James T. Jacks
Acting United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

TWO MEN AFFILIATED WITH GULF CARTEL CONVICTED BY FEDERAL JURY


“Operation Puma” OCDETF Investigation Resulted in Seizure of More than $3 Million in Cash,
Approximately 500 Kilograms of Cocaine and 1000 Pounds of Marijuana, and Firearms

DALLAS — A federal jury in U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey’s court has convicted the remaining two defendants in a major drug trafficking conspiracy that involved the Gulf Cartel and Zetas, announced acting U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks. Jason Paul Cantu, 29, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and Colin Delawn Jackson, 39, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Cantu was arrested in Brownsville, Texas, in August 2007, and Jackson was arrested in Dallas in April 2008.

Cantu and Jackson were part of a conspiracy involving an international drug trafficking and money laundering operation run by lead defendant, Sergio Maldonado, 35, of McKinney, Texas, that was responsible for smuggling thousands of kilograms of cocaine and hundreds of pounds of marijuana across the U.S. - Mexico border. As part of a two and one-half year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, “Operation Puma,” numerous defendants, including Maldonado, Cantu, and Jackson, were arrested and charged in the conspiracy. In U.S. v. Sergio Maldonado, et al., 3:06-CR-192, all 24 defendants, with the exception of Cantu and Jackson, have pled guilty to their role in the conspiracy and have either been sentenced, or are awaiting sentencing.

The government presented evidence at trial that Jackson was a Dallas-based individual who was responsible for distributing cocaine locally, as well as out of state. Cantu and others laundered money for the organization by transporting large amounts of cash, secreted in hidden compartments in vehicles, or hidden in other ways to avoid detection by law enforcement officials, from Dallas to Mexico.

A total of 35 members of the Maldonado trafficking organization were eventually indicted. More than $3 million cash, approximately 500 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 1000 pounds of marijuana, and firearms were seized during the investigation. An additional $1.6 million in seized property was forfeited from members of the organization.

 Lead defendant Sergio Maldonado pled guilty in March 2008 to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 6, 2009, and faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and a $4 million fine.

Jackson faces a maximum statutory sentence of life in prison and a $4 million fine. Cantu faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. They will be sentenced by Judge Godbey in June 2009.

The OCDETF investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), involving offices in Dallas, Houston, McAllen, Laredo, and San Antonio, Texas. The Dallas Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation.

Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Guess and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Tourje are prosecuting the case.

###