAS has two prior removals from the United States and a criminal history that includes aggravated sexual assault of a child in 2020, harassment in 2021, and felony indecency with a child - sexual contact in 2024.  RIVAS has been deported twice, the last time being on February 19, 2025.

Katia Yolanda SOLANO-Alvarenga, a native and citizen of Honduras, was found 3.29 miles west of Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso, Texas without documents allowing entry or residence in the United States.  SOLANO was previously deported on October 7, 2024. Additionally, SOLANO was convicted and confined for 300 days for assault causing bodily injury in Dallas Texas, on March 28, 2003. 

Honduran citizen Marcos Josue BANEGAS-Castro was found at the 7300 block of Alameda Avenue in El Paso Texas.  It was determined that he was in the United States illegally without immigration documents.  It was further determined that BANEGAS had previously been deported to Honduras on March 14, 2025.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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 – A Mississippi man was sentenced in federal court to 240 months in prison for distribution of child pornography, involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.

According to court documents, Foster Denzel Harris, aided and abetted by another, knowingly distributed and attempted to distribute visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct in violation of federal statute.

In 2022, the victim in this case reported to FBI that she had been exploited when she was 16 years old, and living in Killeen. Between 2016 and 2022, while using KiK social media application on her phone, Harris extorted $21,000 dollars from her, threatening to expose her if she didn’t pay.

“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that those who exploit children by distributing child sexual abuse material will be held fully accountable,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp. “The pain these victims silently endure is immeasurable, and the FBI will relentlessly pursue anyone who preys on them. We applaud the extraordinary courage of the victim in this case, whose fortitude to come forward enabled us to obtain a measure of justice and put a stop to the continues abuse. If you have information about child exploitation, contact your local FBI office or submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov.”

This 20-year sentence is the maximum sentence allowed under the statute. Harris was also ordered to pay $31,429.00 in restitution to the victim and placed on lifetime supervised release.

This case was investigated by the FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff 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.

SAN ANTONIO – A Venezuelan national was arrested Sunday near Dilley on criminal charges related to his alleged involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy.

According to court documents, Alexander Jose Barrios aka Alexander Jose Barrios-Pena was pulled over on HWY 85 by a U.S. Border Patrol agent after the agent allegedly observed Barrios’s “heavily weighted down” vehicle swerve in and out of adjacent lanes and abruptly slow to approximately 45 MPH in a 70 MPH zone. A criminal complaint alleges that, upon the USBP agent activating his emergency lights, Barrios pulled off the highway and quickly stopped in the grass before several occupants ran out of the vehicle into the nearby brush. The agent immediately detained Barrios and the front passenger while the backup agent arrived and apprehended a female subject hiding in the backseat.

Barrios is charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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 Texas man was arrested Friday near Dilley on criminal charges related to his alleged human smuggling.

According to court documents, Derek Riojas was pulled over by a U.S. Border Patrol agent on IH-35. The agent had allegedly observed Riojas driving in a suspicious manner. When Riojas’s vehicle slowed down to come to a stop, the agent allegedly observed several subjects in the rear of the vehicle, and saw several subjects flee from the vehicle into nearby brush. The fleeing subjects were apprehended by backup USBP agents and were determined to be illegally present in the United States.

Riojas made his initial appearance today is charged with one count of transporting illegal aliens. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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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WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was arrested in Waco Thursday for failure to possess registration documents.

According to court documents, Noe Fermin Guerrero-Mendieta, 33, was allegedly located on July 24 by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Waco Fugitive Operations team without his required certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card. Upon his original apprehension by immigration authorities, Guerrero-Mendieta was granted an immigration bond and released from immigration custody. By federal law, he was required to, at all times, carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card.

Guerrero-Mendieta was charged with one count of failure to possess a registration form and made his initial appearance in federal court Friday afternoon. If convicted, he faces up to 30 days in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

ICE is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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 – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 203 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 17 through July 24.

Among the new cases, Mexican national Pablo Alfredo Cazares-Carrion was turned over to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)/Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) on July 22. He had been in Bexar County Adult Detention Center since he was arrested April 13 for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. Cazares-Carrion was previously convicted for illegal re-entry in October 2017 and sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. He is again charged with illegal re-entry, facing up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

A Mexican national was arrested in Waco and charged with one count of failure to possess registration form. A criminal complaint alleges that Noe Fermin Guerrero-Mendieta was located on July 24 by the ICE Waco Fugitive Operations team without his required certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card. Upon his original apprehension by immigration authorities, Guerrero-Mendieta was granted an immigration bond and released from immigration custody. By federal law, he is required to, at all times, carry with him and have in his personal possession any certificate of alien registration or alien registration receipt card.

In Del Rio, Mexican national Emmanuel De Jesius Arroyo-Aviles was arrested for illegal re-entry. On Jan. 28, Arroyo-Aviles was convicted and sentenced to 10 years of probation in Zavala County for smuggling of persons with a likelihood of serious bodily injury or death. Three days after that sentence hearing, on Jan. 31, he was deported to Mexico.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Mexican national Cesar Alejandro Munoz-Lopez for illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Munoz-Lopez was previously removed to Mexico through San Diego, California, on May 6, but also had an active warrant for failure to appear in court out of Fort Collins, Colorado, as of April 28. Munoz-Lopez has two prior convictions for assault and one felony conviction for bribery of a public servant, for which he was sentenced in 2012 to six years imprisonment.

Angel Amilcar Martinez-Martinez, a Honduran national, was also arrested for illegal re-entry in Eagle Pass. Martinez-Martinez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced in Houston in August 2021 to one year in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Less than three months later, in November, he was convicted for causing an accident involving damage to a vehicle in Houston and sentenced to 90 days confinement. Martinez-Martinez was again convicted in Houston in May 2023 for assault causing bodily injury. He was sentenced to one year confinement and deported for the fourth time on April 5, 2024.

In El Paso, Mexican national Jose Alberto Ramos-Chino was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was found on a Greyhound bus during an immigration checkpoint inspection. Ramos-Chino allegedly did not possess immigration documents allowing him to legally be or remain in the U.S. Estrada has been removed from the U.S. three times, the last time being to Mexico on May 18. Ramos-Chino has been removed from the U.S. twice before and was convicted of two felony charges for drug and firearm possession in 2021.

U.S. citizen Isaac Saldana was charged in El Paso for his alleged involvement in alien smuggling. A criminal complaint alleges that, on July 16, U.S. Border Patrol agents were searching for two illegal aliens who were observed illegally entering the U.S. less than four miles ease of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry. During their search, a vehicle allegedly driven by Saldana was seen speeding away, running a stop sign and making a hard turn. The agents conducted a traffic stop and transported Saldana to the El Paso Processing Center for further investigation. The investigation revealed that Saldana had been arrested for alien smuggling in 2024 by the Texas Department of Public Safety, and that he allegedly coordinated with a known smuggler for drivers to pick up aliens. A search of Saldana’s phone allegedly indicated approximately 20 instances of such coordination between March and July 16.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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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MIDLAND, Texas – A former ranking member of the Texas Mexican Mafia was sentenced in federal court in Midland to 180 months in prison for six counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, Paul Lujan, 42, of Odessa, was a well-known gang member who had been the subject of several Odessa Police Department investigations over the years. Beginning in October 2024, Lujan sold cocaine on six different occasions as part of a controlled-purchase operation by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). After the sixth transaction, on Dec. 23, 2024, Lujan was pulled over, denied the officer’s request to search his truck, and refused numerous requests to exit his vehicle. Lujan was ultimately detained and a K9 conducted an open-air sniff search, alerting to the presence of narcotics inside the truck. Inside the vehicle, the officer located marijuana and a syringe containing a clear liquid substance. A passenger in Lujan’s vehicle was found to have cocaine in his waistband.

Lujan was arrested during the Dec. 23 traffic stop and indicted by a federal grand jury for six counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine on Jan. 22. He pleaded guilty to all six charges on March 31. At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, U.S. District Judge David Counts granted the United States’ motion for an upward departure from Lujan’s guideline range, noting Lujan’s extremely violent criminal history. Following his 15 years in federal prison, Lujan will serve a six-year term of supervised release.

“This successful outcome was possible because we and our partners were able to prove that Lujan not only committed half a dozen federal drug trafficking offenses in just two months but also had a significant history of violence for which he had yet to be held properly accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. “Thanks to the partnership from various law enforcement resources at the local, state, and federal levels, this violent criminal is finally being held accountable. A violent, career criminal who had operated with near impunity for years will have to spend the next decade and a half in a federal prison.”

