Prosecutors didnt have the weapons used to kill the Murdaughs or other direct evidence like confessions or blood spatter. Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. Lastiri was sentenced to a total of 100 months in federal prison. Over the past century, your family including you have been prosecuting people here in this courtroom, and many have received the death penalty, probably for lesser conduct, the judge said. The DEA said her father may have used her as a decoy. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering operations, and those primarily responsible for the nations illegal drug supply. 2 at the DA's office, prosecutors believe at least some of the $6.5 million in a JP Morgan Chase and Co. bank account that his office is suing to forfeit came from kickbacks. The sheriffs office said most of the suspects that were arrested are documented gang members.. 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. When there's two or three or four or five layers of individuals, that's called layering of ownership, he said. Rodger Hernandez aka Rocky, 43, of San Antonio Brian Victorino Chavarria, age 24 of San Antonio; 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. SAN ANTONIO Six people are in custody following a drug bust in east Bexar County earlier this week, according to the Bexar County Sheriffs Office. Jacob Sanchez, 21, of San Antonio. A major drug bust occurred in Eastland County. According to Sorianello, fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, over 50 times greater or stronger than heroine. Joel Villarreal aka Gordo, 49, of San Antonio; UPDATE: Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar says they found $29 million worth of methamphetamine, in addition to $400,000 worth of black tar heroin in a conversion lab in the Northeast Side. The prosecutors' deposition request included a list of people and entities they would be asking about, including the Moreira brothers, their nephew, a number of Villarreal's family members, Chaires, Humberto Moreira's former secretary, and Roberto Casimiro Gonzalez Trevio, the Coahuila cable magnate whose nephew was arrested in San Antonio and whose brother served as the state's spokesman here. Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. Frank Anthony Hernandez aka Pancho, 36, of San Antonio; 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. Thursday, March 18, 2021 Twelve Indicted for Drug Trafficking in San Antonio Area Twelve San Antonio residents face federal drug trafficking charges, announced U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux, Houston Division. Murdaugh's brother and surviving son sat behind him in the courtroom every day. I saw his eyes. Initially, they claimed in court documents that the money in the Texas banks and the funds used to buy the San Antonio properties came from fraudulent loans Villarreal took out on Coahuila's credit. In 2008, Humberto Moreira named Gonzlez Trevio the state of Coahuila's spokesman in San Antonio, but it's unclear what duties he performed. The multiagency taskforce handling the case includes the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas attorney general's office and the Internal Revenue Service. It happened Friday in Atascosa County where the. Nicolas Rodriguez, age 39 of San Antonio; The massive drug bust took place during a traffic stop in San Clemente, a wealthy enclave about 75 miles inland from the U.S.-Mexico border in San Diego, multiple Border Patrol sources told Fox News. Like a traditional mafia, the Zetas also are involved in public works fraud, creating fake companies or suborning legitimate businesses and bribing public officials in exchange for government contracts that are inflated or never completed. Man charged with murder cut off ankle monitor, captured after being spotted in San Antonio, 'Especially lush': Wildflower Center predicts above-average bluebonnet season, Spring-like weekend in store for San Antonio | FORECAST, 2 separate $10,000 rewards offered by law enforcement for the suspect involved in shooting two Corpus Christi officers, Police search for suspects who may be involved in robbery, Video shows possible suspect vehicle connected to Army soldier's murder on New Year's Day. DRUG BUST: The Crystal City Police Department Special Response Team recovered and seized numerous amounts of drugs Wednesday. UVALDE Texas - A major drug bust has happened Tuesday morning in Uvalde . The female driver was identified as Shauna Madrid, 36, from Roswell, New Mexico. James Patric Bartlett, age 42 of San Antonio; and, Nowadays, its habitats, conservation and education. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. 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.. The Murdaugh case has attracted true crime fans from around the world with its threads of power, danger, money and privilege. A similar lawsuit is seeking to forfeit for $2.3 million Villarreal has in another Bermuda bank. The KSAT 12 News Team provides a look at local, regional, statewide and national news events and the latest information on local traffic and weather issues. Among those charged in South Texas are the interim governor who served after Moreira, several business owners with homes on San Antonio's North Side, and a former state treasurer who's wanted in Mexico on allegations of taking out fraudulent loans on the state's credit. Aug. 2, 2014 Updated: Aug. 4, 2014 11 a.m. Facebook Twitter Email. Humberto Moreira. Prosecutors decided not to seek the death penalty in this case, and Newman handed down the harshest possible sentence he could consecutive life sentences without parole. The truth is he brought shame upon himself, his family, the community, his profession, Kinsinger said. 