Federal and State Authorities Arrest Sureños Gang Member and Associate

This morning, federal, state and local authorities arrested a Sureños gang member and an associate charged in connection with methamphetamine trafficking in El Paso announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., 34^th Judicial District Attorney Jaime Esparza, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Will Glaspy, and El Paso Police Chief Greg Allen. 

A federal grand jury indictment unsealed this afternoon in El Paso charges 29–year-old Sureños member Carlos Dorado (aka “Chapo”) of Anthony, NM, and 37–year-old Sureños associate Melissa Alonso (aka “Poison Ivy”) of El Paso. with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine throughout the El Paso area from October 2014 through June 2015.

Upon conviction, Dorado faces between ten years and life in federal prison; Alonso, up to 20 years in prison.

In addition to Dorado and Alonso, state authorities have filed charges against Sureños members Terry Alvarado (aka “Smokey”), age 25, of El Paso, and Mario Ramiro Rodriguez (aka “Rukus”), age 33, of El Paso, in connection with this investigation.  Alvarado and Rodriguez are both charged with engaging in organized criminal activity; and, manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance.  Engaging in organized criminal activity and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance are both 1^st degree felonies which call for between five and 99 years imprisonment upon conviction.  Rodriguez is currently in state custody on an unrelated charge; Alvarado is considered a fugitive.

Today’s arrests mark the end of a two-year-investigation into drug trafficking by Sureños gang members in the El Paso area.  To date, this investigation has resulted in the convictions of more than 25 defendants and the seizure of more than ten pounds of “crystal” methamphetamine; over four gallons of liquid methamphetamine; and, approximately 19 firearms.     

This investigation was conducted by the Safe Streets Task Force in El Paso comprised of FBI, DEA, El Paso Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protections, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission and the El Paso Independent School District Police Department.   

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.