“This is a perfect example of how drug trafficking and violence are evil bed fellows,” said Special Agent in Charge Omar Arellano for the DEA El Paso Division. “One of DEA’s strategic priorities is to reduce violent crime fueled by drug trafficking. We thank our state and local partners who helped us do exactly that in this case.” 

The DEA, Odessa Police Department, Midland Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Sloane and Kevin Cayton prosecuted the case.

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SAN ANTONIO – A Jamaican national was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio on Tuesday to 70 months in prison for his role in a human smuggling conspiracy that placed lives in jeopardy.

According to court documents, Bryan Adamson, 52, was involved in the coordination of at least 14 alien smuggling events for a human smuggling organization (HSO) between May 6, 2021, and April 28, 2022. He was responsible for recruiting drivers, hiring scouts, paying drivers and co-conspirators, and communicating/coordinating directly with co-conspirators to facilitate the further transport of aliens that arrived in Laredo from Mexico.

In May 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio began investigating the criminal activity of an HSO that smuggled hundreds of aliens from Laredo to San Antonio inside tractor trailers. HSI was able to link at least 19 human smuggling events involving the actual apprehension of over 900 aliens to this HSO. The HSO would smuggle aliens from Mexico to Laredo, where they would be kept in stash houses before being transported to San Antonio in tractor trailers. The loads ranged from approximately 30 aliens to more than 100 aliens traveling in a single trailer.

Several of those smuggling events involved dangerous conditions inside the trailers, including the event on May 6, 2021, in which the San Antonio Police Department received 911 calls regarding a tractor trailer that was in transit with individuals sticking their hands out of a small door in the trailer. The area surrounding the opening had been ripped apart by the individuals inside the trailer in their attempts to escape. Forty-one aliens were apprehended, including one who had to be transported to the hospital for treatment due to displaying symptoms of dehydration. Two of the aliens were unaccompanied minors. One of the aliens told HSI that he was positioned by the trailer doors and observed several people inside having trouble breathing. The aliens stated there had been over 100 people in the trailer and the temperature inside the trailer was high due to the number of bodies, causing them to fear for their lives. When officers arrived, they observed that several of the aliens appeared to be disoriented and were asking for water.

On June 15, 2022, Adamson was charged with one count of transporting illegal aliens. A second count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and placing the life of a person in jeopardy was added in a superseding indictment on Aug. 17, 2022. Adamson was arrested on June 23, 2022. He pleaded guilty to both charges on May 1, 2025.

In addition to Adamson’s imprisonment, Adamson was ordered to spend three years on supervised release.  U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez also ordered that Adamson forfeit $164,250 and two firearms along with ammunition and accessories. “Human smuggling crimes don’t just violate borders—they endanger lives, exploit vulnerable people, and finance some of the most dangerous criminal organizations our world has ever known,” said U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This sentencing sends the message that we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases and intend to hold those involved accountable.”

“This sentencing underscores the life-threatening risks posed by transnational human smuggling networks that prioritize profit over people,” said Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “The defendant’s actions not only violated federal law but posed a risk to human life. We will continue working with our international and domestic partners to protect our communities and uphold the rule of law.”

Seven of Adamson’s co-defendants have already been sentenced. Fredi Zagala-Servin and Sedrick Zelitis Smith were sentenced to 97 months and 84 months in prison, respectively. Mark Algie Holliday, Norman Lee Walker, Jr., Ronnie Joe Branch and Eliseo Loredo were each sentenced to 30 months in prison. Rodney Edward Shavers was sentenced to time served on Feb. 26 after being in custody since Dec. 31, 2022.

Debbie Marie Gonzales pleaded guilty in May and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 17, while Francisco Arredondo-Colmenero awaits further proceedings following his arrest in Mexico.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Brown prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Gattinella handled the forfeiture on the case.

This investigation was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 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 other transnational criminal organizations, 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.

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DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted a Honduran national this week on charges of alien smuggling.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in October 2024, Jerson Alberto Rivera-Kelly, 37, who was then in the United States as a lawful permanent resident was observed by a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agent driving an SUV south on Highway 2083 near Comstock, approximately 20 miles from the U.S. border with Mexico. Other USBP agents in the area at that time were searching for a group of five suspected illegal aliens. Rivera-Kelly was pulled over and five occupants were found in the vehicle. All of the occupants were attempting to conceal themselves inside his vehicle. The five individuals were determined to be illegal aliens.

Rivera-Kelly was indicted in November 2024 for one count of conspiracy to transport aliens and one count of illegal alien transportation for profit. The federal jury convicted him on both counts on July 21, 2025. Both charges carry penalties of up to 10 years in federal prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a maximum $250,000 fine in addition to any restitution ordered.

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

USBP investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Fleming and Ashley Ellis-Dotson 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 other transnational criminal organizations, 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.

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WACO, Texas – A Venezuelan national was sentenced in a federal court in Waco Friday to time served after he pleaded guilty to one count of failure to notify of an address change and one count of failure to carry his alien registration on his person.

According to court documents, Jarrison Bladovino-Melano aka Jarrison Jovanniy Melano aka Yabanni Merlano, was arrested in Belton on July 13 for possession of marijuana and booked in the Bell County Jail. As he was determined to be an illegal alien, Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodged an immigration detainer with the jail. Further investigation revealed Bladovino-Melano was previously paroled into the United States by the U.S. Border Patrol in September 2022, and released so that he could travel to New York and reside at an address provided by his sponsor. One year later, Bladovino-Melano was encountered by the Frederick Police Department in Aurora, Colorado, where he was residing at the time instead of at the New York address. He was then found to be residing in Belton.

Bladovino-Melano was transferred into ICE custody on July 17. He pleaded guilty the next day in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek T. Gilliland, who sentenced Bladovino-Melano to time served. Bladovino-Melano remains in ICE custody for further processing.

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

ICE investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 178 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 11 through July 17.

Among the new cases, Edgar Josue Montelongo-Loera was charged in a criminal complaint in Del Rio for trafficking in firearms. On June 12, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents, assisting in a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigation, allegedly observed Montelongo-Loera transfer a plastic bag containing seven 9mm pistols to a non-immigrant alien co-conspirator at a parking lot in Eagle Pass. The criminal complaint states that HSI agents followed the co-conspirator to the Eagle Pass Port of Entry, where Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers allegedly located eight firearms concealed inside the vehicle during an inspection. Further investigation by ATF revealed that Montelongo-Loera allegedly purchased one of the pistols at a retail location in San Antonio.

Also in the Del Rio sector, Mexican national Jose Elias Gavina-Vasquez was arrested on July 14 and charged with illegal re-entry. Gavina-Vasquez has seven prior deportations, and he was most recently deported to Mexico on Feb. 23, 2023. He has a prior felony conviction from June 2022 and a separate conviction for driving while intoxicated from March 2022.

Mexican national and convicted felon Juan Antonio Torres-Moreno was also arrested and charged with illegal re-entry in Del Rio. Torres-Moreno has three prior removals and a voluntary departure, the last being a deportation in 2019. The 2019 deportation resulted from his second illegal-re-entry conviction. He was sentenced to nine months confinement in that case.

Sergio Villeda-Hernandez, also a Mexican national, was arrested in Eagle Pass on July 13 and charged with illegal re-entry after he was recently removed from the U.S. on March 18. Villeda-Hernandez is a convicted felon, having been sentenced to just over a year in prison in 2007 for a felony battery, possession of cocaine, and selling cocaine in DeSoto County, Florida.

In El Paso, Mexican national Mario Humberto Sanchez-Hernandez was found less than a mile and a half west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry without immigration documents allowing him to be or remain in the U.S. Sanchez-Hernandez was just removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the third time on June 21 through San Diego and was convicted in October 2024 for driving under the influence in Newark, New Jersey.

Two brothers were arrested in El Paso, each charged with one count of alien smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol agents conducted an undercover operation that led them to meet Marcos Dominguez, who allegedly believed the agents were transporting two illegal aliens and were in need of a stash house. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that Marcos exited his vehicle to assist with transferring one of the illegal aliens from the agents’ vehicle to his own. Marcos was then detained for further investigation and agreed to guide the agents to his residence. At the residence, the agents encountered Marcos’s brother, Andres Dominguez, who allegedly admitted that illegal aliens were present inside. Agents located four subjects determined to be illegal aliens. The illegal aliens were arrested and transported to the Ysleta Border Patrol Station. The investigation revealed that Marcos allegedly housed more than 40 illegal aliens at his residence, was paid $200 per day for his smuggling actions, and would split the earnings with his brother Andres, whom he said helped him house and transport the illegal aliens.

