The house in Champions Ridge is owned by Raul Gonzlez Fernandez, but over the years it's been owned by his father, brother, uncle and by Vicente Chaires Yaez, Moreira's personal secretary while he was governor. DEA shares new insight in $30 million meth bust in Bexar Co. home - KENS The U.S. Its radio and television stations have a reputation for supporting the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known by its Spanish acronym PRI, in general and the Moreiras in particular. All the remaining defendants face between 10 years to life in federal prison upon conviction. Six people are in custody following a drug bust in east Bexar County earlier this week, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. James Patric Bartlett, age 42 of San Antonio; and, The lawsuits sought millions of dollars in bank accounts in Texas and Bermuda as well as the commercial strip center on U.S. 281, the pharmacy on Stone Oak Parkway, a storage center on Loop 1604, a condo on South Padre Island and most of a commercial block in Brownsville that prosecutors said was purchased with money stolen from Coahuila's treasury. The government is abusing its power, Canales wrote in one filing. Fernando Salazar, a recently elected senator from Coahuila who's in the opposing National Action Party, or PAN, said he thinks the problem goes well beyond the former treasurer and interim governor. Over the past century, your family including you have been prosecuting people here in this courtroom, and many have received the death penalty, probably for lesser conduct, the judge said. The situation is politically fraught. Villarreal's attorney said the majority owners in the Texas LLCs are not Villarreal's family members, but a Panamanian company, and that the San Antonio property was purchased with money from lenders in Mexico, not kickbacks. Updated: 10:32 PM CST February 27, 2021 PLEASANTON, Texas An eight-month crackdown operation on drugs has landed dozens of people in jail. News 4 San Antonio on Twitter: "DRUG BUSTThe Castle Hills Police On July 20, 2021, members of the BCSO and DEA TAG Unit executed a search warrant in the After additional surveillance of the area, investigators arrested Servando Yzaguirre after he was found to be in possession of 323.7 grams of meth, according to the sheriffs office. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois. Sorianello said he couldn't divulge how they were able to track down the suspected drug dealer or if additional arrests are pending. He did say this is part of a larger drug operation and the investigation is on-going. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. He surrendered to state police on Oct. 29, 2011, and was released on bond within hours. The girl was shot when she drove her fathers car out of their house at San Joaquin and Motes streets. The lawyer he initially hired to defend him said the family isn't involved in any crimes. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Villarreal was involved in facilitating the purchase of the properties, Houston attorney Michael J. Wynne said. Deputies saw the suspects vehicle leaving the home and thats when they conducted a traffic stop near Loop 410 and Ingram Road. In a month or so, he will move to a maximum security state prison like all new inmates serving life sentences. Torres and Villarreal were the closest persons to Moreira, Salazar said. OCDETF Lead Task Force Attorney Adrin Rosales is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. Those five defendants were already in custody. More than $1 billion worth of cocaine has been seized at the Philadelphia Port on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.They say the drug bust netted approximately 16.5 tons of the . Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. Today, it has large office buildings in Saltillo and hangars at the city airport. According to court records, Haggard was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to four years imprisonment for aggravated robbery in Bexar County. Moreira, the former leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, is close to Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto. Thirteen individuals are charged with trafficking cocaine in the San Antonio area, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division. Officials seized. An employee of a residential facility for immigrant families and the father of a girl shot dead by federal agents in San Antonio 18 years ago are among 14 alleged members of a drug ring charged in a new federal indictment. Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. It happened Friday in Atascosa County where the. In a major study released Saturday, March 4, 2023, Nexletol reduced the risk of heart attacks and other health problems in people who can't take drugs called statins, the main cholesterol-lowering . Coordinated effort by law enforcement leads to major drug bust in During the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. At sentencing, Murdaugh maintained his innocence, just as he did when he testified in his own defense during the six-week trial. