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Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – 21 individuals suspected of being affiliated with the Chuco Tango street gang were arrested Thursday in and around El Paso on criminal charges related to their alleged involvement in trafficking of fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine, and/or the unlawful possession of firearms.
The following defendants were indicted in federal court for various charges that include conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Four fugitives remain at-large following Thursday’s operation: Carlos Flores, Jessica Rodarte, Jonathan Blanco and Adriel Belmont. Tips can be submitted to the DEA by calling (915) 832-6000 or visiting their website https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip or to the FBI at (915) 832-5000.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas, Acting Special Agent in Charge Britton Boyd for FBI El Paso Division, and Special Agent in Charge Towanda Thorne-James for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division made the announcement.
The FBI and DEA are investigating the case with valuable support from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the El Paso Police Department, the El Paso Sheriff’s Office, the Socorro Police Department, the Horizon Police Department, the El Paso Constables, and the Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo Tigua Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Johnston is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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