Jesus Manuel DeLuna aka Chuy, 48, of San Antonio; Also among the defendants is Joe Angel Villarreal, 55. Brian Victorino Chavarria, age 24 of San Antonio; All the billboards that the PRI used in its campaigns they would rent from Roberto, and they'd easily get the permits from the city governments.. Haggard faces up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On Wednesday, a joint task force including the DEA along with the sheriff's office arrested 41-year-old Francisco Ortiz. It's a very complicated matter that's taking a lot of time, but there are bank records and property records and it's taking a while to sift through all the facts to show he did not do what they claim he did.. In a month or so, he will move to a maximum security state prison like all new inmates serving life sentences. The massive drug bust took place during a traffic stop in San Clemente, a wealthy enclave about 75 miles inland from the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, multiple Border Patrol sources told Fox News. By then, Villarreal disappeared. In addition to Moyado and Cardenas, the following suspects were arrested: Crystal Coronado, 34, is facing the following charges: Jeanette Gloria, 38, is facing the following charges: Jose Delgado, 38, is facing the following charges: Kenneth Peterson, 28, is facing the following charges: The street value of the drugs that were found in the residence is well over $700,000, according to Salazar. They are either identified as being investors in some of these corporations, or persons with knowledge of some of the transactions, Herberg said. On an October morning last year, residents in . This ex-lawmaker's Texas drug bust was national news. Now he's found a Jose Tabares, 53, of San Antonio The situation is politically fraught. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois. [email protected] | Twitter: @gmaninfedland. After sentencing, Murdaugh returned to the Colleton County jail to gather his possessions and will be taken to an evaluation center in Columbia for medical, mental health and education testing. (Robert McLeroy/Staff). Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, METRO -- The father of Ashley Villarreal is led out of the Judge John H. Wood Federal Courthouse. The arrests made yesterday in San Antonio conclude a comprehensive investigation by the DEA along with our law enforcement partners into the criminal activities of a drug trafficking organization, who were responsible for transporting and distributing methamphetamine and cocaine into our communities, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Comeaux. Among those charged are Villarreal, who is in a San Antonio jail awaiting trial, and Coahuila's former interim governor, Jorge Juan Torres Lpez, a fugitive. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The DEA said her father may have used her as a decoy. The arrestsin San Antonio conclude a comprehensive investigation by DEA, along with our law enforcement partners, into the criminal activities of a drug trafficking organization, who were responsible for transporting and distributing methamphetamine and cocaine into our communities, said Daniel C. Comeaux, special agent in charge of the DEA office in Houston. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. He has also covered immigration, minority affairs and legal affairs as part of the projects team here and for other print, TV and radio outlets. SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Gonzlez Fernandez didn't respond to letters written to him in jail, and his new attorney, San Antonio white collar crime expert Cynthia Orr, wouldn't comment. An indictment accused Ral Gonzlez Fernandez, a 42-year-old restaurateur who was born in Del Rio, of conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possessing more than 500 grams of the drug. Oakland man charged with distributing thousands of LSD tabs Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Paso, was indicted. If he gets extradited we will (fight the criminal case), but right now he has not been extradited, so he's still in Mexico, Canales said. Like a traditional mafia, the Zetas also are involved in public works fraud, creating fake companies or suborning legitimate businesses and bribing public officials in exchange for government contracts that are inflated or never completed. SAN ANTONIO - Twenty five men and women are in custody after authorities busted a drug distribution operation in the San Antonio area Thursday, according to officials. But I am innocent. Phone Number: (713) 693-3329 For Immediate Release Twelve Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area SAN ANTONIO - Twelve San Antonio residents face federal drug trafficking charges, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. Moreira, the former leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, is close to Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto. 37 San Antonio-Based Texas Mexican Mafia Members and Associates His lawyer, Roy Barrera Jr., said Flores wasn't involved in public corruption or organized crime. An official website of the United States government. Guillermo has also worked in Central America, Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and California and his work has appeared in various publications, including the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New York Post, Newsday, Denver Post and the Albuquerque Journal. Jason Buch, Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News. The massive drug bust took place during a traffic stop in San Clemente, a wealthy enclave about 75 miles inland from the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, multiple Border Patrol sources told Fox News. Meanwhile, the U.S. investigation sprawled. Today, it has large office buildings in Saltillo and hangars at the city airport. Martinez, Robles, and Jose Garcia face between 15 years and life upon conviction of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. These family members assisted Villarreal by, among other things, opening bank accounts at U.S. banks, establishing business entities and purchasing real estate in the names of these business entities.. It also alleges that from June 2019 until April 7, 2021, Oscar Oviedo, Vasquez, Justin Guerrero, Moreno and Palafos conspired to distribute cocaine, and that Chavarria, Homero Garcia, Oswaldo Lopez and Oscar Lopez conspired to distribute heroin. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Our position on behalf of Mr. Villarreal is to establish the facts and show that he is not guilty. This arrest operation also resulted in firearms, currency, and a large amount of methamphetamine being seized from these individuals. Ashley Villarreal who was shot and critically wounded on Motes street at S. San Joaquin just a few houses down from her home. Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved. He wouldn't say more in an interview, but in court Canales called the indictment a sham and accused prosecutors of using it to retaliate against Torres for fighting the civil suit. Coordinated effort by law enforcement leads to major drug bust in Uvalde (SBG San Antonio) 0. They worked for him. DRUG BUSTThe Castle Hills Police Department confiscated 6.5 grams of Fentanyl and over four grams of Heroin during a traffic stop overnight. Drug Cartels Aren't Just a Border Problem | National Review Coordinated effort by law enforcement leads to major drug bust in Tag: Drug Bust - NBC 7 San Diego SAN ANTONIO The Bexar County Sheriff's Office provided details about a drug bust in east Bexar County. Gonzlez Fernandez, the son, has pleaded not guilty to the drug charges. Further, the indictment charges Pena with an additional one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He quickly left Mexico for the U.S. and showed up in East Texas in February 2012 where he was again arrested. The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired in 2020 to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America, Report Waste, Fraud, Abuse or Misconduct to the Inspector General, Find Help and Information for Crime Victims, Register, Apply for Permits, or Request Records, Monitor Selection for Corporate Criminal Enforcement. Three arrested after Castle Hills Police find heroin, fentanyl and Prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty in this case, and Newman handed down the harshest possible sentence he could consecutive life sentences without parole. Oscar Heredia, 37, of San Antonio And it might not have been you. As Torren businessman Guillermo Flores Cordero stepped off a private jet in August at San Antonio International Airport, federal agents were waiting to take him to Corpus Christi to face charges that he illegally used shell companies to transfer millions of dollars from Mexico to the U.S. for others. Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Thirteen Indicted for Cocaine Trafficking in San Antonio Area Marshals Service, IRS Criminal Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Texas Department of Public Safety, Bexar County Sheriffs Office, Terrell Hills Police Department, Seguin Police Department and San Antonio Police Department conducted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation called Operation Alamo Fade. The GEO Group built the facility and manages it under contract with Karnes County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Its disgraceful.. You have to have a federal and state license for that. SAN ANTONIO - A man and a woman were arrested after deputies busted a drug distribution operation in West Bexar County on Friday, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Pictured is (left to right): Jeanette Gloria, 38; Crystal Coronado, 34; Kenneth Peterson, 28; Josh Delgado, 38. At about 11 a.m., SLO Police. AUSTIN, Texas Federal authorities arrested 21 people believed to be involved in drug trafficking on Thursday, according to the Department of Justice. Last year, Raul Gonzlez Trevio bought a one-acre piece of commercial property on U.S. 281 near TPC Parkway. During the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. That's it. I saw his eyes. Thursday, March 18, 2021 Twelve Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area Twelve San Antonio residents face federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division. Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Deputies searched a home Tuesday in the 1200 block of Delmar when they arrested Edward Medrano, 35, for being in possession of 373.3 grams of methamphetamine, according to officials. Bexar County Deputies arrest 3 people in a drug bust on San Antonio's Nevrez hit a . Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. I was this close to him.. A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the following defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance: Francisco Garza aka Pancho, 52, of San Antonio She works in the immigration portion of GEO. SAN ANTONIO (WOAI) More than $500,000 worth of cocaine was seized following the successful completion of a multi-agency operation in Texas. Over the past two days, federal, state and local authorities arrested all of the defendants with the exception of Brown, Martinez, Jose Garcia, Alvarado, and Bartlett. SAN ANTONIO A 32-year-old San Antonio woman was sentenced to more than eight years in prison on Tuesday after she was found guilty of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, according to the United States Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas. Joseph Richard Guerrero, age 28 of San Antonio; The Bexar County District Attorneys Office also assisted in the investigation. Man charged with murder cut off ankle monitor, captured after being spotted in San Antonio, 'Especially lush': Wildflower Center predicts above-average bluebonnet season, Spring-like weekend in store for San Antonio | FORECAST, 2 separate $10,000 rewards offered by law enforcement for the suspect involved in shooting two Corpus Christi officers, Police search for suspects who may be involved in robbery, Video shows possible suspect vehicle connected to Army soldier's murder on New Year's Day. Online Reports - San Antonio Frank Anthony Hernandez aka Pancho, 36, of San Antonio; All are from San Antonio. Bexar County drug bust nets $400k worth of heroin, cocaine The DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue any individual or organization that threatens the well-being and stability of our communities.. When Humberto came into power, RCG was tiny, said Jorge Rosales Saade, an official with the opposition PAN party in Coahuila. UPDATE: Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says they found $29 million worth of methamphetamine, in addition to $400,000 worth of black tar heroin in a conversion lab in the Northeast Side. The KSAT 12 News Team provides a look at local, regional, statewide and national news events and the latest information on local traffic and weather issues. For decades, that meant that practically anyone who ended up in court whatever side of the law they found themselves on would have a Murdaugh either watching their back or staring them down. Officials seized. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The now-disbarred attorney admitted stealing millions of dollars from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit. Sheriff's deputies there said they stopped Villarreal, his wife and brother-in-law Oswaldo Coronado traveling with $67,000. DEA officials said the pills were smaller than a dime and that even a tiny dose of the drug could be fatal. San Diego Border Patrol seizes massive quantity of deadly, powerful On an October morning last year, residents in the gated Champions Ridge subdivision watched as federal agents arrested a neighbor with ties to the Coahuila government. A federal grand jury in Corpus Christi in November charged Villarreal and Torres with money laundering and fraud. Gonzlez Fernandez's girlfriend, Alejandra Ibarra, who lives at the Champions Ridge house with their 3-year-old daughter, said she doesn't believe he was involved in drug trafficking. Border Patrol agents based in the San Diego Sector seized 232 pounds of fentanyl with a street value of about $3 million from a single vehicle, officials announced on Monday.. Drugs worth millions found in suburban Bexar County meth lab, at - KTSA Deputies seized four kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of cocaine in the home in addition to multiple firearms, thousands of dollars of cash and expensive clothing. He said fentanyl pills are often made in backyard labs, and often pushed to young people disguised as other drugs. Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio's properties are nominally owned by a complex structure of companies. Wynne, Villarreal's attorney who was at the hotel meeting, said he's trying to show the Texas properties were purchased with legitimate funds. Coahuila corruption and drug ties spread influence to San Antonio Twenty-Two Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area Drug Enforcement Administration Daniel C. Comeaux Special Agent in Charge Houston @DEAHoustonDiv April 15, 2021 Contact: Sally M. Sparks Phone Number: (713) 693-3329 For Immediate Release Twenty-Two Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area The government's investigation shouldn't stop with the drug gangs, the former governor told the Saltillo newspaper Vanguardia. A good liar. It was found that there is no evidence to link Mr. Moreira Valdes to any wrongdoing in relation to the debt contracted in the state of Coahuila during his term as governor, the attorney wrote. When one defendant was brought to court in San Antonio, a former U.S. congressman showed up to support him. Some sit empty today. "They take a pill which seems very simple, never done that in their life, and they simply dont wake up.". The government is abusing its power, Canales wrote in one filing. OCDETF Lead Task Force Attorney Adrin Rosales is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. And that was the reason they offered it, Griffin said. 2 at the DA's office, prosecutors believe at least some of the $6.5 million in a JP Morgan Chase and Co. bank account that his office is suing to forfeit came from kickbacks. And that is why we want to ask questions as far as their involvement or knowledge.. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Jason Buch is a freelance journalist based in Texas. When there's two or three or four or five layers of individuals, that's called layering of ownership, he said. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations, and those primarily responsible for the nations illegal drug supply. Bryan Anthony Brown, age 33 of San Antonio; James Patric Bartlett, age 42 of San Antonio; and, Its radio and television stations have a reputation for supporting the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known by its Spanish acronym PRI, in general and the Moreiras in particular. 25 people arrested after massive drug bust in San Antonio area - KSAT In interviews after his son's killing, Moreira placed blame on narcoempresarios, businessmen with ties to the cartels who allowed the gangs to act with impunity. Instructions. Of the 14 people indicted Wednesday, at least 10 have been taken into custody, including Jacqueline Alvarez, 57, of San Antonio, who works for the GEO Group at the Karnes County Family Residential Center. Murdaugh's family founded the areas most powerful law firm a century ago in neighboring Hampton County. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. One of his Texas limited liability companies the one that shows up on deed records is controlled by a Dutch company, which is controlled by another Texas LLC, which is controlled by a trust. According to police, during a traffic stop, officers found a loaded syringe containing heroin inside of a vehicle. The most high-profile arrest of the money laundering investigation has been that of Villarreal, the former state treasurer. Karen Lastiri was arrested after Bexar County Sheriffs deputies found 52.28 kilograms of meth in her vehicle during a traffic stop, according to court documents. Prosecutors have said in court that they believe Flores helped a former governor of Tamaulipas, another state that borders Texas, launder bribe money from the Zetas. Six people arrested in southeast San Antonio drug raid connected to All he had was Cablevision, but they made him a multimillionaire with enormous power. According to Sorianello, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, over 50 times greater or stronger than heroine. San Luis Obispo detectives on Thursday arrested a man on drug charges and seized more than $1 million worth of narcotics from a single home, according to police. BCSO says as deputies were approaching the residence, Mendez was getting in a vehicle to leave. Marshals Service, Bexar County Sheriffs Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Kendall County Sheriffs Office conducted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation called Operation Dirty Confidential. 01 Mar 2023 22:30:08 It becomes very difficult to track for any investigator in law enforcement, but it's especially more difficult for financial industry investigators because they're limited, they don't have authority of the government, subpoena power..