In Austin, the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Team (FOT) encountered Honduran national Jimmy Reinel Espinal-Mejia on July 16. Espinal-Mejia was convicted for illegal re-entry in May 2024 after being previously removed in January 2024. For that conviction, he was sentenced to 63 days confinement and removed in July 2024. Six years earlier, in 2018, Espinal-Mejia was convicted for aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

In Waco, a Mexican national was charged with illegal re-entry on July 17 when Temple Police responded to a vehicle collision in Temple and identified Eloy Hernandez-Ponce as one of the vehicle occupants. ICE identified Hernandez-Ponce as a previously removed alien who was last deported in March 2010 following a felony conviction for intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in Houston.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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 – A Belton High School teacher was arrested Thursday on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors.

According to court documents, Pietro Victor Giustino, 39, allegedly possessed and attempted to possess child sexual abuse material, including depictions of minors engaged in sexual intercourse.

Giustino made his initial appearance in a federal court in Waco today and, if convicted, faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Belton Police Department, and with cooperation from the Belton Independent School District.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff is 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

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 was sentenced in federal court to 210 months in prison for receipt of child pornography.

According to court documents, David Guzman, 44, knowingly received child pornography and, using his laptop and cell phone, searched for and downloaded files containing child pornography using a peer-to-peer file sharing program called uTorrent. Of the files on his laptop, Guzman possessed 107 image files and 268 video files containing infants, toddlers, bondage, bestiality, and other sadistic acts.

Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio executed a federal search warrant at Guzman’s residence on Nov. 30, 2022. He was arrested on Dec. 1, 2022, and was subsequently charged in a two-count indictment on Dec. 14, 2022. On April 10, 2024, he pled guilty to receipt of child pornography. In addition to the more than 17-year imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Jason Pulliam sentenced Guzman to lifetime supervised release and ordered him to pay $65,000 in restitution.

“Seeking out and downloading child pornography, as Guzman did, eternally victimizes the innocent children forced to engage in despicable acts and encourages the production of child sexual abuse material,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Protecting children from predators and criminal exploitation remains a priority in this district, and I thank our partners at HSI San Antonio for working with us to bring this predator to justice.”

“Homeland Security Investigations is dedicated to safeguarding children from exploitation and ensuring justice is served,” said ICE HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This 17 ½-year sentence reflects the seriousness of crimes involving the receipt of child pornography and underscores our commitment to holding offenders accountable. HSI will continue working tirelessly with our partners to protect vulnerable victims and pursue those who prey on them.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bettina Richardson and Kirk Mangels prosecuted the case.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison Wednesday after a federal jury convicted him in February for one count of felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Dante Delray Vecera, 33, was found unresponsive in a locked and running vehicle blocking two lanes of traffic on the 410 frontage road. Police officers observed a bag containing white powder, a marijuana cigarette, and a bag of what appeared to be black tar heroin inside the vehicle. The officers provided Vecera with Narcan, fearing an overdose. While waiting for EMS to arrive on scene, officers looked for Vecera’s driver’s license in an attempt to identify him and located an unholstered, loaded pistol in the pocket of his pants. While officers were removing the weapon, Vecera regained consciousness. He refused all field sobriety tests and was taken into custody after being medically cleared.

Prior to this arrest Vecera had been convicted of several violent felonies, including two prior Nevada convictions for burglary and sexually motivated coercion, and a Texas conviction for violation of a protective order and assault.

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

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

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

This is a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Initiative case. VAWA was first enacted in 1994 as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. It initially focused on providing resources and training to improve the responses and policies of law enforcement, prosecutors, and courts, to support victim services, and to address crimes historically treated as private matters. Recognizing that domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking require a coordinated community response that extends beyond the justice system, Congress subsequently reauthorized VAWA, enhancing its policies and expanding grant funding streams, in 2000, 2005, 2013, and 2022. The Office on Violence Against Women has issued more than $11 billion in funding authorized by VAWA in its lifetime.

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EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned an indictment Wednesday charging a Mexican national living in El Paso with three counts related to his alleged human smuggling.

According to court documents, Manuel Alejandro Melendez-Cereceres aka “Monstro,” 40, allegedly operated as a facilitator on the United States side of human smuggling events, within the Western District of Texas and the District of New Mexico. His alleged roles include recruiting and coordinating drivers and vehicles to pick up smuggled aliens for the purpose of transporting them to residences or hotels for harboring or to other locations be picked up by an additional driver.

Melendez-Cereceres was arrested and made his initial court appearance on June 20 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert F. Castaneda of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.

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

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kyle Myers and Mathew Engelbaum 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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

###

SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting a child.

According to court documents, Samson Luna, 36, began sexually assaulting a minor female in 2013 and continued until January 2024. To record and produce photos of the sexual assaults, Luna used multiple phones. He also persuaded the child victim to send him videos and images of her nude, and performing sexual acts, which the child victim would send him via her cellphone. In exchange, Luna sent her money from his Cash App account. A search warrant of Luna’s Google account resulted in the discovery of 87 videos and 45 images depicting Child Sexual Abuse Material of the victim at various ages over the 10 years.

Luna was arrested on March 24, 2024, and indicted by a federal grand jury on April 17, 2024, for one count of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of possession of child pornography. On March 25, 2025, Luna pleaded guilty to the sexual exploitation charge. In addition to the 25-year imprisonment and 15 years of supervised release, Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra ordered Luna to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim.

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

Homeland Security Investigations and the Abilene Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced to 65 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting three young children.

According to court documents, Charles Alexander Lopez, 30, stated in a group chat on the instant messaging app Wickr that he was engaged in the sexual abuse and exploitation of minor children in October 2023. He posted two images and a video to the group on Oct. 24, 2023, along with a message stating, “My conquest for the day.” The two images depicted a male toddler whom Lopez had just sexually assaulted, while the video depicted a portion of the sexual assault itself.

An FBI Online Covert Employee (OCE) interacted with Lopez through a private chat, through which Lopez disclosed details of another sexual assault victimizing a female toddler a few days prior and that he has sexually exploited a non-verbal autistic male child as well. On Oct. 26, 2023, FBI San Antonio executed a federal search warrant for the home and person of Lopez, seizing electronic devices used to produce, distribute and possess child pornography.

Lopez admitted to sexually exploiting a male toddler, using his smartphone to produce and share Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). He also provided the names of other children he sexually assaulted and exploited, stating that he had sexually assaulted 15 minors since he was 10 years old and produced CSAM of approximately five different children.

Lopez was arrested on Oct. 27, 2023, and on Nov. 15, 2023, a federal grand jury indicted him for three counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 10, 2025, to the three sexual exploitation charges. On July 14, Senior U.S. District Judge David Ezra sentenced Lopez to 65 years in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. Ezra also ordered Lopez to pay $150,000 in restitution to three minor victims.

“Individuals like this, who take every opportunity to prey on helpless children simply cannot remain free in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This defendant has spent two-thirds of his life as a child predator, sexually assaulting, exploiting and forever altering the lives of vulnerable and defenseless children to fulfill his selfish and vile choices.”

“There is no place in our society for those who prey on the most vulnerable among us,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for FBI San Antonio.” The FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, together with the United States Attorney’s Office, will relentlessly pursue every lead to investigate violent crimes against children and bring their perpetrators to justice.”

FBI San Antonio investigated the case, assisted by a referral from FBI Albany.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 222 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from July 3 through July 10.

Among the new cases, Karen Y. Ordonez-Granados and Ledy Veronica Ordonez-Granados aka Veronica Granados were both charged with one count of fraud or misuse of an immigration document. The two defendants were arrested as Homeland Security Investigations and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) conducted a court-authorized search warrant at Groomer’s Seafood of San Antonio on July 2. The search warrant had been authorized after HSI auditors discovered, through an investigation of Forms I-9, that 29 employees hired between 2016 and 2025 had presented fraudulent legal permanent resident (LPR) cards and fraudulent social security numbers at their time of hiring or rehiring. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that two of those employees were Karen Y. Ordonez-Granados and Ledy Veronica Ordonez-Granados. Both defendants allegedly stated they $150 for the fraudulent LPR cards and presented them when they applied for employment. If convicted they each face up to 10 years in federal prison and/or up to a $250,000 fine.