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, METRO -- The father of Ashley Villarreal is led out of the Judge John H. Wood Federal Courthouse. All he did was blow snot," Moyer said. Brian Victorino Chavarria, age 24 of San Antonio; The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Of the 14 people indicted Wednesday, at least 10 have been taken into custody, including Jacqueline Alvarez, 57, of San Antonio, who works for the GEO Group at the Karnes County Family. At about 11 a.m., SLO Police. DRUG BUST: The Crystal City Police Department Special Response Team recovered and seized numerous amounts of drugs Wednesday. This arrest operation also resulted in firearms, currency, and a large amount of methamphetamine being seized from these individuals. Guillermo has also worked in Central America, Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and California and his work has appeared in various publications, including the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New York Post, Newsday, Denver Post and the Albuquerque Journal. Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Last June, federal authorities were conducting surveillance on Moshe using a GPS signal from his phone in connection with the LSD investigation when he unwittingly led them to an illegal. Jesus Gerardo Vasquez, age 19 of San Antonio; ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. Investigators are asking witnesses about Coahuila politicians including Moreira and his brother, the current governor comprising a virtual who's who of businessmen from the state and the Zetas, one court document shows. Jay Haggard, 34, of San Antonio Authorities call it the largest fentanyl seizure in Bexar County. The lawsuit seeks $2.8 million in an account Torres has in Bermuda. Consequently, they are also responsible for the death of my son and the 80,000 or 100,000 you see the numbers aren't what they're thought to be, as much as 150,000 ultimately dead from this war.. In October 2012, Jos Eduardo Moreira, Humberto's son, was found murdered outside the border city of Acua, and several police officials were arrested in connection with the slaying. (Robert McLeroy/Staff). He's the one that made all this mess.. Before he was charged with murder, Murdaugh was in jail awaiting trial on about 100 other charges ranging from insurance fraud to tax evasion. Yesterday, federal, state and local authorities arrested nine defendants. When there's two or three or four or five layers of individuals, that's called layering of ownership, he said. They often used a network of limited liability companies that made it difficult for investigators to track the ownership of those assets. He quickly left Mexico for the U.S. and showed up in East Texas in February 2012 where he was again arrested. Salazar said the street value of the seized drugs is over $1.2 million. During todays arrests authorities seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, over 30 pounds of hydroponic marijuana, methamphetamine, three handguns and approximately $235,000. If convicted of the latest conspiracy charges, Villarreal and the others each face 10 years to life in federal prison. A firearm was also found inside of the residence, according to officials. Peter Karasev, 35, of San Jose, has been arrested in connection with a San Jose Police Department investigation into suspected explosives-related and illegal drug offenses, authorities said. Thursday, March 18, 2021 Twelve Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area Twelve San Antonio residents face federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division. Agents arrested Lumbreras on Monday night. After six weeks of trial, they came away more convinced he did not do this. AUSTIN, Texas Federal authorities arrested 21 people believed to be involved in drug trafficking on Thursday, according to the Department of Justice. Marshals Service, Bexar County Sheriffs Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Kendall County Sheriffs Office conducted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation called Operation Dirty Confidential. Online reports can only be completed for the following crimes where no weapon was used and no suspect information is available. The nighttime stakeout targeted her father. Oscar Jesus Lopez, age 23 of Laredo; Homero Garcia, age 36 of San Antonio; Drug dealing and violence go hand in hand. They refused to identify themselves to reporters or discuss why they were meeting in a conference room with prosecutors, a DEA agent and an investigator with the Texas attorney general's office. Jacqueline Alvarez, 57, of San Antonio Hernandez, Haggard and Heredia were already in custody. Twenty-Two Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area They didn't do any mining.. Press Releases | DEA.gov An official website of the United States government. When he took the stand in his own defense, the first thing he did was admit he had lied to investigators about being at the kennels, saying he was paranoid of law enforcement because he was addicted to opioids and had pills in his