November 2012 Press Releases
Nov. 30, 2012 - Budd
Montgomery Co. Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Theft of Government Property
HOUSTON - A Conroe area resident has been ordered to federal prison for theft of government property in connection with Social Security benefits paid on behalf of his mother read more
Nov. 30, 2012 - Madrigal
Alleged Houstone Gang Member Extradicted From Mexico
HOUSTON – Raul Sergio Madrigal, 33, of League City, will make his initial appearance in federal court this morning following his recent extradition from Mexico read more
Nov. 29, 2012 - Cooper
Huntsville Man Convicted of Social Security Fraud
HOUSTON - Christopher Tyrone Cooper, 39, of Huntsville, has entered a plea of guilty to one count of Social Security fraud read more
Nov. 29, 2012 - Torre-Santana et al
Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty in Hostage Taking/Harboring Case
HOUSTON - Virgilio De la Torre-Santana, 27, and Aduato Aguilar-Lara, 34, both Mexican nationals, have entered guilty pleas in connection with their roles in an ongoing conspiracy to harbor and hold smuggled aliens hostage for ransom payments read more
Nov. 29, 2012 - Gallegos-Avila
Mexican Man Lands in Prison After Illegal Aliens Seen Boarding a Plane
McALLEN, Texas – Jorge Luis Gallegos-Avila, 39, of Tampico, Mexico, has been handed a federal prison sentence for conspiring to harbor, conceal and shield illegal aliens from detection read more
Nov. 28, 2012 - Richards and Justice
Texas Pair Indicted for Producing Animal Crush Videos
HOUSTON – Ashley Nicole Richards, 22, and Brent Justice, 51, both of Houston, have been indicted for creating and distributing “animal crush videos” read more
Nov. 28, 2012 - Alaniz et al
Palmview Siblings Sentenced for Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
McALLEN, Texas – Velma Alaniz, 31, and her brother Valente Alaniz, 27, both of Palmview, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through fraudulent billings for power wheelchairs, incontinent supplies and other medical items read more
Nov. 27, 2012 - Nunez
Hidalgo Drug Trafficker Convicted
McALLEN, Texas – Daniel Nunez, 36, of Hidalgo, has entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana and conspiracy to transport and attempt to transport monetary instruments to Mexico to promote drug trafficking read more
Nov. 27, 2012 - Broussard
Local Tax Return Preparer Convicted of Falsifying Returns
HOUSTON – Anitra Broussard, a local tax return preparer, has pleaded guilty to charges she prepared false tax returns for clients during 2011 read more
Nov. 27, 2012 - Albina
Local Doctor Convicted of Possession of Child Pornography
HOUSTON - Bernard Albina, 73, of Houston, has entered a guilty plea to possessing child pornography read more
Nov. 26, 2012 - Frazier et al
Pearland Residents Sent to Prison in Kirby Lofts Scheme
HOUSTON – Derwin Frazier, 45, and his wife Veronica, 44, both of Pearland, have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the sham sales of the Kirby Lofts condominium complex and others read more
Nov. 20, 2012 - Jordan et al
Two Indicted in $25 Million Fraud Scheme
HOUSTON - Charles Craig Jordan and Kelly Taylor Gipson, both 33, have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with their life settlement insurance business as well as conspiracy to commit money laundering read more
Nov. 19, 2012 - Lopez and Kuhrt
Former Executives of Stanford Financial Group Entities Convicted for Roles in Fraud Scheme
HOUSTON – A Houston federal jury has convicted Gilbert T. Lopez Jr., the former chief accounting officer of Stanford Financial Group Company, and Mark J. Kuhrt, the former global controller of Stanford Financial Group Global Management, for their roles in helping Robert Allen Stanford perpetrate a fraud scheme involving Stanford International Bank (SIB) read more
Nov. 19, 2012 - Pena
CBP Officer Handed Sentence in Firearms Case
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Manuel Pena, 38, has received a five-year probated sentence after being convicted of two counts of making a making a false statement in a firearms record and one count of making a false statement to a federal agency read more
Nov. 19, 2012 - Vega
Mission Man Handed Nearly 18 Years in Child Porn Case
McALLEN, Texas – Reynaldo Vega, 45, of Mission, Texas, has been sentenced to 210 months in prison for receiving child pornography via the Internet read more
Nov. 19, 2012 - Serna
Mission Furniture Store Owner Convicted in Cocaine Trafficking and Money Laundering
