El Paso Businessman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Money Laundering

In El Paso this week, 54-year-old Eduardo A. Herrera, owner of Best for Less Collision Center in El Paso, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for his part in a money laundering scheme announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Waldemar Rodriguez in El Paso.

In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge David Briones ordered that Herrera forfeit his business property valued at $411,000.00, and cash seized from four business bank accounts totaling $15,451.05.

Herrera’s sentence also included a $1,000,000 money judgment.

On January 14, 2015, Herrera pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. According to court documents, an HSI El Paso investigation determined that Herrera used Best for Less Collision Center for transnational drug smuggling and money laundering. Proceeds of cocaine and marijuana smuggled from Mexico and transported to end users in the Jacksonville, Florida area, were sent to El Paso through numerous funnel accounts held in third parties’ names. Best for Less Collision Center withdrew the proceeds and covered deposits into the business' bank accounts with false invoices. More than $2,000,000 has been identified as being funneled through third party accounts.

This case was investigated by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the El Paso Police Department as part of the El Paso Southwest Border FOCUS Financial Task Force.  Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Blackwell prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government