December 2012 Press Releases
Dec. 20, 2012 - Spiegel
Tomball Couple Charged in Connection With Use of Counterfeit PC Postage
HOUSTON – Michael and Susan Spiegel, a husband and wife residing in Tomball, have been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, five counts of mail fraud and 10 counts of possession of counterfeit postage in connection with their Houston “mail drop” business read more
Dec. 20, 2012 - Aguilar-Hernandez
Mexican National Sentenced for Alien Smuggling Resulting in Death
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Mexican national Modesto Aguilar-Hernandez, 20, has been handed a 57-month sentence for his conviction of alien smuggling which led to the death of a 40-year-old Mexican national read more
Dec. 20, 2012 - Ortiz
Coast Guard Petty Officer Convicted of Stealing Government Property
HOUSTON – U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Gavino Ortiz III, 32, of League City, pleaded guilty this morning to theft of government property read more
Dec. 19, 2012 - Hedrick
Former Pan American Airways President Ordered to Prison
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Robert L. Hedrick, 61, has been sentenced to 30 years for attempted sexual exploitation of children, transfer of obscene materials to a minor, distribution and possession of child pornography read more
Dec. 19, 2012 - Phillips
Houston Attorney and Former VA Fiduciary Heads to Federal Prison
HOUSTON - Joe B. Phillips has been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy to make false statements, misappropriation by a fiduciary and signing a false income tax return read more
Dec. 19, 2012 - Mathew
Victoria Jury Convicts Missouri City Man of Illegal Possession of Bald Eagle
VICTORIA, Texas - Sam Mathew, 53, of Missouri City, has been convicted of illegally possessing a bald eagle read more
Dec. 18, 2012 - Lara-Reyes et al
Six Sentenced in Illegal Alien Conspiracy
HOUSTON – A total of six people have been handed sentences following their convictions in an illegal alien harboring/transportation conspiracy read more
Dec. 18, 2012 - White
Woodlands Man Using Fake CIA/FBI Credentials Indicted
HOUSTON – Paul Alan White, 57, of the Woodlands, has been arrested following the return of a sealed indictment alleging he impersonated a public servant read more
Dec. 17, 2012 - Tyler
Houston Man Arrested for Health Care Fraud
HOUSTON – Lawrence T. Tyler, 40, has been indicted on charges of health care fraud and conspiracy to commit health care fraud read more
Dec. 17, 2012 - Baker
Angleton Resident Handed Sentence for Multiple Child Pornography Charges
GALVESTON, Texas - Phillip Edward Baker, 50, has been sentenced to federal prison following his convictions for receipt and possession of child pornography as well as accessing a website with intent to view child pornography read more
Dec. 17, 2012 - Ortiz-Soto
Co-Operator of “Welcome to Hell” Stash House Sent to Prison
McALLEN, Texas – Mexican national Vicente Ortiz-Soto, 24, one of the operators of what has become known as the "welcome to hell" stash house, has landed in federal prison read more
Dec. 13, 2012 - O’Neil
Houston Man Convicted in Second Wire Fraud Scheme
HOUSTON - Houstonian Nathaniel Chilo, aka Nathaniel O’Neil, 23, already convicted in a separate debt relief scam, has entered a plea of guilty to wire fraud for a similar scheme read more
Dec. 13, 2012 - Wong
McAllen Man Heads to Federal Prison for Possessing Stolen Debit and Bank Account Numbers
McALLEN, Texas – Mario Wong, 33, of McAllen, Texas, has been sent to federal prison for access device fraud related to his possession of unauthorized debit and bank account numbers from Domestic and International Banks read more
Dec. 13, 2012 - Espinoza et al
4 Officers Charged With Escorting Loads of Narcotics
McALLEN, Texas – Two complaints have been filed charging two deputies with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) and two Mission Police Department (MPD) officers in a drug conspiracy read more
Dec. 12, 2012 - Espericueta et al
Mexican Men Sentenced for Cocaine Conspiracy
LAREDO, Texas – Mexican Citizens Sergio Espericueta, 43, Juan Antonio Hurtado-Garcia, 52, Hugo Garcia-Santos, 40, of Durango, and Oziel Hernandez, 43, have been sentenced for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine read more
Dec. 12, 2012 -Villanueva
Edinburg Man Sent to Prison for Receiving Weapons with Intent to Assault
McALLEN, Texas – David Villanueva, 21, will be serving an nearly nine years in prison following his conviction for receiving firearms with the intent to commit a felony read more
Dec. 12, 2012 - Tovar et al
Duval County Corruption Investigation Leads to Two Prison Sentences, More Coming
McALLEN, Texas — Jose Luis Tovar, 47, and his brother Jerry Tovar, 40, both of Mission, are heading to federal prison as a result of their convictions related to a corruption investigation in Duval County read more
Dec. 12, 2012 - Trifu
Romanian Man Indicted for Wire Fraud
