James T. Jacks
Acting United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS FOUR ON DRUG TRAFFICKING CHARGES

Charges Result of DOJ Anti-Gang Initiative

FORT WORTH, Texas - A federal jury returned guilty verdicts late yesterday against four of the 37 defendants who were charged in November 2008 in a 98-count superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, and more than 1000 kilograms of marijuana, announced Acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Thirty defendants have pled guilty in the case and one defendant is a fugitive.

Following the two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means, the jury convicted defendants Juan Antonio Ledesma, 38, of Laredo, Texas, Julian Olguin, Jr., 27, of Dallas, Texas and Hector Daniel Macias, 27, of Dallas, Texas, each on one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances and one substantive count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. In addition, defendant Robert Losoya, a/k/a “Minnesota,” 44, of Fort Worth, was convicted on one count of conspiracy to possess and distribute controlled substances, one count of felon in possession of a firearm in commerce and two substantive counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. Losoya was also convicted on 20 counts of unlawful use of a communication facility to facilitate a drug felony. The jury could not reach a verdict on defendants Ramon Macias-Rodriguez, 44, and Nasario Macias Rodriguez, 48, both of Dallas. A new trial of the charges against defendants Ramon Macias-Rodriguez and Nasario Macias Rodriguez will be scheduled at a later date.

The four convicted defendants are all scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Means on September 21, 2009. Each faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

Many of the defendants named in the indictment are members, or associates, of the Texas Syndicate (TS) prison gang, a violent gang established during the 1970's as a response by native Texas inmates to other prison gangs. A dominant prison gang in Texas, members of the TS are bound by a strict set of rules which ensure loyalty and participation in the enterprise’s criminal activities. They are subject to strict and harsh discipline, including death, for violating the rules which require that a member continue his participation in the organization even after his release from prison. Membership is for life. Defendant Robert Losoya is a member of the TS.

At trial, the government presented evidence that beginning prior to January 1, 2007, and continuing until their arrests, the defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. In January 2007, law enforcement began investigating the activities of a major North Texas cocaine distributor and TS member, Daniel Ramos, a/k/a “Danny Ramos.” As part of the investigation, investigators applied for and received court authorizations to execute a number of wire interceptions of Ramos’ cell phone which identified many of his associates. Ramos pled guilty last month to the conspiracy charge and faces up to life in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in September 2009.

The government presented further evidence that as part of their conspiracy, the defendants would purchase illegal narcotics from various suppliers and sell them to a network of customers for profit, using a portion of the sales proceeds to purchase additional quantities of illegal narcotics. From time to time, one or more of the defendants would arrange for the illegal narcotics to be imported from Mexico and further arrange for its transportation from the border to areas in North Texas. Periodically, one or more of the defendants would distribute the controlled substances to other conspirators, who were mid-level drug dealers, in North Texas and throughout the U.S. The defendants would collect proceeds from their sales to purchase additional illegal narcotics, assets and real property. The defendants guaranteed the quality of their illegal product. The organization was fluid, in that as defendants were arrested by law enforcement, other members of the conspiracy would assume positions and responsibilities of arrested co-conspirators. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, the defendants and their co-conspirators used voice and text messages over their cell phones to discuss transaction details, often trying to disguise the subject matter of their drug-related telephone conversations by using code words.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, aided by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCEDTF), North Texas HIDTA and the Department of Justice Anti-Gang Initiative. The Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex was one of 10 target areas in the U.S. chosen to receive $2.5 million in grant funds for a comprehensive anti-gang initiative to devote extensive resources to defeating some of the most violent and pervasive gangs in the country.

Mr. Jacks praised the joint investigative efforts of the FBI, North Texas HIDTA, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, the Fort Worth, Dallas and Arlington Police Departments, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Tarrant County Metro Narcotics Task Force, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, and the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Michael Worley and Bret Helmer are prosecuting the case.

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