LAREDO, Texas - A 41-year-old man from Laredo, has been ordered to prison following his conviction of the conspiracy possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Esequiel Villarreal pleaded guilty Dec. 15, 2016. Today, U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana ordered Villarreal to serve a 210-month-term...

LAREDO, Texas - The head of a marijuana trafficking cell, Mexican National Armando Javier Picazo Jimenez, 42, has pled guilty for his role in a conspiracy to traffic drugs from Laredo to the Dallas area via the use of tractor trailers, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. In August 2013...

MOBILE, Ala. - Today, John Patrick Couch and Xiulu Ruan were sentenced to respectively 240 months and 252 months in federal prison for running a massive pill mill in Mobile, Alabama, announced DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Stephen G. Azzam and Acting United States Attorney Steve Butler of the Southern District of...

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - An indictment charging the former Tabasco, Mexico, Secretary of Finance has been unsealed following the arrest of his wife in the Houston area, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Jose Manuel Saiz-Pineda, 49, served as the Secretary of Finance of the Mexican State of Tabasco from...

MCALLEN, Texas - The final two of four men involved in stealing 246 kilograms of marijuana, some of whom also conspired to carry and use a firearm during and in relation to that crime, have been ordered to prison, announced DEA Special Agent-in-Charge of the Houston Division Joseph M. Arabit...

SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Today, federal, state, and local authorities arrested 26 individuals, including “TMM General” Raul Ramos, and are looking for three others in connection with a heroin/cocaine trafficking operation in the San Antonio area announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.; DEA Special Agent-in-Charge Joseph M. Arabit...

NEW ORLEANS, La. - A New Orleans man was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty to participating in a heroin distribution conspiracy in the lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans, announced Drug Enforcement (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Stephen G. Azzam and U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans. Corey Celestine, age...

BATON ROUGE, La. - Thursday marks the fifth and final sentencing in a series of federal prosecutions aimed at a drug trafficking ring which operated in the Gulf Coast states. Kendall Lewis, age 27, of Lecanto, Florida, appeared before a Chief U.S. District Judge and was sentenced to 90 months...

LAREDO, Texas - Three Laredo men have entered guilty pleas for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic drugs from Laredo to the Dallas area via the use of tractor trailers, announced DEA Special Agent-in-Charge of the Houston Division Joseph M. Arabit and Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Armando Eloy...

SHREVEPORT, La. - A Shreveport man was sentenced Tuesday to 240 months in prison for distributing more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine in the Shreveport area, announced DEA Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Brad L. Byerley and Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook. A U.S. District Judge sentenced Brett Luaces, 43...