NDTX Round-Up: November 6-12

GUILTY PLEA – ENRIQUE BACA-TORRES

On November 10, Enrique Baca-Torres, 39, plead guilty to aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Undercover officers met with Baca-Torres and another coconspirator at Dallas gas station. Baca-Torres and the coconspirator loaded a speaker that contained approximately 13 kilograms of methamphetamine into their vehicle. As Baca-Torres departed the gas station, he was stopped by Dallas County Sheriff’s Office for a traffic violation. A law enforcement canine detected the drugs located in the vehicle. Baca-Torres faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his crimes. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachael Jones is prosecuting this case.

SENTENCING – MICHAEL ALLEN GIBBS

On November 12, Michael Allen Gibbs was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.  During a post-arrest interview, Gibbs admitted to purchasing heroin from two individuals with the intention of distribution.  Gibbs also was in possession of three handguns and multiple rounds of ammunition.  This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Dallas Police Department.   Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl.

SENTENCING – MACLEAN MAFO

On October 22, Maclean Mafo, 41, was sentenced to 98 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,999,083 in restitution for wire fraud. Mafo devised a scheme to defraud the IRS and obtain money by fraudulent means. He unlawfully obtained personal identification information of U.S. taxpayers including names addresses and Social Security numbers. Mafo used the stolen taxpayer identification information to electronically file bogus individual IRS tax returns. He opened bank debit accounts to receive the fraudulently tax refunds and converted them to use for himself and others. This case was investigated by the IRS – Criminal Investigations.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick Bunch prosecuted this case.

SENTENCING – RAMON COSCOLLUELA

On October 8, Ramon Coscolluela, 42, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $50,000 in restitution for laundering of monetary instruments.  Coscolluela met with an undercover officer in September 2017 at a purported investment office.  The undercover officer explained that he had a large sum of cash which originated from cocaine sales that needed to be cleaned. In a subsequent meeting, Coscolluela agreed that, for a fee, he would disguise the source the drug sales through different monetary instruments and eventually return the drug proceeds back to the undercover officer. Over the course of the conspiracy, Coscolluela delivered six monetary instruments totaling $188,600.  This case was investigated by IRS – Criminal Investigations and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney John De La Garza prosecuted this case.