They are either identified as being investors in some of these corporations, or persons with knowledge of some of the transactions, Herberg said. The former governor, Eugenio Hernndez Flores, has said those allegations are false. 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. 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. The Bexar County Sheriff's Office conducted the drug bust in the 500 block of Porter Street. Joe Angel Villarreal later was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for leading a large cocaine-trafficking group. 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. According to police, during a traffic stop, officers found a loaded syringe containing heroin inside of a vehicle. But I am innocent. Copyright 2022 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. 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. 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. And, San Diego Pride Kicks off today. He quickly left Mexico for the U.S. and showed up in East Texas in February 2012 where he was again arrested. A federal grand jury indictment returned in San Antonio charges the following defendants with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine: Cash found at drug bust in West Bexar County. As the investigation continued, several others were also arrested. In interviews after his son's killing, Moreira placed blame on narcoempresarios, businessmen with ties to the cartels who allowed the gangs to act with impunity. He said fentanyl pills are often made in backyard labs, and often pushed to young people disguised as other drugs. The DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue any individual or organization that threatens the well-being and stability of our communities.. Joel Villarreal aka Gordo, 49, of San Antonio; Francisco Manuel Mata-Martinez, 41, of El Paso, was indicted. A network of politicians and businessmen from the Mexican state of Coahuila relocated to San Antonio over the past seven years, and prosecutors say a corrupt group among them invested millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks here from drug traffickers and state contractors. Fernando Jose Moreno, age 45 of San Antonio; Timeline: An interactive look at Coahuila's debt and the ensuing investigation in San Antonio. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. By then, Villarreal disappeared. Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested her after the discovery of drugs, officials said. Ashley Mendez, 28, and Ruben Zambrano, 38, were taken into custody. Updated: 11:05 PM CST November 13, 2020 SAN ANTONIO Nearly $30 million worth of drugs are seized from a Bexar County home. Now he's found a new voice in recovery. He wouldn't say more in an interview, but in court Canales called the indictment a sham and accused prosecutors of using it to retaliate against Torres for fighting the civil suit. Since that incident, Salazar said deputies were notified the drug operation was back up and running, which led to the BCSO setting up surveillance near the residence Thursday morning. 01 Mar 2023 22:30:08 Phone Number: (713) 693-3329 For Immediate Release Twelve Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area SAN ANTONIO - Twelve San Antonio residents face federal drug trafficking charges, announced Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. Hernandez, Haggard and Heredia were already in custody. 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. SAN ANTONIO A massive drug bust took place at a northwest side hotel where 75,000 fentanyl pills were seized, the Bexar County Sherriff's Office said. 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. The massive drug bust took place during a traffic stop in San Clemente, a wealthy enclave about 75 miles inland from the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, multiple Border Patrol sources told Fox News. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. That's what we're doing, he said. Zambrano was arrested in the kitchen without incident. During todays arrests authorities seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, over 30 pounds of hydroponic marijuana, methamphetamine, three handguns and approximately $235,000. And I could see the real Alex Murdaugh when he looked at me, Waters said. The press conference took place around 11:45 a.m. Friday in the 500 block of Porter. Copyright 2021 by KSAT - All rights reserved. Despite the tony digs, the raid looked like any other drug case. According to Eastland County Today, Tuesday at 1:30 am - Eastland County Deputy Sheriff Colby Jackson made a traffic stop on a speeding vehicle on Interstate 20. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Villarreal was involved in facilitating the purchase of the properties, Houston attorney Michael J. Wynne said. A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the following defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance: Matthew Noe Arteaga, age 35 of San Antonio; Marshals Service and the Bexar County Sheriffs Office assisted with arrests. And it might not have been you. UVALDE Texas - A major drug bust has happened Tuesday morning in Uvalde . Online reports can only be completed for the following crimes where no weapon was used and no suspect information is available. Jason Gutierrez aka Big Mac, 37, of San Antonio The street value for the drugs is estimated at $145,890. The voices of all three Murdaughs can be heard on the video, though Alex Murdaugh had insisted for 20 months that he hadn't been at the kennels that night. SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody following a drug bust in east Bexar County earlier this week, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. Our nation-wide commitment to reducing gun crime in America, Report Waste, Fraud, Abuse or Misconduct to the Inspector General, Find Help and Information for Crime Victims, Register, Apply for Permits, or Request Records, Monitor Selection for Corporate Criminal Enforcement. I was this close to him.. That's why Sorianello had a strong message to parents: pay attention to your kids. 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. San Antonio woman among 14 charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine, Privately run zoos in Texas adapt to new roles. 