";s:4:"text";s:22881:"On an October morning last year, residents in . Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Our position on behalf of Mr. Villarreal is to establish the facts and show that he is not guilty. In February, Villarreal slipped across one of the international bridges in El Paso and turned himself in to federal agents. He's the one that made all this mess.. Jesse Martinez, age 41 of San Antonio; Michael Barron, age 39 of San Antonio; The press conference took place around 11:45 a.m. Friday in the 500 block of Porter. 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. BCSO said through the course of executing the search warrant they found a total of 13.4 pounds of marijuana, 2.2 pounds of hash oil, 1.2 ounces of cocaine, 2.9 grams of methamphetamine, a shotgun and $16,757 in cash. Jacqueline Alvarez, 57, of San Antonio SAN ANTONIO - Twenty five men and women are in custody after authorities busted a drug distribution operation in the San Antonio area Thursday, according to officials. A simple drug bust. 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. Camouflaged among those escaping the more recent problems in the state are drug traffickers, unscrupulous businessmen and high-ranking Coahuila officials who laundered more than $35 million in kickbacks for state contracts, U.S. authorities say. Alvarez does not work for GEOs separate Karnes County Detention Center, where some federal inmates are held before trial, said her lawyer, Joey Contreras. 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. What's known is this: the Gonzlezes control a media empire in Mexico and in recent years extended their influence across the border. Salazar said Moreira deserves more scrutiny because the state's debt and the allegations of theft happened on his watch. All are from San Antonio. Zoos in the past were judged by who had the most animals, San Antonio Zoo chief Tim Morrow says. Through more than 75 witnesses and nearly 800 pieces of evidence, jurors heard about betrayed friends and clients, Murdaughs failed attempt to stage his own death in an insurance fraud scheme, a fatal boat crash in which his son was implicated, the housekeeper who died in a fall in the Murdaugh home and the grisly scene of the killings. It becomes very difficult to track for any investigator in law enforcement, but it's especially more difficult for financial industry investigators because they're limited, they don't have authority of the government, subpoena power.. Updated: 11:05 PM CST November 13, 2020 SAN ANTONIO Nearly $30 million worth of drugs are seized from a Bexar County home. Guillermo Moyado, 38, and Joaquin Cardenas, 39, were arrested during the traffic stop after deputies seized five kilos of black tar heroin and five kilos of methamphetamine from their vehicle, according to the BCSO. A federal grand jury in Corpus Christi in November charged Villarreal and Torres with money laundering and fraud. Juan Carlos Robles, age 35 of San Antonio; 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. Sheriff's deputies there said they stopped Villarreal, his wife and brother-in-law Oswaldo Coronado traveling with $67,000. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. Frank Zepeda aka Pancho, 51, of San Antonio If he gets extradited we will (fight the criminal case), but right now he has not been extradited, so he's still in Mexico, Canales said. Jose Tabares, 53, of San Antonio 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. He's facing a federal charge of possession with an intent to distribute over 500 grams of a controlled substance, according to Salazar. Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our citizens. Its radio and television stations have a reputation for supporting the Institutional Revolutionary Party, known by its Spanish acronym PRI, in general and the Moreiras in particular. Moyer said he didn't buy them. Pictured is (left to right): Jeanette Gloria, 38; Crystal Coronado, 34; Kenneth Peterson, 28; Josh Delgado, 38. Drug Bust November 25, 2022 8:35 am . Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. Juan Antonio Estrada aka "Tony," 37, of Ro Grande City A locked padlock Ivan Herrera has worked as a journalist in San Antonio since 2016. A 32-year-old San Antonio woman was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after she was found guilty of possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine . Ojeda was already in custody, and Flores has yet to be arrested. Gutierrez faces between five and 40 years upon conviction. According to Salazar, deputies found a couple hundred grams of methamphetamine and black tar heroin and $9,000. Oswaldo Jesus Lopez, age 26 of Laredo; Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. 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. When Humberto came into power, RCG was tiny, said Jorge Rosales Saade, an official with the opposition PAN party in Coahuila. All rights reserved. They whisked him to San Antonio, where prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with another count of money laundering. On Tuesday, federal, state and local authorities arrested all of the defendants with the exception of Lumbreras, Ojeda and Flores. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland. His lawyer, Roy Barrera Jr., said Flores wasn't involved in public corruption or organized crime. 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. ___ Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina. All he did was blow snot," Moyer said. During this investigation, authorities seized approximately 24 kilograms of methamphetamine, six kilograms of heroin, three kilograms of cocaine, four firearms and approximately $100,000 along with other assets attributable to this organization. Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio's properties are nominally owned by a complex structure of companies. Prosecutor Creighton Waters noted that stare each day in court. Then, starting in 2006, he and his brother, Roberto Casimiro Gonzlez Trevio, went on a spending spree. They say those millions were looted from the Coahuila government and flooded Texas starting in 2007, during the term of former Gov. But I am innocent. SAN ANTONIO The Bexar County Sheriff's Office provided details about a drug bust in east Bexar County. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The GEO Group built the facility and manages it under contract with Karnes County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It was found that there is no evidence to link Mr. Moreira Valdes to any wrongdoing in relation to the debt contracted in the state of Coahuila during his term as governor, the attorney wrote. DRUG BUSTThe Castle Hills Police Department confiscated 6.5 grams of Fentanyl and over four grams of Heroin during a traffic stop overnight. The gang, he said, was responsible for a wave of violence that killed tens of thousand in Mexico, many in Coahuila. Torres remains a fugitive in Mexico. 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.. Flores had made powerful friends in the U.S., among them lobbyist and former Congressman Henry Bonilla, who showed up at his initial court appearance in San Antonio. Nowadays, its habitats, conservation and education. They asked a judge to give them three San Antonio houses, all appraised at more than $500,000; the Champions Ridge home owned by Gonzlez Fernandez, a house in the Vistas at Sonterra owned by his brother; and a house in Oakwell Farms, an exclusive inside-the-loop gated community, owned by their father, Ral Gonzlez Trevio. 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. Rodger Hernandez aka Rocky, 43, of San Antonio 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. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Nicolas Rodriguez, age 39 of San Antonio; Jacob Sanchez, 21, of San Antonio. Ashley Mendez, 28, and Ruben Zambrano, 38, were taken into custody. The lawyer he initially hired to defend him said the family isn't involved in any crimes. Deputies seized four kilograms of heroin and two kilograms of cocaine in the home in addition to multiple firearms, thousands of dollars of cash and expensive clothing. Oscar Heredia, 37, of San Antonio Shes a recreation specialist for GEO, supervising children at play, he said. Jesus Rodriguez aka Don Chuy, 62, of Rio Grande City; Each has a prior serious felony drug conviction which enhances their minimum mandatory sentence. Zambrano was arrested in the kitchen without incident. The girl was shot when she drove her fathers car out of their house at San Joaquin and Motes streets. Murdaugh's family founded the areas most powerful law firm a century ago in neighboring Hampton County. Officials said this is the third incident involving a drug bust this week alone, according to the BCSO; however, this incident is separate from the previous two. That's what we're doing, he said. But then they got word it had started again. Bexar County prosecutors say the treasurer, Hctor Javier Villarreal Hernndez, wired millions of dollars to Texas that he received from kickbacks. The lawsuit seeks $2.8 million in an account Torres has in Bermuda. Albelardo Oviedo, age 29 of San Antonio. They didn't do any mining.. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 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. According to court records, Haggard was convicted in 2006 and sentenced to four years imprisonment for aggravated robbery in Bexar County. The former governor, critics said, was adept at bringing the news media to his side, leaning on advertisers or offering up party and government advertising as an enticement. Along with the San Antonio properties, prosecutors have filed lawsuits to take control of real estate in the Rio Grande Valley and millions of dollars in bank accounts in Texas and Bermuda. Michelle Zamarripa, 59, of San Antonio According to police, during a traffic stop, officers found a loaded syringe containing heroin inside of a vehicle. Thirteen individuals are charged with trafficking cocaine in the San Antonio area, announced U.S. Attorney Gregg N. Sofer and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Steven S. Whipple, Houston Division. 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. Salazar said the three suspects face charges of human smuggling, engaging in organized crime . Authorities call it the largest. When he took the stand in his own defense, the first thing he did was admit he had lied to investigators about being at the kennels, saying he was paranoid of law enforcement because he was addicted to opioids and had pills in his pocket the night of the killings. On July 20, 2021, members of the BCSO and DEA TAG Unit executed a search warrant in the After additional surveillance of the area, investigators arrested Servando Yzaguirre after he was found to be in possession of 323.7 grams of meth, according to the sheriffs office. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, METRO -- The father of Ashley Villarreal is led out of the Judge John H. Wood Federal Courthouse. 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: SAN ANTONIO - Six people are in custody, two of which are being held in a federal facility, following a drug bust on the North Side, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. The DEA will continue to relentlessly pursue any individual or organization that threatens the well-being and stability of our communities.. 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. Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested her after the discovery of drugs, officials said. Peter Karasev, 35, of San Jose, has been arrested in connection with a San Jose Police Department investigation into suspected explosives-related and illegal drug offenses, authorities said. 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. Ricardo Gonzalez, age 24 of San Antonio; The Schertz Police Department stated in a social . Defense attorneys said they will appeal, based largely on the judge allowing the evidence of crimes that Murdaugh has not been convicted of, which they say smeared his reputation. She traveled from Houston to San Antonio with two children in her vehicle. SAN ANTONIO - A man and a woman were arrested after deputies busted a drug distribution operation in West Bexar County on Friday, according to the Bexar County Sheriff's Office. But not good enough, Moyer said. 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. All the defendants, excepting Gutierrez, face between 10 years and life in federal prison upon conviction of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. 