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Jose Francisco Serna, of Mission, has entered pleas of guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Melchor-Sanchez
Houston Man Convicted of Theft of Government Funds
HOUSTON - Hector Melchor-Sanchez, 46, of Houston, has pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government funds from the Social Security Disability Insurance fund read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Rodriguez
Houston Man Ordered Detained On Charges of Possessing Multiple Kilos of Methamphetamine
HOUSTON – Houston resident Francisco Rodriguez, 21, has been arrested and charged with possessing a gross weight of more than five kilograms of methamphetamine read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Olmedo-Trevino et al
Leader and Two Others Sentenced in Multi-Year Alien Smuggling Conspiracy
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Three people have been sentenced for their involvement in a conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Jariv et al
Las Vegas Telemarketers Arrested in Timeshare Resale Fraud
HOUSTON – James Assi Jariv, 62, of Las Vegas, Nev., has been charged along with seven others in a four-count indictment alleging conspiracy, wire and mail fraud and money laundering read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Henry
Former Postal Carrier Convicted of Stealing Government Funds
HOUSTON - Mytasha Henry, a former U.S. Postal Service letter carrier from the Houston area has entered a plea of guilty to charges of stealing government funds with regards to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Program (OWCP) read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Gomez-Ramirez
Two Arrested In Multi-Million Dollar Cocaine Conspiracy
LAREDO, Texas – A four-count federal indictment has been partially unsealed following the arrest of one Laredo resident and one Nuevo Laredo resident on charges of conspiracy to possess cocaine with the intent to distribute and international money laundering read more
Nov. 16, 2012 - Garcia-Figueroa
Hidalgo Man Convicted of Bringing Undocumented Aliens into the U.S.
McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury in McAllen has convicted Adan Garcia-Figueroa, 59, of Hidalgo, on two counts of bringing an undocumented alien into the United States and one count of illegally re-entering the United States after a prior deportation read more
Nov. 15, 2012 - Rodriguez et al
Local Gang Members Sent to Federal Prison
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Benito Rodriguez, 36, Andy Soliz, 25, and Adrian Fernandez, 21, all of Corpus Christi, have been sentenced to federal prison without parole following their convictions for firearms violations read more
Nov. 14, 2012 - Riojas
Amarillo Man Detained for Transporting Drugs for Distribution
HOUSTON – Conrad Christopher Riojas, 27, of Amarillo, has been ordered held without bond for conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine read more
Nov. 14, 2012 - Abundis-Carreon
Houston Man Heads to Prison for Transportation of Illegal Aliens
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Leonel Alvaro Abundis-Carreon, 22, of Houston, has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of conspiracy to transport 14 aliens within the United States and causing serious bodily injury to a person read more
Nov. 14, 2012 - Martinez
Falfurrias Man Convicted of Alien Smuggling Resulting in Death
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Lewey Martinez, 31, of Falfurrias, has pleaded guilty in an alien smuggling and harboring scheme that resulted in the September 2011 death of a 24-year-old Mexican national read more
Nov. 14, 2012 - Shittu
DME Owner Convicted of Health Care Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft
HOUSTON – Abdul Waheed Alex Shittu, 54, a naturalized United States citizen from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft read more
Nov. 13, 2012 - Garcia
Houstonian Convicted of Conspiring to Transport Marijuana
LAREDO, Texas – Roberto Garcia, 28, of Houston, has entered a plea of guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute in excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana read more
Nov. 13, 2012 - Scott
Coast Guard Petty Officer Indicted
HOUSTON – U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Brandon Lee Scott, 28, of Dickinson, has been charged with using a government-issued credit card to purchase several electronics for his personal use read more
Nov. 13, 2012 - Montgomery et al
Local Church Leaders Sent to Prison for Defrauding IRS