In Austin, Honduran national Jose David Sifuentes was encountered by ICE at the Caldwell County Jail where he was serving a five-year sentence for sexual assaulting a child. Sifuentes was arrested for the charge July 14, 2020, at which time ICE lodged a detainer. He was federally charged with illegal re-entry on July 7, 2025, having been previously removed from the U.S. to Honduras in 2019. Sifuentes was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on July 9.

Two Guatemalan nationals were arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry after they had just been removed from the U.S. in May. Diego Garcia-Godinez was allegedly located just over three miles east of the Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry and has been deported three times, most recently to Guatemala on May 20, 2025. Jose Luis Cabrera-Lopez was allegedly found approximately .01 miles east of the Bridge of the Americas and has also been removed three times, the last being to Guatemala on May 14.

Samuel Meza-Escobedo, a Mexican national with nine prior removals, was also arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry. Meza-Escobedo was allegedly found just less than a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry and has three prior illegal re-entry convictions. He was last removed from the U.S. to Mexico on Aug. 13, 2024.

Mexican national Daniel Sauceda-Borrego was arrested by Customs and Border Protection in El Paso after he allegedly presented identification documents under an assumed or fictitious name. A criminal complaint alleges that Sauceda-Borrego presented a Washington ID card bearing his photograph, name, and date of birth, along with a Social Security Card of another individual with the initials J.F.R. He was referred to Passport Control Secondary (PCS), where his fingerprints were scanned and revealed that he had been previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in 2011. The criminal complaint alleges that Sauceda-Borrego admitted that he was given a Texas Birth Certificate from an individual in Seattle, Washington, and had been using a different identity for approximately five or six years.

Tomas Velazquez-Jijon, a Mexican national, was arrested on July 7, after U.S. Border Patrol agents located him during a Greyhound bus inspection at the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol Checkpoint and allegedly discovered he was in possession of a fraudulent LPR card with his demographics printed on the card. A record check for the LPR card number resulted in a different name, date of birth, and citizenship. Agents also allegedly found that Velazquez-Jijon possessed a fraudulent Social Security Card. He was recently removed from the U.S. to Mexico for the first time on May 22, and is charged with one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits and related documents, and false personation.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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.

###

AUSTIN, Texas – An Austin felon made his initial appearance in federal court today after he was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, Frank Horton Lee Jr., 38, was allegedly found to possess a.45 ACP caliber semiautomatic pistol following a traffic stop by officers of the Austin Police Department on May 24.

According to the complaint filed in federal court, Lee is a convicted felon and is charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Buie 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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SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was arrested Thursday night in San Antonio on criminal charges related to his alleged threat against the President of the United States.

According to court documents, Robert Herrera, 52, commented on a San Antonio news outlet’s July 10 Facebook post pertaining to President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the Texas Hill Country. Using the handle, “Robert Herrer,” Herrera allegedly commented, “I won’t miss,” along with a photo depicting President Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents immediately after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The criminal complaint alleges that a separate Facebook poster replied to “Robert Herrer” stating, “you won’t get the chance, I promise,” to which “Robert Herrer” responded to, “I’ll just come for you.” Accompanying that statement, “Robert Herrer” included a photo of an assault rifle and loaded magazines.

Herrera was arrested the same day and is facing a federal charge of making threats against the President and interstate threatening communications. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison for each charge. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

“This case is an example of great cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement partners committed to taking down anyone who would threaten the life of the President or anyone else,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “I want to thank Chief McManus and his team at SAPD for their swift response to this threat. To be clear, these types of threats will not be taken lightly, and we will always take a swift, aggressive approach, as was done here.”

“I would like to thank the San Antonio Police Department and the FBI San Antonio Field Office for assisting the U.S. Secret Service in this matter,” said Special Agent in Charge Brian J. Gibson for the U.S. Secret Service San Antonio Field Office. “Investigating threats towards individuals under Secret Service protection are treated as our highest priority. This is one of the countless reasons the Secret Service prides ourselves on forging and maintaining relationships with other law enforcement agencies. As this is an ongoing investigation, the Secret Service will have no further comment on this incident.”

"While the FBI fully supports and defends every American’s right to free speech, it is important to understand that threatening violence against any individual is not constitutionally protected speech, it is a federal crime,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. “The FBI and our partners take threats of violence seriously and we urge the public to do the same. We would like to thank the United States Secret Service, the San Antonio Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the United States Attorney's Office for their tremendous partnership in addressing this threat against the President. We urge all members of the public to express their views peacefully and respectfully in a manner consistent with the values that define our nation.”

“SAPD remains committed to working alongside our federal partners to ensure that threats of violence are taken seriously and addressed quickly,” said Chief William McManus for the San Antonio Police Department. “I want to commend the individual who reported the threatened violence against POTUS. Law enforcement cannot do this job without the assistance of our community.”

The U.S. Secret Service, FBI, and San Antonio Police Department are investigating the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Roomberg 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 Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 240 months in prison for four counts related to his role in a conspiracy to possess and import more than 85 pounds of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States through Eagle Pass in 2022.

According to court documents, Miguel Antonio Esquivel Rodriguez, 33, attempted to enter the U.S. on Oct. 19, 2022, through the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers referred Esquivel Rodriguez to secondary inspection, where anomalies were detected in the floorboard of his vehicle, along with a suspicious amount of air fresheners throughout the vehicle. Further investigation revealed trap doors in the floorboard and a non-factory hidden compartment that contained 83 baggies of a crystal-like substance. A lab report revealed the substance to be 39.382 kgs methamphetamine with a purity of 97%. Esquivel Rodriguez was arrested and taken to processing for further interviewing.

On Nov. 16, 2022, Esquivel Rodriguez was indicted on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine, and one count of importation of methamphetamine. He was found guilty on all four counts in a December 2023 jury trial.

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

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Tyler Fleming 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 other transnational criminal organizations, 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.

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EL PASO, Texas – A Louisiana man was arrested this week in Sierra Blanca on criminal charges allegedly fleeing from an immigration checkpoint.

According to court documents, Benjamin Thomas Mackey was referred to secondary inspection at the Sierra Blanca Border Patrol checkpoint due to a K-9 alert. The criminal complaint alleges that Mackey initially turned his vehicle off at the direction of Border Patrol agents, however quickly turned it back on and drove away at a high rate of speed. One agent allegedly had to move out of the way to avoid being hit by the vehicle.

Two agents responded in pursuit on I-10 East, exceeding speeds over 120 mph. Additional agents attempted to pull Mackey over in the town of Sierra Blanca as he allegedly drove in an erratic and dangerous manner, eventually crashing into a concrete barrier near a gas station. The criminal complaint further alleges that Mackey continued to flee on foot and agents were able to place him under arrest. During the chase, the complaint alleges, one Border Patrol agent obtained an injury to his legs and needed to be taken to the hospital. Inside Mackey’s vehicle, agents allegedly found 10 pounds of marijuana.

Mackey is charged with one count of high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stanley Serwatka 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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Note: The defendant in this case, Timothy J. Leiweke, received a pardon from the President of the United States for the offenses alleged in the indictment described in the press release below.

A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against Timothy J. Leiweke, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Oak View Group (OVG), for orchestrating a conspiracy to rig the bidding process for an arena at a public university in Austin, Texas, the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today. OVG develops and provides a variety of services to live entertainment venues.

The indictment, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, alleges that, from approximately February 2018 through at least June 2024, Leiweke conspired with the Chief Executive Officer of a competitor to rig the bidding for the development, management, and use of a multi-purpose arena that was to be located on the campus of a public university in Austin, Texas (the “Arena Project”).  

“As outlined in the indictment, the Defendant rigged a bidding process to benefit his own company and deprived a public university and taxpayers of the benefits of competitive bidding,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its law enforcement partners will continue to hold executives who cheat to avoid competition accountable.”

“Unfair business practices, like those employed here, make it very difficult for the American people to pursue prosperity like our founders intended,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “In the Western District of Texas, we’re proud to work with our colleagues in the Antitrust Division on these types of cases, and we will do all we can to ensure those who engage in the type of conduct described in this case are held to account.”