pocket the night of the killings. Meanwhile, the U.S. investigation sprawled. SAN ANTONIO The Bexar County Sheriff's Office provided details about a drug bust in east Bexar County. It is important to note that an indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The family has plenty of money from recent sales of Mexican media holdings, Ibarra said, and her boyfriend had income from running restaurants in Torren, Coahuila, and San Antonio. BCSO said through the course of executing the search warrant they found a total of 13.4 pounds of marijuana, 2.2 pounds of hash oil, 1.2 ounces of cocaine, 2.9 grams of methamphetamine, a shotgun and $16,757 in cash. All rights reserved. That's what we're doing, he said. It alleges that he laundered in San Antonio the proceeds of bribes, theft, embezzlement and drug distribution, another indication that the U.S. is investigating whether there's a connection between the alleged raiding of Coahuila's state coffers and the Zetas, a gang started by former Mexican special forces soldiers to be the Gulf Cartel's paramilitary arm. By then, Villarreal disappeared. San Luis Obispo police officers seize more than $1 million in drugs Over five years, they purchased a dozen houses in San Antonio, selling off a handful and renting out others. Prosecutors in Corpus Christi filed a lawsuit in late September accusing Torres, who owns a house near Houston, of using JP Morgan Chase Bank accounts to transfer millions of dollars from Mexico to Texas, then turning around and sending it offshore. These arrests send a strong and unified message that these crimes will not be tolerated in our communities and those who commit these offenses will be brought to justice, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Comeaux. Coordinated effort by law enforcement leads to major drug bust in Uvalde (SBG San Antonio) 0. Zambrano was arrested in the kitchen without incident. The former governor, critics said, was adept at bringing the news media to his side, leaning on advertisers or offering up party and government advertising as an enticement. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the following defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance: Francisco Garza aka Pancho, 52, of San Antonio Thanks to the excellent work of the DEA and our other law enforcement partners, our community is safer today, stated U.S. Attorney Sofer. Tony Canales, said Torres is innocent but won't come to the U.S. to fight the charges because he's afraid he won't get bond. Marshals Service, IRS Criminal Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Texas Department of Public Safety, Bexar County Sheriffs Office, Terrell Hills Police Department, Seguin Police Department and San Antonio Police Department conducted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation called Operation Alamo Fade. Oswaldo Jesus Lopez, age 26 of Laredo; Can't take statins? New pill cuts cholesterol, heart attacks Javier Armando Casas, 40, of Pharr; According to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office, deputies on Friday executed a search warrant at a home in the 6900 block of Martinique Drive, not far from Highway 90 and Military Drive. Deputies detained Ashley Mendez, 28, and Ruben Zambrano, 38, in a West Bexar County drug bust. One of his Texas limited liability companies the one that shows up on deed records is controlled by a Dutch company, which is controlled by another Texas LLC, which is controlled by a trust. Intellectuals and landholders from the state, which borders Texas, took refuge here during the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s. In the quiet Lowcountry that Murdaughs family had dominated since the days of Jim Crow, a judge talked to Murdaugh in a way that few probably have not in his days playing college football, making millions as a high-powered attorney or gaining favor because of his name and reminded Murdaugh that he had to remove the portrait of the defendants grandfather from its place of honor in that same courtroom to ensure a fair trial. Oakland man charged with distributing thousands of LSD tabs His lawyer, Roy Barrera Jr., said Flores wasn't involved in public corruption or organized crime. They asked a judge to give them three San Antonio houses, all appraised at more than $500,000; the Champions Ridge home owned by Gonzlez Fernandez, a house in the Vistas at Sonterra owned by his brother; and a house in Oakwell Farms, an exclusive inside-the-loop gated community, owned by their father, Ral Gonzlez Trevio. An official website of the United States government. The juror agreed with prosecutors that the key piece of evidence was a video locked on his sons cellphone for a year video shot minutes before the killings at the same kennels near where the bodies would be found. But then they got word it had started again. What's known is this: the Gonzlezes control a media empire in Mexico and in recent years extended their influence across the border. Texas drug trafficking crackdown lands dozens of people in jail - KENS5.com The specific mission of the Houston/South Texas