United States Drug Enforcement Administration

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Two family members with ties to South Texas have been charged with allegedly conspiring to materially support a Mexican cartel previously designated as a foreign terrorist organization, conspiracy to commit money laundering and related smuggling charges, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Houston Division William Kimbell and U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. 

The superseding indictment, returned May 22, alleges Maxwell Sterling Jensen, 25, Draper, Utah, and James Lael Jensen, 68, Sandy, Utah, conspired to provide material support to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) in the form of U.S. currency. The Secretary of State designated CJNG as a foreign terrorist organization Feb. 20. 

“This case underscores the more aggressive and innovative approach the Southern District of Texas is taking towards combatting the scourge of drug cartels,” said Ganjei. “This strategy focuses not just on the traffickers and trigger-pullers directly employed by the cartels but also targeting their confederates and enablers. Whether you are handing the cartel a gun, providing a car or safehouse for smugglers, or putting money in the cartel’s pocket, you will be held to account.”

The Jensens allegedly operated Arroyo Terminals, an enterprise based in Rio Hondo.

Both are also charged with allegedly conspiring to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature and source of the proceeds of illegally smuggled goods, crude oil. They also aided and abetted the fraudulent entry of approximately 2,881 shipments of the oil in violation of the Tariff Act, according to the charges.  

 “What began as a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) drug trafficking investigation evolved into a multifaceted case involving an alleged complex criminal operation generating millions of dollars from crude oil – the largest funding source for Mexican drug cartels,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge William Kimbell of DEA - Houston. “Given the charges have profound implications for both the United States and Mexico, we will continue to explore all leads and identify any believed to be involved. The collaboration with federal law enforcement, prosecutors, and state agencies proved critical to unraveling these alleged crimes and will continue until such operations are destroyed.”

“Cases like this highlight the often-dangerous relationships between alleged unscrupulous U.S. businesses and terrorist organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) San Antonio. “Through strong collaborations and relentless investigative work, we and our partners exposed a possible large-scale operation that allegedly attempted to move millions in illicit crude oil and launder the proceeds. HSI remains committed to protecting our economy and holding offenders accountable.”

“It is a top priority of the FBI to eliminate foreign terrorist organizations by depriving them of the funding they need to operate and by seizing their most valued assets,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the San Antonio Field Office. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will use every resource and capability at our disposal to ensure violent cartels and anyone who corruptly facilitates their operations are held accountable to the American people and unable to establish a foothold in our communities."

“Our commitment to taking down drug cartels and organized crime leverages IRS Criminal Investigation’s (CI) specialty in forensic accounting that identifies the alleged money trail and shuts down the flow of cash, just like we did in this case,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan, of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Houston Field Office. “Some of our best special agents are using their law enforcement expertise to build unshakeable cases to ensure criminals are taken off the streets and their ill-gotten gains are returned to the American people.”

 At the time of the initial arrests, authorities seized four tank barges containing crude oil, three commercial tanker trucks, an Arroyo Terminal pickup truck and one personal vehicle. The Arroyo Terminal property in Rio Hondo, crude oil contained Arroyo Terminal storage tanks and additional real properties are also sought for forfeiture. The superseding indictment also contains notice that the United States will seek a $300 million money judgment upon conviction. 

 The conspiracies to provide material support and to commit money laundering both carry a possible prison term of up to 20 years. If convicted of aiding and abetting the smuggling of goods into the United States and doing so by means of false statements, both men could also face up to 10 and five years, respectively. James Jensen also faces one count of money laundering spending which carries an additional 10 years in prison, upon conviction.  

 With the exception of the money laundering charge which has the possibility of up to a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved, the remaining counts carry a maximum $250,000 potential fine. 

 The investigation was a joint effort among many law enforcement partners to include FBI, ICE-HSI and DEA with substantial assistance of IRS CI along with Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service and Texas Department of Public Safety.

 Operation Liquid Death involved the combined efforts of DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI and IRS CI and others and is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood.

 Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) James Sturgis and Laura Garcia are prosecuting the case. AUSAs Mary Ellen Smyth and Tyler Foster are handling seizure and forfeiture matters.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law. 

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