“Timothy Leiweke allegedly led a scheme designed to steer the contract for entertainment services at a public university's arena to his company. Public contracts are subject to laws requiring an open and competitive bid process to ensure a level playing field,” said Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “The FBI is determined to ensure that those who disregard fair competition principles do not benefit from a rigged bidding process targeting our communities and public institutions.”

“An important part of the mission of the Office of Inspector General is to investigate allegations of corruption and illegal influence in the American workplace,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan R. Mellone of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast region. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate these types of allegations.”

According to the indictment, in September 2017, Leiweke informed colleagues that he had learned another venue-services company was “bidding against us” for the Arena Project and wanted to “find a way to get [the competitor] some of the business” and “get them to back down.”  In November 2017, Leiweke informed others that he was “[m]ore than happy talking to [the competitor] about not bidding and [receiving certain subcontracts]” but had “no interest in working with them if they intend on putting in a bid.” In February of 2018, Leiweke ultimately reached an agreement with the competitor’s CEO, pursuant to which the competitor agreed that it would stand down and neither submit nor join an independent competing bid for the Arena Project. In exchange for the competitor’s agreement to stand down, Leiweke represented that the competitor would receive Arena Project’s subcontracts. Consistent with the bid-rigging agreement, the competitor did not submit a competing bid for the Arena Project. OVG ultimately submitted the sole qualified bid and won the Arena Project.  The arena opened to the public in April 2022, and OVG continues to receive significant revenues from the project to date.

OVG and Legends Hospitality have agreed to pay $15 million and $1.5 million in penalties, respectively, in connection with the conduct alleged in the indictment against Leiweke.

Leiweke is charged with a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The maximum penalty for individuals is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York Field Office are investigating the case.

The Antitrust Division’s New York Office is prosecuting the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

Anyone with information in connection with this investigation should contact the Antitrust Division’s Complaint Center at 888-647-3258, or visit www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations.

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

A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced today in the Western District of Texas for his leadership role in a massive alien smuggling conspiracy that spanned three years and involved thousands of aliens from over 11 different countries.

Enil Edil Mejia-Zuniga, also known as Chino, 34, of Olancho, Honduras, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for his role in smuggling thousands of aliens into the United States for financial gain. He was also ordered to pay a $4,500 fine.

Co-defendants Monica Hernandez-Palma, 33, of Mexico, and Allyson Elsires Alvarez-Zuniga, 26, of Honduras, entered guilty pleas on April 7, 2025, and Aug. 21, 2023, respectively, and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Genyi Arguenta-Flores, 32, of Comayagua, Honduras was sentenced to five years in prison on May 12. A final co-defendant is in custody in Mexico pending an extradition request from the United States.

“Mejia-Zuniga and his co-conspirators made millions of dollars off the backs of thousands of people whom they smuggled into the United States,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case represents the epitome of the ruthless and sophisticated criminal organizations that exploit our borders for personal financial gain. The Criminal Division will not stop investigating these cases until all human smuggling organizations are eradicated and the criminals who operate them are prosecuted.”

“In an effort to satisfy his greed, Mejia-Zuniga facilitated the illegal movement of thousands of Middle Easterners into the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “His actions put our national security at risk. However, thanks to our many federal law enforcement partners, Mejia-Zuniga will no longer be allowed to enrich himself to the detriment of this country.”

“This sentence sends a clear message to those who exploit our immigration system for personal profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “For more than three years, these individuals operated a transnational smuggling ring driven by greed, moving illegal aliens from 11 countries in blatant disregard of the law. The sentencing in this case is a testament to HSI’s commitment to upholding national security. Human smuggling undermines the security of our borders and disrupts lawful immigration processes. HSI will continue to work tirelessly to protect our national security.”

“United States Border Patrol’s (USBP) Intelligence and Information Task Force played a critical role in supporting Operation Red Tide through extensive research and analysis,” said Scott Good, Chief of USBP Law Enforcement Operations Directorate. “Our team’s exploitation of subpoena returns and identification of key financial patterns helped bring these smugglers to justice. The USBP will continue working with law enforcement agencies at home and abroad to dismantle criminal networks and secure our nation’s borders.”

According to court documents, from November 2020 through March 2023, the Mejia-Zuniga alien smuggling organization (ASO) smuggled aliens from Afghanistan, Yemen, Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Colombia, through Eagle Pass, Texas. Aliens primarily contracted with a Pakistani smuggler based in Brazil to be transported to the United States. In turn, the Brazilian-based smuggler worked with Mejia-Zuniga, who was based in San Antonio, Texas, to facilitate travel of the aliens from South America to the United States. Mejia-Zuniga directed operations of the ASO and paid drivers, armed “coyotes,” and stash house operators.

Mejia-Zuniga admitted to smuggling between 2,500 to 3,000 aliens into the United States in just two years. The organization charged between $6,500 to $12,000 per alien. Mejia-Zuniga admitted that he made $30,000 for every ten illegal aliens who made it to the Rio Grande River and another $30,000 if those ten illegal aliens made it to San Antonio.

One of the smuggled aliens reported paying the organization $20,000 to be brought illegally into the United States along with his brother. The Mejia-Zuniga ASO directed that alien to a stash house in Monterrey, Mexico, where it housed him with 10 other aliens. The ASO later moved the same alien to a stash house in Piedras Negras, Mexico, with another 20 to 25 aliens. Ultimately, an armed coyote guided the group of aliens across the Rio Grande River. Once across the Rio Grande, the Mejia-Zuniga ASO transported the aliens to a hotel in San Antonio. 

In addition to witness statements, other evidence gathered during the investigation included wire transfers, customer ledgers, foreign identification documents, and photographs of members of the Mejia-Zuniga ASO with firearms.

Mejia-Zuniga pleaded guilty to three counts of bringing an alien to the United States for financial gain and aiding and abetting.

HSI Del Rio engaged in an extensive, years-long investigation in Operation Red Tide, which led to the development of this case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol Del Rio Sector, HSI Monterrey, HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.

Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Kass for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

The investigation and arrests of the defendants in Operation Red Tide were coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by HRSP and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 390 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 350 U.S. convictions; more than 300 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 other transnational criminal organizations, 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.

SAN ANTONIO – Two Lubbock men made their initial appearances in a federal court in San Antonio today after a federal grand jury returned an indictment on July 2 charging them for their alleged roles in a massive Ponzi fraud scheme with co-defendant Brooklynn Chandler Willy of San Antonio.

According to the indictment, Joshua Allen and Michael Cox jointly owned and controlled four investment companies: Ferrum Capital LLC, Ferrum II LLC, Ferrum III LLC, and Ferrum IV LLC. Allen, Cox, Willy and others acting at their direction, solicited victims to invest in these entities.  Willy, who was arrested in December on separate obstruction and fraud charges, was the owner of Chandler Capital Holdings and Queen B Advisory LLC doing business as Texas Financial Advisory (TFA). Among other services, TFA purported to provide asset management and financial planning services.

The indictment alleges that Allen, Cox and Willy misled the victims concerning the security of the investments and concealed their high commissions. Additionally, Allen and Cox allegedly lied about the nature of the investments. Hundreds of victims collectively lost millions of dollars. Much of that money went to pay earlier investor-victims, thereby concealing the scheme and attracting additional victims. Much of the money also directly benefitted the now indicted co-conspirators and their associates.

Allen, Cox, and Willy are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of securities fraud.

Allen and Cox made their initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry Bemporad. If convicted on all charges, they face up to 70 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

The FBI and IRS-CI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joe Blackwell and Kelly Stephenson are prosecuting the case.

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

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SAN ANTONIO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is on alert for fraudsters seeking to profit off the catastrophic and deadly flooding in Texas.

Millions of people fall victim to scams every year. Natural disasters and severe weather can create opportunities for fraud, occurring at a time when people may be especially vulnerable, or targeting charitable intentions.

Scammers are known to carry out a variety of fraud schemes, targeting those in the in affected communities. These methods include using phone, text, mail, email, and even going door to door to target residents impacted by damaging storms.

If you think you may have been preyed upon, submit a report to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or www.justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.

Learn how you can donate safely and avoid scams at the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice webpage.

You can also report disaster related complaints to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). For more information on common charity and disaster fraud schemes, visit FBI.gov/how-we-can-help-you.

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SAN ANTONIO – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 208 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 27 through July 2.