OCDETF Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle the drug trafficking organizations headed by designated Consolidated Priority Organization Targets (CPOTs), Regional Priority Organization Targets (RPOTs), and their affiliates that impact Houston and south Texas. Zambrano and Mendez now face charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, a first degree felony, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver over 400 grams, another first degree felony, possession of a controlled substance a third degree felony and possession of marijuana, more than five pounds, also a third degree felony. The indictment alleges that defendants Arteaga, Rodriguez, Brown, Chavarria, Oscar Oviedo, Joseph Guerrero, Vasquez, Martinez, Justin Guerrero, Gonzalez, Robles, Moreno, Palafos, Barron, Lopez, Jose Garcia, Alvarado, Bartlett, and Albelardo Oviedo conspired from June 2019 until April 7, 2021, to distribute methamphetamine. He pleaded guilty to operating a money transmitting business without a license, Barrera said. Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested her after the discovery of drugs, officials said. On Wednesday, a joint task force including the DEA along with the sheriff's office arrested 41-year-old Francisco Ortiz. On an October morning last year, residents in the gated Champions Ridge subdivision watched as federal agents arrested a neighbor with ties to the Coahuila government. Also on the list were Villarreal, the former treasurer; Torres, the former interim governor; and Flores, the businessman who pleaded guilty in Corpus Christi. I was shocked, Ibarra said of her boyfriend's arrest. Like a traditional mafia, the Zetas also are involved in public works fraud, creating fake companies or suborning legitimate businesses and bribing public officials in exchange for government contracts that are inflated or never completed. The now-disbarred attorney admitted stealing millions of dollars from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit. Some of the money came from inflated contracts, said First Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herberg. And that is why we want to ask questions as far as their involvement or knowledge.. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Monday February 10, 2003. BCSO says as deputies were approaching the residence, Mendez was getting in a vehicle to leave. Prior to today, authorities seized approximately 21 kilograms of cocaine, 100 kilograms of methamphetamine, a firearm and approximately $124,000 along with other assets attributable to this organization. San Antonio woman among 14 charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine, Privately run zoos in Texas adapt to new roles. Lock All are from San Antonio. Salazar said the three suspects face charges of human smuggling, engaging in organized crime . I saw his eyes. Deputies. According to Sorianello, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, over 50 times greater or stronger than heroine. Just a few weeks ago, 180 miles from the border, in the quiet San Antonio suburban town of Boerne, Texas, a vehicle carrying nine people two stuffed in the trunk was stopped for a traffic. Upon further inspection, Marijuana, Methamphetamines, Heroin and Fentanyl along . Gonzlez Trevio wouldn't comment and officials at the Mexican Consulate and in San Antonio's International Relations Office said they're not familiar with him. Juan Carlos Robles, age 35 of San Antonio; Some sit empty today. With Villarreal on the run, the lawsuits languished. It didn't take long to convince the other three. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Along with the San Antonio properties, prosecutors have filed lawsuits to take control of real estate in the Rio Grande Valley and millions of dollars in bank accounts in Texas and Bermuda. Ojeda faces between 10 years and life in federal prison and Pena faces between five and 40 years in federal prison on the drug possession charge. The suspects were arrested for drug possession. The most high-profile arrest of the money laundering investigation has been that of Villarreal, the former state treasurer. First, the government filed a civil complaint and, when (Torres) contested this civil forfeiture by filing a motion to dismiss, then the government brought an indictment over the same subject matter all with the purpose of obstructing the ability to defend oneself against a groundless forfeiture.. 