ICYMI: Significant federal prosecutions in the Eastern District of Texas during nation-wide shutdown

PLANO, Texas – During the recent federal government shutdown, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas continued its mission to protect public safety and hold criminals accountable, prosecuting cases involving immigration violations, firearms violations, fraud, drug trafficking, and other federal offenses.

“Over the past 43 days, our mission remained the same, the pursuit of justice for the citizens of the United States,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.  “During the shutdown our prosecutors never stopped. They were in court and on the job every day pursuing justice and protecting our communities as a part of Operation Take Back America.”

Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The following is just a glimpse of some of the many cases handled during the shutdown:

Corey Buchea Grant, 31, and Calvin Autae Thompson, 36, both of Dallas, were convicted by a jury of conspiring to distribute heroin and crack cocaine following a six-day trial in Plano.   

William Caleb Elliott, 26, a former Celina ISD coach and teacher, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury charging him with seven counts of production of child pornography and one count of attempted production of child pornography.  A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bobby Michael Dennis, 64, of Jacksonville, was charged with firearms violations related to the shooting of a Jacksonville police officer.  A complaint or indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

John Prentice Robertson, 65, of Aubrey, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for paying women in the Philippines to sexually abuse their children and make custom ordered child pornography for him.

David Valdez, 45, and his son, Abel Valdez, 28, both Mexican naturalized citizens living in Dallas, were each to sentenced to 324 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.

Juan Manuel Navarette Robles, 49, a Mexican national illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 315 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

Rolando Alberto Vindas Abarca, 45, a Costa Rican national, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison after being extradited to the United States for conspiring to manufacture and distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine for importation into the United States.

Trevorris Rashomique Woodard, 37, of Longview, was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess fentanyl.

Ashley Blaine Brooks, 57, of Plano, a convicted sex offender, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison for child pornography violations.

Desmond Denard Brown, 39, of Longview, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Frank James Collins, 45, of Port Arthur, was sentenced to 175 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Trinity Snow Cassels, also known as Dustin Joseph McDuffie, 34, of Denton, was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison for posing as a teen boy online to communicate with minors and distribute child pornography to them.

Charleston Jamal Washington, 39, of Lafayette, LA, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison for robbing a Vidor bank.

Kahkashan Haider Khan, 54, of Frisco, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for making false statements to federal agents in relation to international terrorism.

Dominique Keyrel Carr, 37, of Grapeland, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine.

Daniel Nichols Corbin, 36, of Beaumont, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for carjacking.

Eric Andrew Wara, 29, of Beaumont, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Bradley Morgan Holts, 54, of Orange, a former financial advisor and stockbroker, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $186,381.64 in restitution for using interstate wire communications to defraud three of his investors.

Juan Colorado-Jimenez, 30, a Mexican national illegally living in Nacogdoches, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.

Linda Burrell, 51, of Farmers Branch, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison, for a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) fraud scheme.

Antonio Hernandez-Perez, 48, a Mexican national illegally living in Nacogdoches, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

Joshua Deshon Scott, 18, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen firearms following the burglary of a Beaumont pawn shop.

James Christopher Moffett, 55, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

Carlton Hollins, 55, a Longview tax preparer, pleaded guilty to making false statements on federal tax returns.

Bradley Broussard, 38, of Beaumont, pleaded guilty to brandishing a firearm while robbing a tobacco store.

A federal grand jury returned a 19-count indictment charging five Beaumont men with drug trafficking and firearms violations related to a marijuana conspiracy. A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt, and the defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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