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. 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. San Antonio woman among 14 charged with conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine, Privately run zoos in Texas adapt to new roles. An official website of the United States government. In a month or so, he will move to a maximum security state prison like all new inmates serving life sentences. Guillermo has also worked in Central America, Mexico, New Mexico, Arizona and California and his work has appeared in various publications, including the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New York Post, Newsday, Denver Post and the Albuquerque Journal. Of the 14 people indicted Wednesday, at least 10 have been taken into custody, including Jacqueline Alvarez, 57, of San Antonio, who works for the GEO Group at the Karnes County Family. This comes as state officials said they've seen a surge in fentanyl seizures with DPS reporting a 950% increase from 2020. Online reports can only be completed for the following crimes where no weapon was used and no suspect information is available. Heather Freitag, 27, was arrested on a charge of possession of a controlled substance. Lus Claudio Estrada aka Luz, 42, of La Joya; Jury takes an hour to reach verdict over deal at Port S.A. . BEXAR COUNTY (KTSA News) Six people were arrested in a drug bust at a southeast San Antonio home the Bexar County sheriff said has connections to a white supremacist group. We will continue to work closely with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in order to enhance the quality of life for the citizens in the San Antonio region.. As I tell you again, I respect this court. You have to have a federal and state license for that. Justin Paul Guerrero, age 26 of San Antonio; They whisked him to San Antonio, where prosecutors unsealed an indictment charging him with another count of money laundering. Joseph Richard Guerrero, age 28 of San Antonio; Updated: 10:32 PM CST February 27, 2021 PLEASANTON, Texas An eight-month crackdown operation on drugs has landed dozens of people in jail. All the billboards that the PRI used in its campaigns they would rent from Roberto, and they'd easily get the permits from the city governments.. During the stop, a search of the vehicle was conducted. She traveled from Houston to San Antonio with two children in her vehicle. His high-powered attorney, J.A. In the quiet Lowcountry that Murdaughs family had dominated since the days of Jim Crow, a judge talked to Murdaugh in a way that few probably have not in his days playing college football, making millions as a high-powered attorney or gaining favor because of his name and reminded Murdaugh that he had to remove the portrait of the defendants grandfather from its place of honor in that same courtroom to ensure a fair trial. On Wednesday, a joint task force including the DEA along with the sheriff's office arrested 41-year-old Francisco Ortiz. If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. A locked padlock Joe Angel Villarreal later was sentenced to 19 years in federal prison for leading a large cocaine-trafficking group. Coahuila, with its large manufacturing sector and border crossings, is a major trade partner with Texas, and politically connected people from the state who are not under investigation have become close with San Antonio city leaders. Juan Carlos Robles, age 35 of San Antonio; 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. Salazar said the street value of the seized drugs is over $1.2 million. ___ Collins reported from Columbia, South Carolina. She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois. All other crimes require an officer to make the scene. Timeline: An interactive look at Coahuila's debt and the ensuing investigation in San Antonio. Cody King is a digital journalist for KSAT 12. Lawyers for both men maintain they're innocent. Tracy Kinsinger came to the courthouse with a homemade sign reading Murderer that he made the night before. These family members assisted Villarreal by, among other things, opening bank accounts at U.S. banks, establishing business entities and purchasing real estate in the names of these business entities.. Coahuila corruption and drug ties spread influence to San Antonio, Privately run zoos in Texas adapt to new roles. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. If convicted of the latest conspiracy charges, Villarreal and the others each face 10 years to life in federal prison. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland. It alleges that he laundered in San Antonio the proceeds of bribes, theft, embezzlement and drug distribution, another indication that the U.S. is investigating whether there's a connection between the alleged raiding of Coahuila's state coffers and the Zetas, a gang started by former Mexican special forces soldiers to be the Gulf Cartel's paramilitary arm. The Schertz Police Department stated in a social . When Humberto came into power, RCG was tiny, said Jorge Rosales Saade, an official with the opposition PAN party in Coahuila. Border Patrol agents based in the San Diego Sector seized 232 pounds of fentanyl with a street value of about $3 million from a single vehicle, officials announced on Monday..