Houston drug trafficker held responsible for moving millions in proceeds

HOUSTON – A 51-year-old Mexican citizen who legally resided in Houston has been ordered to federal prison for leading a cocaine trafficking organization, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Aldo Rigoberto Guerra-Guevara pleaded guilty Oct. 23, 2020, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.

Today, Chief U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal imposed a 14-year federal prison sentence. Guerra-Guevara could potentially lose his legal status in the country and face removal proceedings following completion of his sentence. Judge Rosenthal also entered a final order of forfeiture for properties and vehicles used for cocaine trafficking valued at over $500,000.

At the hearing, the court found Guerra was the Houston leader and organizer of a drug trafficking organization responsible for moving millions in drugs and drug money throughout the United States.  

Between November 2018 and January 2019, the organization moved over $7.1 million in U.S. currency and at least 486 kilograms of cocaine valued at over $12.5 million. Guerra-Guevara served as the Houston leader and also oversaw locations where drugs and money were stored for distribution. 

The investigation culminated Jan. 18, 2019, when authorities seized 50 kilograms of cocaine from Silvano Adame Jr., 52, Galena Park; and over $687,000 in U.S. currency from Alejandro Valenzuela-Razo, 41, Laredo. They also pleaded guilty as did Hermes Tomasichi-Ledezma, 46, Monterrey, Mexico and Aldo Fernando Soto, 34, Houston. They are all pending sentencing and face up to 40 years in prison.

Two others - Eluid Alejandro Rodriguez Garcia, 41, and Jose Guillermo Ramirez, 41, both of Monterrey, Mexico – are also charged but not as yet in custody. They are considered fugitives and warrants remain outstanding for their arrests.

Guerra-Guevara has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS - Criminal Investigation conducted the two-year Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation dubbed Dirty Dingo.  

This operation is part of an OCDETF Strike Force Initiative which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. 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.

The specific mission of the Houston Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle the drug trafficking organizations that designated Consolidated Priority Organization or Regional Priority Organization Targets head with their affiliates and that impact Houston and south Texas.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward F. Gallagher prosecuted the case.