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. And there's a correlation between that and the approximately 93,000 overdose deaths in the country," said Dante Sorianello, DEA Special Agent. All of the defendants except Albelardo Oviedo are also charged in substantive counts in the indictment related to specific instances of drug trafficking that occurred throughout the course of the conspiracy. U.S. authorities were ramping up their investigation after Gonzalez's arrest on drug charges. Murdaugh didnt look at the sign as he was hustled into the courthouse with his head down. On Tuesday, federal, state and local authorities arrested all of the defendants with the exception of Lumbreras, Ojeda and Flores. In court records, prosecutors wrote Zamora is ostensibly working as a self-employed plumber, but somehow came up with $500,000 to purchase drugs in the Bay Area, and lives in a $3 million home in . Coahuila, with its large manufacturing sector and border crossings, is a major trade partner with Texas, and politically connected people from the state who are not under investigation have become close with San Antonio city leaders. Moreira has not been charged, but his political career came to an abrupt end in 2011 when it was revealed that under his governorship Coahuila had racked up nearly $3 billion in debt. Plus, Rooftop Cinema extends screenings until September. Six people are in custody following a drug bust in east Bexar County earlier this week, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. 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. Prosecutors didnt have the weapons used to kill the Murdaughs or other direct evidence like confessions or blood spatter. Brian Victorino Chavarria, age 24 of San Antonio; . For decades, that meant that practically anyone who ended up in court whatever side of the law they found themselves on would have a Murdaugh either watching their back or staring them down. Later in the year, attention focused on Coahuila's former interim governor. I looked in his eyes. Among the businessmen was a scowling Coronado, Villarreal's brother-in-law who was detained in East Texas, and Francisco Xavier Flores Valdez, a nephew of the Moreira brothers. Juan Carlos Robles, age 35 of San Antonio; A locked padlock 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. Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio signed the deed of sale for the property and he's listed as the trust's sole managing member, but his name does not appear on public records filed by the LLCs. Before he was charged with murder, Murdaugh was in jail awaiting trial on about 100 other charges ranging from insurance fraud to tax evasion. They had cast Alex as a despicable human being. 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 Zoos in the past were judged by who had the most animals, San Antonio Zoo chief Tim Morrow says. Ashley Villarreal who was shot and critically wounded on Motes street at S. San Joaquin just a few houses down from her home. Monday February 10, 2003. POSS W/I DEL CS PG1 4G - 200G Felony, 1st Degree Bond: $30,000.00, POSS W/I DEL CS PG1 OVER 400G Felony, 1st Degree Bond: $60,000.00, POSS CS PG 1 1 GRAM TO 4 GRAM Felony, 3rd Degree Bond: $50,000.00, POSS CS PG 1 4 GRAMS TO 200 G Felony, 2nd Degree Bond: $15,000.00, POSS CS PG 1 1 GRAM TO 4 GRAM Felony, 3rd Degree Bond: $10,000.00, POSS CS PG 1 4 GRAMS TO 200 GRAMS Felony, 2nd Degree Bond: $15,000.00, PAROLE VIOLATION Felony, 3rd Degree Bond: RWOB, POSS CS PG 3 LESS THAN 28 GRAM Misdemeanor, Class A Bond: 3500.00. Each has a prior serious felony drug conviction which enhances their minimum mandatory sentence. Oscar Jesus Lopez, age 23 of Laredo; It is my understanding that the Gonzalez family has contributed greatly to the economy of San Antonio, his lawyer Carlos Quezada said. Its disgraceful.. All he had was Cablevision, but they made him a multimillionaire with enormous power. And that is why we want to ask questions as far as their involvement or knowledge.. Prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty in this case, and Newman handed down the harshest possible sentence he could consecutive life sentences without parole. 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 . Justin Paul Guerrero, age 26 of San Antonio; 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. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. UPDATE: Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says they found $29 million worth of methamphetamine, in addition to $400,000 worth of black tar heroin in a conversion lab in the Northeast Side. That's it. 2 at the DA's office, prosecutors believe at least some of the $6.5 million in a JP Morgan Chase and Co. bank account that his office is suing to forfeit came from kickbacks. Moyer said he didn't buy them. 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. 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. His high-powered attorney, J.A. SAN ANTONIO The Bexar County Sheriff's Office provided details about a drug bust in east Bexar County. Torres and Villarreal were the closest persons to Moreira, Salazar said. Lawyers for both men maintain they're innocent. Agents arrested Lumbreras on Monday night. LOUIS - A man from Texas and a woman from St. Louis were indicted Wednesday on drug conspiracy charges after multiple kilograms of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine were found during a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in St. Louis County. Yesterday, federal, state and local authorities arrested nine defendants. He's not been charged with a crime, and neither have the Gonzlez Trevio brothers. Boy, 11, shoots self in head with gun he found in apartment, Photos show a massive alligator on an Atascosa County road, Look inside historic $2.3 million King William home. "That's due to availability, the amount of fentanyl that's in the country right now. An indictment accused Ral Gonzlez Fernandez, a 42-year-old restaurateur who was born in Del Rio, of conspiring to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and possessing more than 500 grams of the drug. It's a very complicated matter that's taking a lot of time, but there are bank records and property records and it's taking a while to sift through all the facts to show he did not do what they claim he did.. The drug bust led deputies to search another residence in the 100 block of Seashell Place in west San Antonio. Properties that the feds moved to seize in the case suggested they were looking at something more than a simple dope smuggling investigation. There were no guns, no drugs.. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. "While we are certainly celebrating this case for obvious reasons, we're also quite alarmed by the fact that this drug is present in these quantities in this area, not something that that surprises us, but it's still troubling nonetheless," said Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar. Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says a drug operation at the home in the 100 block of Trudell was first broken up a few weeks ago when Deputies were delivering a warrant. According to authorities, the team has two simultaneous narcotic search warrants on two residences located near the 200 block of Zaragoza Street. But Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman wanted to know if he saw the mangled bodies of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh as he tried to sleep or thought about how he disgraced his family's three-generation reputation for justice through lying, stealing and eventually murder. At about 11 a.m., SLO Police. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( Our position on behalf of Mr. Villarreal is to establish the facts and show that he is not guilty. We look forward to taking a good hard look at the governments evidence.. Omar Cuellar, 47, of San Antonio. She traveled from Houston to San Antonio with two children in her vehicle. Oscar Heredia, 37, of San Antonio Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( The most high-profile arrest of the money laundering investigation has been that of Villarreal, the former state treasurer. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. All are from San Antonio. 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. The indictment accuses the defendants of conspiring to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Midwestern and Southern U.S. During a year-long investigation culminating in coordinated raids this week, law enforcement officers led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized 23 kilos of cocaine, more than 30 pounds of hydroponic marijuana, 100 kilos of methamphetamine, along with firearms and $359,000 in cash. Some of the money came from inflated contracts, said First Assistant District Attorney Cliff Herberg. 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. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio also shows up on the list of people Bexar County prosecutors told a judge they want to ask witnesses about as part of their money laundering investigation, and he once owned the house in Champions Ridge that the feds are trying to seize from his nephew. The truth is he brought shame upon himself, his family, the community, his profession, Kinsinger said. 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 The Murdaugh case has attracted true crime fans from around the world with its threads of power, danger, money and privilege. 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. Multiple agencies conducted an arrest operation Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021 which resulted in fifteen indictments being served and the arrest of seven suspects. Ricardo Gonzalez, age 24 of San Antonio; Juan Antonio Estrada aka "Tony," 37, of Ro Grande City Sheriff's deputies there said they stopped Villarreal, his wife and brother-in-law Oswaldo Coronado traveling with $67,000. Map: See the San Antonio ties of Coahuilan politicians and businessmen, some of whom prosecutors say laundered millions of dollars in South Texas. Over the next few months, Villarreal, Moreira who by that time had left Coahuila to become the national leader of the PRI as it was poised to retake Mexico's presidency and Torres, who had taken over the governorship, were forced to leave their respective jobs. The gang, he said, was responsible for a wave of violence that killed tens of thousand in Mexico, many in Coahuila. Deputies saw the suspects vehicle leaving the home and thats when they conducted a traffic stop near Loop 410 and Ingram Road. They often used a network of limited liability companies that made it difficult for investigators to track the ownership of those assets. Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio's company, RCG Radio y Televisin, has come a long way since the family business started 30 years ago, when it launched as Cablevision, the first cable company in Mexico. Mark Anthony Ojeda, 33, of San Antonio; Deputies detained Ashley Mendez, 28, and Ruben Zambrano, 38, in a West Bexar County drug bust. 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. According to court records, Haggard was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to four years imprisonment for aggravated robbery in Bexar County. Gonzlez Fernandez's girlfriend, Alejandra Ibarra, who lives at the Champions Ridge house with their 3-year-old daughter, said she doesn't believe he was involved in drug trafficking. The DEA contended that the car accelerated toward the agents, who opened fire not knowing that the teenager was behind the wheel. On one occasion, he said, a state contract went to a mineral extraction company controlled by the Zetas drug gang, former en- forcers for another cartel who spun off into their own criminal organization. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Jason Buch, Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News. Gonzlez Fernandez didn't respond to letters written to him in jail, and his new attorney, San Antonio white collar crime expert Cynthia Orr, wouldn't comment. Ashley. Murdaugh's brother and surviving son sat behind him in the courtroom every day. 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. Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio's properties are nominally owned by a complex structure of companies. Prosecutors have moved to seize tens of millions of dollars in San Antonio real estate including a home in The Dominion, commercial property on U.S. 281 and a pharmacy on Stone Oak Parkway and indicted six people under an investigation into a nexus of politics, private industry and one of Mexico's most notorious drug gangs. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. Four others were arrested after deputies returned to the residence with a search warrant and found two more kilos of heroin. 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. San Luis Obispo detectives on Thursday arrested a man on drug charges and seized more than $1 million worth of narcotics from a single home, according to police. Initially, they claimed in court documents that the money in the Texas banks and the funds used to buy the San Antonio properties came from fraudulent loans Villarreal took out on Coahuila's credit. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241.