Among the new cases, Mexican national Erik Garcia-Rodriguez aka Eduardo Soto-Garcia aka Gerardo Reyes, was encountered by Texas Department of Public Safety in San Antonio on June 26. According to a criminal complaint, TX DPS requested immigration determination assistance from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) officer, who determined Garcia-Rodriguez to be an alien illegally present within the United States who had previously been removed from the United States, and who was residing at an address in San Antonio. On May 26, 2011, Garcia-Rodriguez was convicted for trafficking cocaine and heroin in Dallas County. He was removed from the U.S. on Dec. 7, 2011.

Mexican national Ismael Nieto Balverde was charged with possession with intent to distribute heroin in Austin. A criminal complaint affidavit alleges that a Drug Enforcement Administration investigation led to two controlled purchases of heroin from Balverde, totaling approximately 2,034 grams of the narcotic.

In Ector County, Roberto Adan Gandara-Ramirez, a Mexican national, was arrested on a warrant for alleged sexual assault of a child, according to a criminal complaint, and was released to ICE/ERO custody by Ector County Sherriff’s Department deputies. Gandara-Ramirez was previously removed from the U.S. through Del Rio in 2015.

Daniel Hernandez, of Asherton, was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 29 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. Hernandez was stopped by the Dimmit County Sheriff’s Office, who requested U.S. Border Patrol assistance. USBP agents conducted an immigration inspection and allegedly discovered that the vehicle contained two U.S. citizens and one Mexican national without proper documentation to enter or remain in the U.S. Hernandez allegedly stated that he was in contact with a facilitator who had instructed him to pick up the illegal alien and take the alien to Asherton. In 2014, Hernandez was convicted for bringing in and harboring aliens in Del Rio, for which he was sentenced to 27 months confinement.

A convicted felon on U.S. probation was arrested and charged with illegal re-entry after he was found approximately a mile east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. Mexican national Eduardo Lopez-Castillo has been removed from the U.S. to Mexico three times, the last one being May 28, 2024. In April 2024, he was convicted of illegal re-entry and in 2021, Lopez-Castillo was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member.

Alfonso Lopez-Castro, a Mexican national, attempted to gain entry into the U.S. at the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry by presenting a New Mexico driver’s license that allegedly contained the name, date of birth, and photograph of another individual. Lopez-Castro allegedly told the Customs and Border Protection officer that he was a U.S. citizen and that he was going home to New Mexico. He allegedly admitted later that the driver’s license was not his and was given to him by a coworker. Lopez-Castro has been previously removed from the U.S. six times, five of which were between August and November 2014. He is charged with one count of knowingly personating another and attempting to evade immigration laws by appearing under an assumed or fictitious name when applying for admission to the United States.

An alleged foot guide was arrested in El Paso and charged with bringing illegal aliens into the United States. Mexican national Isaac Nolasco-Ramirez allegedly crossed into the U.S. and attempted to conceal himself with three other illegal aliens inside a canal and under some brush approximately six miles east of the Tornillo Port of Entry. A criminal complaint alleges that Nolasco-Ramirez stated his friend used a rope ladder to get the group over the fence and that he was told to take the aliens to be picked up along the railroad tracks.

Two U.S. citizens were also arrested for bringing in illegal aliens after two aliens were observed scaling over the International Border Fence. The aliens were apprehended north of the Rio Grande River and consented that U.S. Border Patrol agents could view and search the contents of their phone. An agent, posing as one of the aliens, allegedly replied to a WhatsApp message with his location and was advised that two Jeeps would soon arrive to pick him up. When the Jeeps arrived, one driver, identified as Diego Mota, was arrested. The other vehicle departed at a high rate of speed before the driver stopped and led an Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tribal Police Officer on a foot chase. That driver, Isaac Steven Hernandez, was soon apprehended and allegedly admitted that he had been involved in alien smuggling schemes approximately eight times.

A Salvadoran national, Hector Antonio Ostorga Hernandez, was arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Ostorga Hernandez has been previously deported twice, the last time being to El Salvador on Dec. 20, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. That removal occurred two months after he was convicted in Houston for assault causing bodily harm injuring a family member and was sentenced to 179 days confinement.

Jose Ignacio Lopez-Ortiz, a Mexican national, was also arrested in Eagle Pass and charged with illegal re-entry. Lopez-Ortiz was last removed to Mexico in January 2013 through Laredo and has since been twice-convicted for driving while intoxicated in April 2023 and April 2025.

Mexican national Juan Enrique Landeros-Gonzalez was arrested in Del Rio on June 30 for being illegally present in the U.S. after being removed for the sixth time on June 13. Landeros-Gonzalez is a felon with multiple convictions including criminal mischief and probation revocation, illegal re-entry, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

U.S. Border Patrol in Eagle Pass also arrested Mexican national Joel Escobar-Chavez, who has six prior removals, the last being on March 7, and Donaldo Robles-Zarate, who also has been removed six times, the last one being July 12, 2019. Guatemalan national Byron Antonio Almazan has been removed from the U.S. five times, the last being on Jan. 27 through Alexandria, Louisiana. He was convicted for an illegal re-entry felony in December 2024 and sentenced to 189 days confinement. 

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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 – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Waco to one count of willful failure to register.

According to court documents, Diego Zaragoza-Rios was pulled over by Texas Department of Public Safety for a traffic violation near Itasca on Sept. 20, 2024. Assisted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a check of immigration databases yielded negative results for any lawful admission into the U.S., and Zaragoza-Rios admitted during a telephonic interview with an ICE deportation officer that he had entered the U.S. unlawfully sometime in 2023.

Zaragoza-Rios pleaded guilty to the charge on Monday in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Derek T. Gilliland, who sentenced the defendant to time served.

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

Immigrations and Customs Enforcement investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris prosecuted the case.

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

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WACO, Texas – A Mexican national pleaded guilty in a federal court in Waco on Tuesday to one count of failure to update change of address and one count of false documents.

According to court documents, Juana Maria Garcia-Rosales, was found in Temple on May 15, after Temple Police executed a search warrant at her residence. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Officers subsequently arrested Garcia-Rosales for being in possession of a Permanent Resident Card with an Alien Number that had not been issued. A criminal complaint alleges that Garcia-Rosales admitted to purchasing the card from someone in Florida via social media. Further investigation revealed that Garcia-Rosales was previously admitted into the U.S. with a Border Crosser Card in July 2012 and the Form I-94 documenting her arrival listed her address as a location in Bryan—not Temple.

A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. Garcia-Rosales faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

ICE is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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SAN ANTONIO – A La Pryor man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 120 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and two counts related to harboring illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing the life of a person in jeopardy. He was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years on each of the harboring counts and was sentenced to 80 years on the kidnapping count, with the sentences to run consecutively.

According to court documents, in March 2022, Joshua Lee Balderas, 33, and other conspirators transported and harbored a group of seven aliens, including one woman, who had recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. When the group was picked up by the smugglers, the woman in the group was suffering from significant injuries to her feet and was severely dehydrated. Balderas transported the group from La Pryor to San Antonio, where the aliens were held captive in hotel rooms and ransomed to their families for thousands of dollars. One family member was forced to pay $7,000 for an alien’s release. Balderas and one of his co-conspirators, Kaylen Alexander Brondo, 26, of San Antonio, frequently brandished firearms in the hotel rooms to ensure compliance from the migrants and at trial, a victim testified that Balderas pointed a firearm directly at her to ensure her obedience during a ransom call. While the aliens were being held for ransom, Balderas sexually assaulted one of the migrants while threatening her with a firearm.

Balderas was arrested Oct. 28, 2022, and found guilty on all counts by a federal jury on Oct. 11, 2024. Brondo was arrested Oct. 24, 2022, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Brondo is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery is presiding over the cases for both defendants.

“This sentence, undoubtedly keeping Balderas confined for the remainder of his life, reflects the egregious nature of these human smuggling crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “It should send a clear message throughout the nation and across our borders that we take these prosecutions very seriously and will aggressively seek to deliver justice.”

“The sentencing of this defendant to 120 years in prison marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against human smuggling,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This severe penalty reflects the gravity of the crimes committed and serves as a stern warning to those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit.  I commend the agents and our San Antonio Police Department partners for their hard work during this successful investigation.”

HSI and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Brown and Adrian Rosales prosecuted the case.