HOUSTON - David A. Montgomery and Bridget M. Montgomery, a husband and wife who founded their own church - Restoration Temple Church of God in Christ in Humble, have each been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and were ordered to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) read more
Nov. 9, 2012 - Aryan Brotherhood of Texas
34 Alleged Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Members Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges
HOUSTON – Thirty-four alleged members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang (ABT), including four of its most senior leaders, have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Houston for allegedly conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise read more
Nov. 6, 2012 - Alvarez-Soria
Undocumented Alien Gets Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine
HOUSTON – Enrique Alvarez-Soria, 41, has been handed a 12-year-term of imprisonment for his role in two separate incidents of trafficking large-scale amounts of methamphetamine read more
Nov. 6, 2012 - Munoz-Vargas
Possession of 100% Pure Methamphetamine Leads to Life in Federal Prison
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Rigoberto Munoz-Vargas, 38, has landed in federal prison for life following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being an alien in possession of a firearm read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Nevarez
Laredo Bailbonds Manager Convicted of Money Laundering
LAREDO, Texas - Elizabeth Nevarez, 42, of Laredo, has entered a plea of guilty to one count of money laundering read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Huerta-Aguilar
Mexican Man Convicted of Bribery of a Public Official
McALLEN, Texas - Jose Luis Huerta-Aguilar, 31, of Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Garza
Sentence Handed Down for Marijuana Trafficking and Bond Jumping
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Juan Ramon Garza, a 40-year-old resident alien of Brownsville has been sentenced to 75 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a quantity exceeding 100 kilograms and for bond jumping (failure to appear as required) read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Rivera
Brownsville Man Sent to Prison for Trafficking Cocaine
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Edmundo Antonio Monroy Rivera, 22, of Brownsville, has been sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute nearly 10 kilograms of cocaine read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Leggett
Chambers County Woman Gets 15 Years for Conspiracy Involving Bomb Making and Weapons Possession
HOUSTON - Pamela Leggett, 32, of Anhuac, has been handed a 15-year prison sentence following her conviction of conspiracy to illegally make and possess unregistered firearms, including bombs, and to aiding and abetting illegal possession of an unlawful machine gun read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Lance
Distributor of Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Drugs Sent to Federal Prison
HOUSTON - Shane Lance, 41, of Archdale, N.C., has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to distribute counterfeit pharmaceuticals and trafficking in pharmaceuticals bearing false labeling and counterfeit trademarks read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Obi
7th Defendant Sentenced to Federal Prison in Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud Case
HOUSTON – Tony Nnonso Obi, 56, a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has been sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a massive health care fraud conspiracy that billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for more than $45 million read more
Nov. 5, 2012 - Avila
Illegal Alien Gets 35 Years in Hostage Taking Case
HOUSTON - Cesar Avila, 38, an illegal alien from Honduras, has been sentenced to federal prison following his multiple convictions in a hostage taking and alien harboring conspiracy read more
Nov. 2, 20012- Kelley
Individual Arrested for Hoax Bomb Threat
HOUSTON – Dereon Tayronne Kelley has been arrested and charged for a felony violation of the Federal Explosive Materials Statute read more
Nov. 1, 20012- Walker et al
Verdict Returned Against Two Remaining Defendants in Murder-for-Hire and Drug Trafficking Conspiracy
LAREDO, Texas - Samuel Walker, 29, an active duty member of the U.S. Army, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Calvin Epps, aka Beef, 28, of Hopkins, S.C., have been found guilty on a variety of charges in relation to a murder-for-hire and drug trafficking conspiracy read more
