Two “Rip Crew” Affiliates Head to Prison

McALLEN, Texas – Two additional defendants involved with a rip crew responsible for multiple home invasions and carjackings to steal narcotics in Hidalgo County have been ordered to federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Danny Cano, 31, Mission, pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine, while Marlyn Gonzalez 39, also of Mission, admitted to conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

Today, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Cano to serve 108 months in prison. Gonzalez received a 50-month-term of imprisonment. Cano and Gonzalez were further ordered to serve four and three years, respectfully, following their prison terms. The court considered the offense and stated that the serious conduct was attributable to greed and a lot of people willing to do anything for money. Judge Alvarez also stated that people in a home and residents in a neighborhood, even those involved in criminal activity themselves, should not be the target of home invasions but rather face justice through the judicial system in place. In particular, the court noted Cano’s involvement in brokering a transaction involving 20 kilograms of cocaine in February 2017 and Gonzalez’s role as a lookout during a February 2016 armed home invasion in Hidalgo involving the theft of more than 10 kilograms of cocaine.

Others who have also pleaded guilty in the conspiracy and are pending sentencing including Antonio Javier Gomez aka “Little T,” 28, Arturo Vargas aka “Petu” or Cholo,” 35, Francisco Javier Montemayor aka “Fat Boy” or “el Fat” or “Rambo,” 31, and Roberto Lee Rodriguez aka “el Tio” or “Pica,”  39, all of Mission; Mexican nationals Miguel Marin Cerda aka “Tigre,” 30, Jose Garcia-De La Torre aka “Coco,” 22, Carlos Guadalupe Aquino-Pacheco aka “Tomy,” 20, Alfredo Avalos-Sanchez aka “Chore,” 26, Gustavo Angel DeLeon-Covarrubias aka “Tripa,” 19, Jose Arturo Reyes-Sanchez aka “Gordo,” 19; and Cesar Alejandro Tovar-Guillen aka “Nucho” or “el Sobrino,” 31; and Juan Antonio Flores, 27, of Weslaco.

Cano and Gonzalez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI Safe Streets Task Force and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety Regional Crime Lab and police departments in McAllen, Pharr, San Juan, Mission and Palmview. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Roberto Lopez Jr. and K. Alejandra Andrade prosecuted the case.