June 2012 Press Releases
June 29, 2012 - Callen
Long Time Fugitive Handed Federal Sentence for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering
HOUSTON – John Callen Jr., 52, formerly of Cypress, Texas, and Detroit, Mich., has been handed a sentence of more than 15 years for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 14 kilograms of cocaine and laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money read more
June 29, 2012 - Anokam
Fourth Defendant Gets 12 ½ Years in Massive Health Care Fraud Scheme
HOUSTON - Kenneth Ibezim Anokam, 57, a naturalized U.S. citizen from the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been handed a 151-month federal prison term for his role in a massive health care fraud conspiracy that billed the Medicare and Medicaid programs for more than $45 million over a 2 ½-year period read more
June 28, 2012 - Mosley
Baytown Woman Sentenced for Embezzling from Employer
HOUSTON – Alicia Mayo Mosley, 34, of Baytown, Texas, has been sentenced to federal prison for mail fraud read more
June 28, 2012 - Hernandez
Laredo Woman Sentenced In Multi-Year Alien Transportation Conspiracy
LAREDO, Texas – Petra Hernandez, 35, of Laredo, Texas, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for her involvement in a conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens read more
June 28, 2012 - Budd
Montgomery Co. Resident Charged With Theft of Government Property
HOUSTON - A Conroe area resident has been charged with one count of theft of government property in connection with Social Security benefits paid on behalf of a woman believed to be his mother read more
June 28, 2012 - Herrera et al
RGV DME Owner and Others Indicted on Multiple Health Care Crimes
McALLEN, Texas - The owner of a now defunct McAllen area durable medical equipment (DME) business, his wife and two former employees have been charged in a 22-count indictment for their alleged roles in a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through fraudulent billings read more
June 27, 2012 - Nzeocha
Nigerian Fugitive Returned to Houston to Face Charges in Multi-Million Dollar Health Care Fraud
HOUSTON – Godwin Chiedo Nzeocha, 45, a naturalized United States citizen originally from the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has been returned to the United States to stand trial in a $45 million health care fraud case read more
June 26, 2012 - Belmontes
Another Lands in Federal Prison in Alien Harboring Case
HOUSTON – The last person to plead guilty in a 10-defendant indictment has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in an organization involved in the trafficking of Mexican females for compelled service at Houston area bars and restaurants through force, fraud and coercion read more
June 25, 2012 - Luna
Second Robstown Man Guilty in Valero Refinery Bomb Threat Case
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Erasmo Luna, 26, of Robstown, Texas, has pleaded guilty to persuading or inducing another to use a telephone to communicate bomb threats to the Valero Refinery in Corpus Christi, Texas read more
June 25, 2012 - Washington
Houston Man Headed to Federal Prison for Health Care Fraud
HOUSTON – Kelvin Washington, 49, of Houston, has been handed a 24-month federal sentence following his convictions of health care fraud, conspiracy and violations of the anti-kickback statute read more
June 25, 2012 - Quezada-Alcala
Matamoros Man Gets 15+ Years for Cocaine Trafficking
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Omar Quezada-Alcala, 36, of Matamoros, Mexico, has been handed an almost 16-year sentence following convictions on four counts related to cocaine trafficking read more
June 22, 2012 - Wilson
Half Million Dollar Bank Fraud Scheme Results in Federal Prison for San Antonio Man
HOUSTON – Steven Jerome Wilson, 24, has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a bank fraud scheme that cost area banks more than a half million dollars read more
June 21, 2012 - Mendoza
Drug Trafficker Sentenced Gets More Than 15 Years for Driving Marijuana
McALLEN, Texas - Eusevio Mendoza, 28, of Brownsville, Texas, has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute in excess of 100 kilograms of marijuana read more
June 21, 2012 - Sawyerr
California Lawyer Convicted of Lewd Acts While Onboard Houston Flight
HOUSTON - Leonard Julius Sawyerr, 33, now of Houston, has been convicted of two counts of lewd, indecent or obscene acts read more
June 21, 2012 - Botello
Edinburg Woman Arrested for Arranging Sham Marriages
McALLEN, Texas – Santos Botello, 76, of Edinburg, Texas, has been charged with conspiracy to commit marriage fraud read more
June 21, 2012 - Lawrence
Leader Sentenced in International Cocaine Smuggling Conspiracy
HOUSTON – A Nigerian man has been sentenced to a significant prison term for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine read more