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

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DEL RIO, Texas – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio today to 120 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2024, Richard Rindeikis, 44, was driving a truck connected to a tanker trailer when he was subjected to inspection at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Carrizo Springs. He claimed the tanker was empty and, when he couldn’t locate his driver’s license, was referred to secondary inspection. USBP agents observed that the hatches on top of the tanker trailer were closed and completely secured. When they opened the hatches, they discovered numerous people sitting inside the tanker. A total of 25 illegal aliens from Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico, were removed and Rindeikis was placed under arrest. He was indicted for two counts and pleaded guilty to count one on Feb. 5, 2025.

“This district has seen far too many instances of human smuggling like this one end in tragedy. If not for the excellent work by the U.S. Border Patrol in this case, we may have seen another,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “My office will continue to pursue, prosecute, and seek to punish those who selfishly value profit over human life.”

“This sentencing is a grim reminder of the extreme measures smugglers will take for profit, endangering the lives of vulnerable individuals in the process,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “Smuggling human beings inside a tanker trailer is not only illegal, but also inhumane. Thanks to the swift work of law enforcement, the victims were rescued before tragedy struck. HSI remains relentless in our mission to dismantle smuggling networks and protect human life at every turn.”

HSI and USBP investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Duarte II prosecuted the case.

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

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EL PASO, Texas – A Mexican national charged with four counts in a 14-count indictment was extradited to the Western District of Texas following his arrest in Mexico last week.

According to court documents, from January 2016 through August 2019, Hector Adrian Rojero Ramos aka Teto, 54, allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to import heroin and fentanyl from Mexico to destinations in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois and elsewhere in the United States. Rojero Ramos was arrested in Mexico June 25 and made his initial appearance in a federal court in El Paso on June 27.

Rojero Ramos is charged with one count of conspiracy to import a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and two counts of aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. If convicted, he faces 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.

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

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Rojero Ramos.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and FBI are investigating the case. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Luis Acosta is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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EL PASO, Texas – An Anthony man who had previously been convicted for aggravated sexual assault of a prepubescent child was sentenced in a federal court in El Paso today to life in prison plus 10 years for producing, possessing and exchanging child sexual abuse material (CSAM), violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), and committing a sex offense as a registered sex offender.

According to court documents, Mark Martinez, 57, was found to be distributing CSAM within a group on the social messaging application Kik. Martinez was previously convicted in 1991 for the sexual assault of a child around the age of eight years old and, as of 2022, was residing at an address unknown to his registration officer.

FBI agents executed a search warrant in August 2022, seizing several electronic devices containing CSAM images and videos. One of those devices contained multiple photos taken at his residence in July, depicting a female approximately five to six years old. The device also contained a folder of videos of another minor female downloaded from WhatsApp. A separate device revealed chats on the messaging app Telegram, in which Martinez admitted to sexually molesting a minor. Agents discovered approximately 2,391 CSAM images and 138 CSAM videos on one device, several of which involved prepubescent minors. Martinez’s cellphone contained approximately 50 more CSAM images.

A criminal complaint and arrest warrant were issued for Martinez in October 2022. Martinez had already fled to Mexico without reporting to his registration officer and was arrested at the Columbus Port of Entry in New Mexico when he returned March 3, 2023. A federal grand jury indicted Martinez March 22, 2023. He pleaded guilty to all five counts on Aug. 21, 2024.

“Placing this child predator behind bars for the rest of his life makes certain this predator will never again harm another child,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The facts of this case are incredibly disturbing, and I thank all of our law enforcement partners for their work investigating this case, which led to this repeat offender’s ultimate conviction, and life imprisonment.”

"Martinez is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on our community’s most vulnerable victims- our children. This case highlights the disturbing reality of sexual exploitation, and the sentence ensures this predator will remain behind bars and unable to continue such atrocities physically and on the web,” said FBI El Paso Special Agent in Charge John Morales. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our commitment to work together to ensure no child is victimized in this way.”

The FBI, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and the Winnebago County Sherriff’s Office investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Valenzuela and Lori Hughes prosecuted the case.

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

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WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was transferred into federal custody Friday and charged with illegal re-entry after being found in the McLennan County Jail.

According to court documents, Pedro Martinez-Solorzano, 41, was arrested by local law enforcement in March for evading arrest with a vehicle. Martinez-Solorzano was identified as an alien unlawfully present in the U.S. who had been previously removed to Mexico in February 2022 through Del Rio. In June 2014, Martinez-Solorzano was sentenced in Waco to 110 months federal imprisonment after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine, aiding and abetting.

Martinez-Solorzano made his initial appearance in a federal court in Waco today. If convicted, he faces 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.

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

Immigration and Customs Enforcement is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Smith-Burris is prosecuting the case.

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

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 – United States Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas announced today, that federal prosecutors in the district filed 253 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from June 20 through 26.

Among the new cases, U.S. citizen Justin Joel Knight was arrested near Carrizo Springs on June 19 for conspiring to transport an illegal alien further into the United States. A criminal complaint alleges Knight underwent an immigration inspection at the Highway 277 Border Patrol checkpoint, during which an illegal alien was found inside the toolbox located in the bed of Knight’s pickup truck. The illegal alien who Knight was allegedly transporting was Honduran national Jose Alfredo Pena-Miranda. Pena-Miranda is charged with illegal re-entry and was previously deported twice, most recently to Honduras in May 2019 through Valley International Airport. In 2014, he was convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to five years confinement.

Mexican national David Lopez-Bartolo was arrested by U. S. Border Patrol agents near Maverick for being an alien illegally present in the U.S. Immigration records indicate Lopez-Bartolo was previously deported to Mexico on Feb. 4 through Laredo and has multiple prior convictions including criminal mischief, deadly conduct, driving under the influence, evading arrest, and family violence assault causing bodily injury.

Honduran national Rigoberto Alvarado Escobar was also arrested for illegal re-entry charges near Maverick. He has been deported four times, the last one being to Honduras on July 29, 2024, through Alexandria, Louisiana. Alvarado Escobar’s criminal history includes several convictions in Kentucky for disorderly conduct, criminal trespassing, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, assault and illegal re-entry.

Mexican nationals Angel Arturo Barbosa-Morales and Miguel Angel Herrera Miranda were arrested in El Paso and charged with illegal re-entry. Barbosa-Morales has two prior removals, the last one being to Mexico on Aug. 11, 2022, and has prior convictions for aggravated assault and assaulting/resisting/obstructing. Herrera Miranda was previously removed from the U.S. to Mexico in July 2003. He was previously convicted for possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

Guatemalan national Juan Bautista Carrillo-Gomez was arrested for illegal re-entry in El Paso after being removed to Guatemala on May 20 through Harlingen. Carrillo-Gomez has an extensive criminal record that includes prior convictions for willful obstruction and battery.

In San Antonio, a Honduran national was federally charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. A criminal complaint alleges Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega shot and paralyzed a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was working as a security guard at a bar. According to the complaint, the veteran security guard conducted a routine pat-down on Ruiz Ortega at the bar’s entrance when he located a pistol in the defendant’s pocket. A scuffle ensued and Ruiz Ortega allegedly shot the security guard three times, with one of the rounds hitting his neck and causing serious bodily injury. The complaint further alleges that Ruiz Ortega attempted to flee in a vehicle but was detained.

In Austin, an Iranian national was arrested and charged with one count of failure to deport. Jamil Bahlouli had been ordered to report to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in 2024 following an illegal re-entry conviction. Bahlouli did not follow the order and appear but was found in Austin on June 25.

Honduran national Abner Javier Torres-Maldonado was encountered in the Travis County Jail on Tuesday following an arrest by the Texas Department of Public Safety. In 2018, Torres-Maldonado was convicted for alien smuggling.

Jose Luis Hernandez-Salinas, a Mexican national, was also encountered at the Travis County Jail with two prior removals. Additionally, Hernandez-Salinas has been previously convicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm, illegal re-entry, and possession of a controlled substance.

Mexican national Hermenegildo Prado-Perez was arrested in Waco by a U.S. Marshal and a Homeland Security Investigations special agent during a targeted enforcement action. He was charged with illegal re-entry after being previously removed from the U.S. in April 2024 through Laredo. Prado-Perez has a prior conviction for soliciting prostitution of a minor.

Also in Waco, Guatemalan national Pablo David Cajti-Tzoy was arrested in Temple on June 21 after being encountered by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Waco Fugitive Operations Team. Cajti-Tzoy was not in possession of his I-94 when he was encountered by ICE officers. He also failed to notify the Attorney General in writing of his new address and address change within 10 days. Cajti-Tzoy pleaded guilty in federal court on June 24 and was sentenced to time-served.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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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SAN ANTONIO – Two convicted human smugglers were sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today for their prominent roles in the 2022 mass casualty human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of 47 adults and six children.

