United States Drug Enforcement Administration

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment against a 31-year-old Mexican citizen who illegally resided in Mission, announced DEA Houston Division Special Agent in Charge Will R. Glaspy and U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Abraham Barajas-Alcantar was originally arrested by criminal complaint April 30, 2019. A grand jury has now indicted him for conspiracy to conduct financial transactions and being an alien illegally in possession of firearms. He had already been in custody on the original charges, but will make an appearance on the indictment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

The indictment alleges Barajas-Alcantar conspired to conduct financial transactions and transported, transmitted and transferred the proceeds of the drug trafficking from May 28, 2014, to Nov. 1, 2017. He is further charged with being an alien from Mexico, illegally and unlawfully in the United States, who knowingly possessed six firearms which had previously traveled in interstate or foreign commerce.

The charges allege a money laundering conspiracy, which focuses on a number of methods drug traffickers use to launder proceeds from the delivery and sale of narcotics. Specifically, in this case, Barajas allegedly purchased aircraft, aircraft engines and aircraft parts with drug proceeds and shipped them to his business in McAllen. From there, Barajas shipped the merchandise to Mexico for his customers, according to the allegations.

The charges further allege drug proceeds were then sent to Barajas in the form of bulk cash and through the funneling of cash deposits via banks. Barajas-Alcantar allegedly had accounts or had access to or controlled accounts in those financial institutions.

This activity combined the traditional methods of bulk cash smuggling and the use of funnel accounts with trade-based money laundering through the purchase of aircraft and related equipment with drug proceeds for shipment to drug traffickers in Mexico, according to the charges.

If convicted of the money laundering conspiracy offense, Barajas-Alcantar faces up to 20 years in federal prison, while the firearms offense carries a potential 20 year term of imprisonment. Both convicted also have a potential $250,000 fine.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS – Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Cusick is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. 

A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.

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