25 people arrested after massive drug bust in San Antonio area - KSAT According to police, during a traffic stop, officers found a loaded syringe containing heroin inside of a vehicle. USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days Texas Vista owner has threatened hospital shutdown before, VIA adding 8 new buses to its fleet and theyre all electric, BCSO: 3 arrested after 6 smuggled people, 3 stash houses found, Bexar County deputy reunites African tortoise with owners, Gunmen blast 75 rounds at Northwest Side apartment. A good liar. His saga began in mid-2011, when news broke of Coahuila's massive debt. Jose Tabares, 53, of San Antonio Fernando Jose Moreno, age 45 of San Antonio; The elder Villarreal was arrested in a DEA operation in which his daughter was shot and critically wounded by federal agents. Multiple agencies conducted an arrest operation Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021 which resulted in fifteen indictments being served and the arrest of seven suspects. In the following months, details of the U.S. investigation began trickling out through a series of lawsuits filed by federal and state prosecutors to seize bank accounts and property owned by limited liability companies that had been set up by Villarreal, Coronado, another brother-in-law, Villarreal's wife and his alleged mistress. 'Drugs in every nook and cranny' | Two arrested after BCSO finds - KENS She traveled from Houston to San Antonio with two children in her vehicle. It was during this search that deputies said they arrested Jose Ovalle, 66, who had an active warrant for a charge of possession of a controlled substance, and Francisco Menchaca, 45, who had 2 kilograms of meth and 138 grams of cocaine, according to the sheriffs office. 35 indicted in two separate Central Texas drug trafficking busts We look forward to taking a good hard look at the governments evidence.. Michelle Zamarripa, 59, of San Antonio Example video title will go here for this video. On Tuesday, federal, state and local authorities arrested all of the defendants with the exception of Lumbreras, Ojeda and Flores. Prosecutors have said in court that they believe Flores helped a former governor of Tamaulipas, another state that borders Texas, launder bribe money from the Zetas. Today, the Zetas are their own criminal organization engaged in a wide range of illegal activities including drug trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking and distribution of counterfeit goods. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations primarily responsible for the nations illegal drug supply. Jesse Martinez, age 41 of San Antonio; Lus Claudio Estrada aka Luz, 42, of La Joya; (San . The indictment also charges Ojeda with two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Feds: Alleged Bay Area drug trafficker made $500,000 coke deals, lived Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved. He is the father of Ashley Villarreal, who at 14 was fatally shot by DEA agents conducting a stakeout in San Antonio in February 2003. The sheriffs office said most of the suspects that were arrested are documented gang members.. The press conference took place around 11:45 a.m. Friday in the 500 block of Porter. 6 arrested in drug bust on San Antonio's North Side Further, the indictment charges Pena with an additional one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Paso, was indicted. Drug Bust November 25, 2022 8:35 am . Murdaugh didnt look at the sign as he was hustled into the courthouse with his head down. The Murdaugh case has attracted true crime fans from around the world with its threads of power, danger, money and privilege. Its disgraceful.. This indictment and arrests are the result of a joint investigation with our local, state and federal partners to neutralize a dangerous criminal organization in Texas, said DEA Special Agent in Charge Whipple. SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. The indictment also charges Haggard with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, namely a Taurus semi-automatic pistol on August 28, 2020. Drug Bust in Eastland County - Fentanyl and Meth Confiscated Torres remains a fugitive in Mexico. The company also owns billboards around the state. And there's a correlation between that and the approximately 93,000 overdose deaths in the country," said Dante Sorianello, DEA Special Agent. Madilyn Marie Alvarado, age 26 of Del Rio The Zetas in particular had spread their control to Coahuila's mining sector, Moreira said. Jesus Rodriguez aka Don Chuy, 62, of Rio Grande City; As Torren businessman Guillermo Flores Cordero stepped off a private jet in August at San Antonio International Airport, federal agents were waiting to take him to Corpus Christi to face charges that he illegally used shell companies to transfer millions of dollars from Mexico to the U.S. for others. Shes a recreation specialist for GEO, supervising children at play, he said. Today, federal, state and local authorities arrested 26 individuals, including "TMM General" Raul Ramos, and are looking for four others in connection with a heroin/cocaine trafficking operation in the San Antonio area announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge The DEA, U.S. S.A.-area rancher catches the hearts of American Idol judges, USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days a week, Take a look inside this $3.5 million 'mystery' mansion, New food truck park opens at The CO-OP SA, 10 things to do this weekend in San Antonio. All other crimes require an officer to make the scene. It was found that there is no evidence to link Mr. Moreira Valdes to any wrongdoing in relation to the debt contracted in the state of Coahuila during his term as governor, the attorney wrote.