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. Last June, federal authorities were conducting surveillance on Moshe using a GPS signal from his phone in connection with the LSD investigation when he unwittingly led them to an illegal. Waters said none of the victims of the crime members of Murdaughs family and the parents and relatives of his wife wished to speak on behalf of the prosecution before sentencing. The arrestsin San Antonio conclude a comprehensive investigation by DEA, along with our law enforcement partners, into the criminal activities of a drug trafficking organization, who were responsible for transporting and distributing methamphetamine and cocaine into our communities, said Daniel C. Comeaux, special agent in charge of the DEA office in Houston. 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. WALTERBORO, S.C. One of the last pieces of a legal dynasty that doled out justice in rural South Carolina for decades crumbled Friday as lawyer Alex Murdaugh was sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison for the murder of his wife and son at their sprawling estate. After six weeks of trial, they came away more convinced he did not do this. Deputies detained her and found 5 THC vape pens on the front seat, authorities said. The most high-profile arrest of the money laundering investigation has been that of Villarreal, the former state treasurer. Multiple agencies conducted an arrest operation Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021 which resulted in fifteen indictments being served and the arrest of seven suspects. 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. And there's a correlation between that and the approximately 93,000 overdose deaths in the country," said Dante Sorianello, DEA Special Agent. Matthew Villa, 51, of San Antonio They are either identified as being investors in some of these corporations, or persons with knowledge of some of the transactions, Herberg said. Domestic Cannabis Suppression / Eradication Program, Red Ribbon Toolkit - Resources For Your Community, DEA National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, Intelligence Research Specialist Job Announcements, Schedule A Hiring Authority: Intelligence Research Specialist, Privacy Impact Assessment and Management Information Systems, Victim Witness Assistance Program Resources. Ben Spicer is a digital journalist who works the early morning shift for KSAT. Over the past two days, federal, state and local authorities arrested all of the defendants with the exception of Brown, Martinez, Jose Garcia, Alvarado, and Bartlett. "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. The indictment also charges Haggard with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, namely a Taurus semi-automatic pistol on August 28, 2020. Ojeda faces a mandatory five years in federal prison on the gun charge upon conviction. Authorities call it the largest fentanyl seizure in Bexar County. Jason Buch, Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News. The company also owns billboards around the state. Today, the Zetas are their own criminal organization engaged in a wide range of illegal activities including drug trafficking, prostitution, human trafficking and distribution of counterfeit goods. Upon conviction of the drug conspiracy charge, Ojeda, Juan Estrada, Lus Estrada, Rodriguez, Hernandez, Acevedo, Villarreal and Flores face between 10 years and life in federal prison; Lumbreras, Casas, DeLuna and Pena face between five and 40 years in federal prison; and Cuellar faces up to 20 years in federal prison. According to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office, deputies on Friday executed a search warrant at a home in the 6900 block of Martinique Drive, not far from Highway 90 and Military Drive. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois. Moreira, the former leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, is close to Mexican President Enrique Pea Nieto. The juror agreed with prosecutors that the key piece of evidence was a video locked on his sons cellphone for a year video shot minutes before the killings at the same kennels near where the bodies would be found. 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 . The drug bust led deputies to search another residence in the 100 block of Seashell Place in west San Antonio. Flores has since pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy charge and agreed to give up millions of dollars in Texas bank accounts, a Learjet and his home in The Dominion. More than $1 billion worth of cocaine has been seized at the Philadelphia Port on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.They say the drug bust netted approximately 16.5 tons of the . Ed Rodriguez, a former IRS agent who is not involved in the case, said there could be perfectly legitimate reasons for businessmen to distance themselves from properties they own, including protection from lawsuits. All other crimes require an officer to make the scene. Another $8,500 in cash was found at the home as well, according to officials. Rosalinda Flores, 54, of San Antonio; Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( The house in Champions Ridge is owned by Raul Gonzlez Fernandez, but over the years it's been owned by his father, brother, uncle and by Vicente Chaires Yaez, Moreira's personal secretary while he was governor. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. 01 Mar 2023 22:30:08 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. On an October morning last year, residents in the gated Champions Ridge subdivision watched as federal agents arrested a neighbor with ties to the Coahuila government. The family has plenty of money from recent sales of Mexican media holdings, Ibarra said, and her boyfriend had income from running restaurants in Torren, Coahuila, and San Antonio. His work for KSAT 12 and KSAT.com includes covering breaking news of the day, as well as producing Q&As and content for the "South Texas Pride" and "KSAT Money" series. 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. Map: See the San Antonio ties of Coahuilan politicians and businessmen, some of whom prosecutors say laundered millions of dollars in South Texas. ";s:7:"keyword";s:27:"drug bust san antonio today";s:5:"links";s:301:"Nicole Scherzinger Alfonso Valiente,
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