VICTORIA, Texas - A federal grand jury has issued a multi-count indictment against a Romanian National as part of an Internet fraud scheme read more
Dec. 11, 2012 - Hales et al
Four Houstonians Charged in a Bank Fraud Conspiracy Involving Stolen Mail and Identity Theft
HOUSTON – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Dana Sue Hales, 41, Lindsay Ann Grice, 26, Jason Craig White, 32, and Joseph Scott Ryder, 44, all of Houston, with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud and possessing stolen mail read more
Dec. 11, 2012 - Yarrington
United States Seizes Luxury Condo Allegedly Owned by Former Mexican Governor
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A luxury condominium located in South Padre Island alleged to be owned by former Tamaulipas Mexico Governor Tomas Yarrington has been successfully forfeited to the government read more
Dec. 10, 2012 - Puglisi
Houston Man Convicted in Grocery Store Bank Robbery
HOUSTON – A Houston man indicted for a string of bank robberies in Houston during the summer of 2012 has entered a plea of guilty read more
Dec. 7, 2012 - Johnson
Former Missouri City Mail Carrier Convicted of Theft of Mail
HOUSTON - Anthony Johnson, 42, of Missouri City, has entered a plea of guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee read more
Dec. 7, 2012 - Ramirez
Local Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to Federal Prison
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A Corpus Christi man will be serving 15 years in federal prison without parole read more
Dec. 6, 2012 - Pejouhesh
Iranian National Lands in Federal Prison for More Than 20 Years
HOUSTON – Hassan Ali Pejouhesh, 63, of Iran, has been ordered to federal prison following his multiple convictions of bank fraud, possession of stolen mail and aggravated identity theft read more
Dec. 6, 2012 - Tobias
Federal Jury Convicts Edinburg Alien Smuggler on All Counts as Charged
McALLEN, Texas - Jose Luis Tobias, 28, of Edinburg, has been found guilty of two counts of conspiring to harbor and transport undocumented aliens and three counts of harboring undocumented aliens read more
Dec. 6, 2012 - Marchan
Gets 42 months for Paying Bribe Money to Former Judge Limas
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Ray Roman Marchan, 55, has been sent to federal prison for his conviction on six public corruption related counts in the FBI’s public corruption investigation of former 404th District Court Judge Abel Corral Limas read more
Dec. 6, 2012 - Correa-Franco
Spring Man Convicted of Enticing Nine-Year-Old
HOUSTON – Spring resident Steve Correa-Franco, 33, has entered a plea of guilty to enticement of a child and possession of child pornography read more
Dec. 6, 2012 - Nowlin et al
Bryan Women Charged With Health Care Fraud
HOUSTON – Yolanda Nowlin, 41, and Carla Parnell, 49, both of Bryan, have been charged in a seven-count indictment alleging conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, conspiracy to pay kickbacks and theft of government money read more
Dec. 4, 2012 - Lopez Hinojosa
Felon in Possession Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Mack Lopez Hinojosa, 26, of Corpus Christi, has been handed a 15-year sentence for his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon read more
Dec. 4, 2012 - Puckett
Corpus Man Sent to Prison for Solicitation of a Minor
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Less than five months following his indictment, Corpus Christi resident Anthony Michael Puckett, 41, has been ordered to serve more than 14 years in prison for online coercion and enticement of a child read more
Dec. 4, 2012 - Reyes
Corpus Christi Man Convicted of Assaulting a Federal Agent
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Margarito Reyes, 60, of Corpus Christi, has been convicted of one count of assaulting a United States Marshal read more
Dec. 4, 2012 - Moya
United States Deputy Marshal Charged With Disclosing Identity of Undercover Agent
McALLEN, Texas – A U.S. deputy marshal has been arrested on allegations he disclosed the identity of an undercover agent who infiltrated a Starr County drug trafficking organization read more
Dec. 3, 2012 - Lindsey et al
Bryan Chiropractor and Others Charged in Insurance Scam
HOUSTON – A 31-count sealed indictment has been returned against an area chiropractor and four others alleging conspiracy and mail fraud in a scheme to defraud auto insurance companies such as Farmers, USAA, State Farm and AIG of more than $3 million read more
Dec. 3, 2012 - Basaldua
Mission Man Handed 20 Years for Cocaine Conspiracy
McALLEN, Texas – Ramiro Basaldua, 56, of Mission, has been sentenced to federal prison for 240 months as a result of his conviction on one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine read more
Dec. 3, 2012 - Schroeder
Shenandoah Man Admits to Altering Military Record, Heads to Prison
HOUSTON – Paul A. Schroeder, 41, of Shenandoah, has been convicted of altering a military or naval discharge certificate and will now be headed to federal prison read more