U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia for the Western District of Texas sentenced Felipe Orduna-Torres to life in prison and a $250,000 fine, and Armando Gonzales-Ortega to 1,050 months in prison and a $250,000 fine. Both defendants were found guilty by a federal jury in March for three counts related to the transportation of aliens within the United States resulting in death, causing serious bodily injury, and placing lives in jeopardy. Following the jury’s verdict at the trial, Judge Garcia set the sentencing date, noting that it would be three years to the day from when the 53 migrants perished as a result of the defendants’ smuggling scheme.

“These criminals will spend the rest of their lives in prison because of their cruel choice to profit off of human suffering,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s sentences are a powerful message to human smugglers everywhere: we will not rest until you are behind bars.”

“Three years to the day after these two smugglers and their co-conspirators left dozens of men, women, and children locked in a sweltering tractor-trailer to die in the Texas summer heat, they learned that they will spend the rest of their lives locked away in a federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “We recognize the justice handed down by Judge Garcia and thank our law enforcement partners for their great work that led to today’s outcome. At the same time, we reinforce the message that these criminal organizations will not place the lives of the desperate and vulnerable above their own financial enrichment. My office remains focused on prosecuting smugglers and their networks, and ultimately eradicating transnational criminal organizations.”

“Today’s sentences are the result of a far-reaching investigation and a tireless commitment by HSI and our law enforcement partners to dismantle the deadliest human smuggling operation in U.S. history,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This case serves as a stark reminder: human smuggling is not a service — it is a deadly criminal enterprise. HSI will pursue smugglers relentlessly, wherever they operate. No one, who participates in the smuggling of human beings, will escape the reach of justice.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Orduna-Torres, also known as Cholo, Chuequito/Chuekito, and Negro, 30, was a leader and organizer, and Gonzales- Ortega, also known as El Don and Don Gon, 55, was a coordinator in the human smuggling organization (HSO) which illegally brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico into the United States between December 2021 and June 2022.

Court documents and evidence presented at the trial revealed that Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega worked in concert to transport and facilitate the transportation of the migrants, sharing routes, guides, stash houses, trucks, trailers, and transporters in order to consolidate costs, minimize risks, and maximize profit. The HSO maintained a variety of tractors and trailers for their smuggling operations, some of which were stored at a private parking lot in San Antonio.

In the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Orduna-Torres and others exchanged the names of illegal aliens who would be smuggled in an upcoming tractor-trailer load. Gonzales-Ortega traveled to Laredo to meet the tractor-trailer, where at least 64 undocumented individuals, including eight children and one pregnant woman, were loaded for smuggling.

Some of the defendants, including Orduna-Torres, were aware that the trailer’s reefer unit was malfunctioning and was not blowing any cool air to the migrants inside. When members of the organization met the tractor-trailer at the end of its approximately three-hour journey to San Antonio, they opened the doors to find 48 of the migrants were either already dead or had died on site, including the pregnant woman. Sixteen of the undocumented individuals were transported to hospitals —five of whom died.

In addition to their sentences described above, the court also ordered Orduna-Torres to pay a $96,000 money judgment and ordered the forfeiture of the following assets: one 2008 Volvo semi-tractor; one 1995 Phoenix trailer; one 2015 Cadillac Escalade; one 2017 Ford F-350 Super Duty Truck; and $59,445.50.

Five other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the smuggling event. Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, also known as Rrili and Rilay, 32, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 6; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, 39, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13; Christian Martinez, 31, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20; and Homero Zamorano Jr., 48, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4. Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao, 51, is indicted separately and is also scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4.

In a related case, Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, allegedly worked with the HSO to smuggle aliens into the United States on the same fatal journey orchestrated by Orduna-Torres and his co-conspirators. He made his initial appearance in San Antonio on March 17, seven months after he was arrested in Guatemala, and is currently scheduled for a jury trial Sept. 29.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Ray Gattinella for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

These convictions are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 385 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 345 U.S. convictions; more than 300 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 Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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Two convicted human smugglers were sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio today for their prominent roles in the 2022 mass casualty human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the deaths of 47 adults and six children.

U.S. District Judge Orlando Garcia for the Western District of Texas sentenced Orduna-Torres to life in prison and a $250,000 fine, and Gonzales-Ortega to 83 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Both defendants were found guilty by a federal jury in March for three counts related to the transportation of aliens within the United States resulting in death, causing serious bodily injury, and placing lives in jeopardy. Following the jury’s verdict at the trial, Judge Garcia set the sentencing date, noting that it would be three years to the day from when the 53 migrants perished as a result of the defendants’ smuggling scheme.

“These criminals will spend the rest of their lives in prison because of their cruel choice to profit off of human suffering,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Today’s sentences are a powerful message to human smugglers everywhere: we will not rest until you are behind bars.”

“Three years to the day after these two smugglers and their co-conspirators left dozens of men, women, and children locked in a sweltering tractor-trailer to die in the Texas summer heat, they learned that they will spend the rest of their lives locked away in a federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “We recognize the justice handed down by Judge Garcia and thank our law enforcement partners for their great work that led to today’s outcome. At the same time, we reinforce the message that these criminal organizations will not place the lives of the desperate and vulnerable above their own financial enrichment. My office remains focused on prosecuting smugglers and their networks, and ultimately eradicating transnational criminal organizations.”

“Today’s sentences are the result of a far-reaching investigation and a tireless commitment by HSI and our law enforcement partners to dismantle the deadliest human smuggling operation in U.S. history,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This case serves as a stark reminder: human smuggling is not a service — it is a deadly criminal enterprise. HSI will pursue smugglers relentlessly, wherever they operate. No one, who participates in the smuggling of human beings, will escape the reach of justice.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Felipe Orduna-Torres, also known as Cholo, Chuequito/Chuekito, and Negro, 30, was a leader and organizer, and Armando Gonzales-Ortega, also known as El Don and Don Gon, 55, was a coordinator in the human smuggling organization (HSO) which illegally brought adults and children from Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico into the United States between December 2021 and June 2022.

Court documents and evidence presented at the trial revealed that Orduna-Torres and Gonzales-Ortega worked in concert to transport and facilitate the transportation of the migrants, sharing routes, guides, stash houses, trucks, trailers, and transporters in order to consolidate costs, minimize risks, and maximize profit. The HSO maintained a variety of tractors and trailers for their smuggling operations, some of which were stored at a private parking lot in San Antonio.

In the days leading up to June 27, 2022, Orduna-Torres and others exchanged the names of illegal aliens who would be smuggled in an upcoming tractor-trailer load. Gonzales-Ortega traveled to Laredo to meet the tractor-trailer, where at least 64 undocumented individuals, including eight children and one pregnant woman, were loaded for smuggling.

Some of the defendants, including Orduna-Torres, were aware that the trailer’s reefer unit was malfunctioning and was not blowing any cool air to the migrants inside. When members of the organization met the tractor-trailer at the end of its approximately three-hour journey to San Antonio, they opened the doors to find 48 of the migrants were either already dead or had died on site, including the pregnant woman. Sixteen of the undocumented individuals were transported to hospitals — five of whom died.

In addition to their sentences described above, the court also ordered Orduna-Torres to pay a $96,000 money judgment and ordered the forfeiture of the following assets: one 2008 Volvo semi-tractor; one 1995 Phoenix trailer; one 2015 Cadillac Escalade; one 2017 Ford F-350 Super Duty Truck; and $59,445.50.

Five other defendants in this case have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the smuggling event. Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, also known as Rrili and Rilay, 32, is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 6; Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal, 39, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13; Christian Martinez, 31, is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20; and Homero Zamorano Jr., 48, is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4. Juan Francisco D’Luna Bilbao, 51, is indicted separately and is also scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4.

In a related case, Rigoberto Ramon Miranda-Orozco, 48, allegedly worked with the HSO to smuggle aliens into the United States on the same fatal journey orchestrated by Orduna-Torres and his co-conspirators. He made his initial appearance in San Antonio on March 17, seven months after he was arrested in Guatemala, and is currently scheduled for a jury trial Sept. 29.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Fuchs, Sarah Spears and Ray Gattinella for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

These convictions are the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 385 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 345 U.S. convictions; more than 300 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).