June 21, 2012 - Holt
Former CIO of Stanford Financial Group Pleads Guilty to Obstruction of Justice
HOUSTON – Laura Pendergest-Holt, 38, the former chief investment officer of Houston-based Stanford Financial Group, pleaded guilty today to obstructing a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into Stanford International Bank (SIB), the Antiguan offshore bank owned by convicted financier Robert Allen Stanford read more
June 21, 2012 - Yanez
Corpus Man Receives 11 Years for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A Corpus Christi, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to distribute cocaine in the Corpus Christi area and concealing the proceeds by purchasing and renovating homes and reselling them read more
June 20, 2012 - Gutierrez-Mendez
Houston Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Human Smuggling
McALLEN, Texas - Adan Gutierrez-Mendez, 47, of Houston, has been sentenced to 120 months imprisonment for his role in the conspiracy to harbor and harboring aliens for profit read more
June 19, 2012 - Ortegon
Jury Convicts Laredo Man for Cocaine Trafficking
LAREDO, Texas - Elizardo Vasquez Ortegon, 37, a legal permanent resident living in Laredo, Texas, has been convicted of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 18 kilograms of cocaine read more
June 19, 2012 - Silva et al
Former Sheriff’s Deputies and Convicted Felons Indicted in Relation to Drug Conspiracy, Firearm Possession
McALLEN, Texas – Two former deputy sheriffs from Duval County, Texas, have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine read more
June 19, 2012 - Longoria
Judge Limas Associate Gets 10 Years in Bribery Scheme
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Jose Manuel “Meme” Longoria, 52, has been sentenced for his role in the FBI’s public corruption investigation of former 404th District Court Judge Abel Corral Limas read more
June 19, 2012 - Nino-Duenes
Guilty Plea for Firearm Possession on Day of Jury Selection
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Luis Ivan Nino-Duenes, 27, of Control, Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been convicted of being an alien in possession of a firearm read more
June 19, 2012 - Frank
Second Recruiter Convicted in City Nursing Scheme
HOUSTON – Gwendolyn Kay Frank, 43, of Houston, has entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statue for her role in role in the $45 million City Nursing health care scandal read more
June 19, 2012 - Villarreal and Sanchez
Two Land in Federal Prison for Exporting Ammunition
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Two men have been sentenced to federal prison following their convictions of exporting approximately 3,000 rounds of ammunition to Mexico without a license read more
June 18, 2012 - Marchan
Marchan Convicted of Paying Bribe Money to Judge Limas
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Ray Roman Marchan has been found guilty on all counts in the FBI’s public corruption investigation of former 404th District Court Judge Abel Corral Limas read more
June 15, 2012 - Mercado and DeLeon
Two Handed Sentences in Relation to 1,900 Pound Marijuana Seizure
HOUSTON – Joselito Flores Mercado, 49, and Jose Alberto DeLeon, 34, have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in connection with a seizure of more than 1,900 pounds of marijuana in the Houston area read more
June 15, 2012 - Nichols
Houston Man Charged with Defrauding VFW
HOUSTON - Joe H. Nichols has been arraigned on a one-count criminal information charging him with mail fraud in connection with charitable donations from the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States read more
June 14, 2012 -Torres
Federal Jury Convicts Distributor of Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals
HOUSTON – A Houston federal jury has convicted Luis Angel Garcia Torres, 41, of Patillas, Puerto Rico, has been convicted of 12 counts in relation to the trafficking of counterfeit goods read more
June 14, 2012 - Stanford
Allen Stanford Gets 110 Years for Orchestrating $7 Billion Investment Fraud Scheme
HOUSTON – R. Allen Stanford, the former Board of Directors Chairman of Stanford International Bank (SIB), has been sentenced to a total of 110 years in prison for orchestrating a 20-year investment fraud scheme in which he misappropriated $7 billion from SIB to finance his personal businesses read more
June 14, 2012 - Christus Spohn
United States Settles Lawsuit Against Christus Spohn Health System Corporation
HOUSTON - Christus Spohn Health System Corporation has paid the United States more than $5 million to settle allegations regarding violations of the False Claims Act read more
June 11, 2012 - Palacios
San Antonio Man Convicted of Wire Fraud Related to Theft From Border Patrol Union
