Two Texas Syndicate Members Sentenced to Combined 50 Years

Two Texas Syndicate gang members were sentenced today to a combined 50 years in prison for drug trafficking in Lubbock, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.

Jose Daniel Flores, aka “Cuate,” 43, was sentenced to 360 months in prison after pleading guilty in March to intent to distribute heroin. Gabriel Sepulveda Manriquez, aka “Pistolas,” 50, was sentenced to 248 months in prison after his June guilty plea to intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.  The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

According to court documents, beginning in 2018, the Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating Texas Syndicate members in the Lubbock area for suspected drug trafficking.

DEA agents utilized a cooperating source to purchase methamphetamine from Manriquez at his Lubbock residence. By September 2019, the court authorized a wiretap of Manriquez’s electronic device. Agents intercepted numerous conversations between Manriquez and other members of the drug trafficking organization discussing the sale and distribution of narcotics.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant of Manriquez’s residence. He was arrested and law enforcement recovered cocaine packaged for distribution and a Ruger .357 with the serial numbers obliterated from the pistol.

Two search warrants were issued in connection to Flores’ drug trafficking activity.  The Lubbock Police Department SWAT team located Flores inside a Lubbock hotel room with co-defendant, Allison Langdon, along with two kilograms of methamphetamine, a large sum of cash, and a Glock .40 pistol. Agents also searched Langdon’s house and recovered approximately half-a-kilogram of heroin locked in a safe which Flores admitted belonged to him.

During an interview with law enforcement, Flores admitted that he obtained methamphetamine and heroin directly from suppliers in Mexico.  The investigation revealed that Flores was responsible for importing over 417 kilograms of methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States on behalf of the drug trafficking organization.

Co-defendants Allison Langdon, Ray Elias Narvais-Rodriguez, Luis Gonzalez, Jesus Manriquez, Angelica Del Valle, Randy Roy Nunez, and Tanner Paul Langdon have received sentences ranging up to 235 months.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Lubbock Police Department, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, and members of the Lubbock, Texas Anti-Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted this case.