Federal and State Authorities Arrest 14 Defendants on Federal Drug Trafficking/Money Laundering Charges Filed in El Paso

Today, federal authorities arrested 35-year-old Evelyn Gonzalez of Glendale Heights, IL, on federal drug trafficking charges, bringing the total number of those arrested over the past week in connection with this distribution operation to 14, announced United States Attorney John F. Bash and Special Agent in Charge Karen I. Flowers, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, El Paso Division.

The other 13 defendants include:

Name                                                                                                  Age                 Residence

Veronica Martinez Carrera-Perez (aka “Comadre,” “Luna”)             41                    El Paso

Sergio Serra (aka “Flaco”)                                                                  35                    Edinburg, TX

Fernando Chavez-Rolon (aka “Raco”)                                               24                    Woodstock, IL

Crystal Aguilar (aka “Betty”)                                                             33                    El Paso                       

Ricardo Martinez (aka “Richie”)                                                        32                    El Paso

Roberto Clemente                                                                               41                    El Paso

Esperanza Corpus de Escalona (aka “Espy”)                                     45                    Alton, TX

Cristal Glore-Guzman                                                                         33                    Mission, TX

Julio Ferreyra                                                                                      33                    Cicero, IL

Kevin Martinez                                                                                   24                    Clint, TX

Julio Mota (aka “Gordo,” “Gordito”)                                                 26                    Sunland Park, NM

Jesus Galindo                                                                                      29                    El Paso

Rene Alvarez                                                                                      19                    El Paso

A federal grand jury indictment, returned in El Paso, charges all of the defendants except Rene Alvarez with one count of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.  Carrera-Perez, Serra, Roberto Clemente, Corpus de Escalona, Glore-Guzman, Martinez, and Mota are charged with a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.  All but Jesus Galindo are charged with one or more substantive drug possession charges.  Carrera-Perez, Serra, Aguilar, Roberto Clemente, Corpus de Escalona, Ferreyra and Martinez are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Authorities allege that these defendants were responsible for the smuggling into the United States of large amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin.  The narcotics would be transported to areas across the United States, including Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago, Illinois, and Wichita, Kansas, for further distribution.  Defendants would also collect, transport and launder cash proceeds derived from the sale of narcotics. 

During this investigation, authorities seized approximately 48 kilograms of cocaine, 25 kilograms of methamphetamine, two kilograms of heroin, and over $500,000 in U.S. currency attributed to this drug trafficking operation.

All of the defendants remain in federal custody pending detention hearings expected to occur in U.S. Magistrate Court in El Paso beginning this week.  Upon conviction on the drug charges, Veronica Martinez faces a mandatory life imprisonment sentence; Roberto Clemente and Sergio Serra face between 20 years and life imprisonment; Rene Alvarez faces up to 20 years imprisonment; and, the remaining defendants face between ten years and life imprisonment.  Defendants convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering face up to 20 years imprisonment.

“The individuals arrested and charged in this indictment are allegedly responsible for distributing cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin without regard to the countless people suffering from drug addiction,” stated DEA El Paso Division Special Agent in Charge Karen I. Flowers.  “The Western Texas law enforcement community banded together to stop this organization from doing further harm and to save lives.”

These federal charges resulted from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration together with the United States Border Patrol, El Paso Police Department, Socorro Police Department, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Norman (OK) Police Department and the Arkansas State Police.

The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply.

It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.