LAREDO, Texas – Pedro Palacios, 36, of San Antonio, Texas, has entered a plea of guilty to one count of wire fraud arising from his theft of blank checks from the Border Patrol Union Council (BPUC) Local 2455 read more
June 8, 2012 - Lopez et al
Six Valley Men Arrested for Alleged Marijuana Trafficking Conspiracy
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Six men have been arrested as a result of an the efforts of a Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation read more
June 8, 2012 - Ramirez-Lopez
Jury Convicts Alien of Illegal Re-Entry After 10 Minutes of Deliberation
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Jose Ramirez-Lopez, 30, a citizen of Mexico, has been found guilty of illegal re-entry into the United States after having previously been deported read more
June 7, 2012 - Medrano et al
Several Houstonians Arrested in Firearms and Drug Investigation
HOUSTON – A total of six people from Houston are now in custody following the return of a 15-count federal indictment read more
June 7, 2012 - McChester
Former Corpus Christi Police Officer Convicted of Solicitation of a Minor
HOUSTON – Robert McChester Jr., 27, has entered a plea of guilty to using a telephone and a computer connected to the Internet to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity read more read more
June 7, 2012 - Herrera
Jury Convicts Houston Woman for Straw Purchasing Firearms
McALLEN, Texas – Nayely Ruby Herrera, 21, of Houston, has been convicted of making a false statement concerning the purchase of firearms on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, commonly referred to as straw purchasing read more
June 7, 2012 - Brooks
Recruiter in City Nursing Scheme Pleads Guilty
HOUSTON – Floyd Leslie Brooks, 45, of Houston, has entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute for his role in the $45 million City Nursing Health Care scandal read more
June 7, 2012 - Alaniz
Local Man Handed 21+ Years for Sexual Exploitation of a Child
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Jose Rene Alaniz, 43, has been sentenced to 260 months in federal prison following his conviction for sexual exploitation of a child, commonly referred to as production of child pornography read more
June 7, 2012 - Salazar
Jury Finds San Juan Man Guilty of Alien Harboring
McALLEN, Texas – A federal jury sitting in McAllen, Texas, has returned verdicts of guilty against Pedro Salazar, 56, of San Juan, Texas, for conspiracy and harboring illegal aliens read more
June 7, 2012 - Mata and Casas
Weslaco Duo Convicted of Cocaine Trafficking
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two men have admitted their guilt in the trafficking of cocaine in Weslaco, Texas read more
June 6, 2012 - Avila
Houston Jury Convicts Illegal Alien in Hostage Taking Case
Defendant Faces Life in Prison
HOUSTON - Cesar Avila, 35, an illegal alien from Honduras, has been convicted of hostage taking conspiracy, four counts of hostage taking, one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence and four counts of aiding and abetting the harboring of illegal aliens read more
June 6, 2012 - Finley
Louisiana Man Found Guilty of Smuggling Marijuana
Jury Returns Verdict in just 20 Minutes
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Dolph Finley, 47, of Lettsworth, La., has been found guilty on both counts as charged in relation to the smuggling of marijuana through the Sarita Border Patrol Checkpoint read more
June 5, 2012 - Gonzalez
Channelview Resident Sent to Prison for Possessing Child Pornography
HOUSTON – Elisio Gonzalez Jr., 30, has been sentenced to a 51-month term of imprisonment for possession of child pornography read more
June 5, 2012 - Santamaria
Corpus Man Convicted of Assaulting a Federal Officer
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Kenneth Ray Santamaria, 18, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has entered a plea of guilty to assaulting a federal officer read more
June 4, 2012 - Gaines
Local Man Convicted of Possessing Child Porn
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Christopher Gaines, 31, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has entered a plea of guilty to possession of child pornography read more
June 1, 2012 - Casso
Former TX AG Employee and Others Head to Prison in Half-Million Dollar Tax Scheme
LAREDO, Texas – A former employee of the Texas Attorney General’s (AG) Child Support Division has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a sophisticated tax fraud that unfolded over the course of several years read more
June 1, 2012 - Jarvis and Ellerman
Two More Handed Sentences in Grifco Fraud Scheme
300+ victims submit statements to the court
HOUSTON – A Magnolia, Texas, businessman and a Chicago man have been sentenced for conspiring to commit wire fraud read more
