Laredo Jury Convicts “Shrek” In Operation El Patron

LAREDO, Texas – Oscar De Leon, aka “Shrek,” 38, of Laredo, has been convicted of multiple drug and international money laundering counts resulting from a long-term Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. The jury returned its verdict late yesterday following a three-day trial and approximately three hours of deliberation.
 
DeLeon was a co-conspirator working for a Laredo-based drug trafficking organization. He assisted with a drug conspiracy, existing from 2006 to 2010, that shipped cocaine, marijuana and U.S. currency from Mexico through Laredo to Atlanta, Ga., and throughout the United States. De Leon was convicted on drug and international money laundering conspiracy charges from 2006-2010 as well as possession with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of cocaine and more than 300 kilograms marijuana from May 2008 and May 2009, respectively. 

To date, a total of 38 co-conspirators have been convicted and sentenced as part of this investigation. During the course of the investigation that led to the convictions, federal agents seized more than $7.5 million in drug proceeds and more than 450 kilograms of cocaine. Agents also seized a drug ledger that attributes the movement/distribution of approximately 12,500 kilograms of cocaine and $41. 9 million in drug proceeds by these and other co-conspirators.
 
U.S. District Gregg Costa, who presided over this trial, has set sentencing for March 2014. At that time, DeLeon faces no less than 20 years and up to life in federal prison.

The charges and resulting convictions are the result of OCDETF  operations dubbed “Operation El Patron” and “Havoc” involving Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration with the assistance of Webb County District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, Laredo Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety.                                                                      

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graciela Rodriguez Lindberg and Sanjeev Bhasker prosecuted the case.