United States Drug Enforcement Administration

DEL RIO – U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced 40-year-old Ramon Antonio Yanez-Gonzalez, aka “Junior,” of Guadalajara, Mexico to 235 months in federal prison today for distributing about 21 kilograms of methamphetamine and money laundering.

On July 31, 2018, Yanez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  According to court documents, from January 2011 to April 2015, the defendant conspired with others to smuggle methamphetamine into the Eagle Pass area from Mexico and distribute it to San Antonio, Austin and Dallas.  On December 12, 2019, Yanez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments that was transferred from the Northern District of Texas.  By pleading guilty to that charge, Yanez-Gonzalez admitted that he laundered proceeds from drug sales in December 2012.

During this investigation, authorities seized approximately 17 kilograms of methamphetamine attributable to Yanez-Gonzalez and his organization.

Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division, U.S Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Acting U.S. Attorney Prerak Shah of the Northern District of Texas made today’s announcement.

Yanez-Gonzalez has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 28, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The DEA together with the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office conducted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation named “Operation Guatemala Freeze.”  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. 

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sydni Connell, Sarah Spears and Amy Hail prosecuted this case with assistance from Northern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorney George Leal.