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. Since that incident, Salazar said deputies were notified the drug operation was back up and running, which led to the BCSO setting up surveillance near the residence Thursday morning. A major drug bust occurred in Eastland County. Oscar Jesus Lopez, age 23 of Laredo; The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired since January 2020 to distribute cocaine. All he had was Cablevision, but they made him a multimillionaire with enormous power. SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) $400,000 worth of drugs were found in an east side home today. The GEO Group built the facility and manages it under contract with Karnes County and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 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. Drug Bust November 25, 2022 8:35 am . "No tears. Rubn Moreira, the current governor, told Mexican reporters that Gonzlez Trevio's position was unofficial and unpaid. Villarreal fraudulently acquired Mexican pesos totaling over $35 million in U.S. dollars and funneled the monies into United States bank accounts, federal prosecutors in Corpus Christi wrote in a court filing. He quickly left Mexico for the U.S. and showed up in East Texas in February 2012 where he was again arrested. 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. During todays arrests authorities seized approximately two kilograms of cocaine, over 30 pounds of hydroponic marijuana, methamphetamine, three handguns and approximately $235,000. Drug dealing and violence go hand in hand. Nevrez hit a . 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. The government is abusing its power, Canales wrote in one filing. LOUIS - A man from Texas and a woman from St. Louis were indicted Wednesday on drug conspiracy charges after multiple kilograms of suspected fentanyl and methamphetamine were found during a traffic stop on Interstate 44 in St. Louis County. He liked to stare me down as he would walk by me during this trial. Another $8,500 in cash was found at the home as well, according to officials. 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. "Some may not have any narcotic in it, others may have too much and thats when your going to overdose, and these are the stories you hear, someone goes to a party, and never done anything, said Sorianello. Salazar said the street value of the seized drugs is over $1.2 million. Joel Villarreal aka Gordo, 49, of San Antonio; Jason Gutierrez aka Big Mac, 37, of San Antonio Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, METRO -- The father of Ashley Villarreal is led out of the Judge John H. Wood Federal Courthouse. The most high-profile arrest of the money laundering investigation has been that of Villarreal, the former state treasurer. He is the father of Ashley Villarreal, who at 14 was fatally shot by DEA agents conducting a stakeout in San Antonio in February 2003. Jose Artemio Acevedo Jr. aka Chapparo, 49, of Rio Grande City; 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. This comes as state officials said they've seen a surge in fentanyl seizures with DPS reporting a 950% increase from 2020. All he did was blow snot," Moyer said. Over the next few months, Villarreal, Moreira who by that time had left Coahuila to become the national leader of the PRI as it was poised to retake Mexico's presidency and Torres, who had taken over the governorship, were forced to leave their respective jobs. UVALDE Texas - A major drug bust has happened Tuesday morning in Uvalde . I was shocked, Ibarra said of her boyfriend's arrest. His high-powered attorney, J.A. It might have been the monster you become," Newman said. MEDINA COUNTY, Texas More than 20 arrests have been made as part of a multi-agency investigation into drug distribution in south-central Texas after a . 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. Haggard faces up to 10 years in federal prison upon conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm. 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. Erik Jason Pena, 41, of San Antonio; and Sheriff's deputies there said they stopped Villarreal, his wife and brother-in-law Oswaldo Coronado traveling with $67,000. And that was the reason they offered it, Griffin said. Coronado and Flores Valdez, the Moreiras' nephew, were in San Antonio responding to a request by Bexar County to depose representatives of the LLCs that Villarreal's family members manage. I saw his eyes. 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 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. They are either identified as being investors in some of these corporations, or persons with knowledge of some of the transactions, Herberg said. Ojeda was already in custody, and Flores has yet to be arrested. We look forward to taking a good hard look at the governments evidence.. 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. Hernandez, Haggard and Heredia were already in custody. Secure .gov websites use HTTPSA lock ( In a major study released Saturday, March 4, 2023, Nexletol reduced the risk of heart attacks and other health problems in people who can't take drugs called statins, the main cholesterol-lowering . They are steadfastly in his camp, defense attorney Jim Griffin said after the hearing. Jacqueline Alvarez, 57, of San Antonio Michelle Zamarripa, 59, of San Antonio Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. guillermo.contreras@express-news.net | Twitter: @gmaninfedland. BCSO AND DEA TAG UNIT DRUG BUST She previously worked for WICS/WRSP 20 in Springfield, Illinois. A federal grand jury indictment unsealed today charges the following defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance: Matthew Noe Arteaga, age 35 of San Antonio; If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. 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. 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. 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. The jury deliberated for less than three hours Thursday before finding Murdaugh guilty of killing his 22-year-old son with two shotgun blasts and his 52-year-old wife with four or five rifle shots. Now he's found a new voice in recovery. But then they got word it had started again. Deputies detained her and found 5 THC vape pens on the front seat, authorities said. Wynne, Villarreal's attorney who was at the hotel meeting, said he's trying to show the Texas properties were purchased with legitimate funds. 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. This is a carousel. He's the one that made all this mess.. Gonzlez Fernandez's girlfriend, Alejandra Ibarra, who lives at the Champions Ridge house with their 3-year-old daughter, said she doesn't believe he was involved in drug trafficking. The Schertz Police Department stated in a social . Map: See the San Antonio ties of Coahuilan politicians and businessmen, some of whom prosecutors say laundered millions of dollars in South Texas. Gonzlez Trevio wouldn't comment and officials at the Mexican Consulate and in San Antonio's International Relations Office said they're not familiar with him. But Circuit Court Judge Clifton Newman wanted to know if he saw the mangled bodies of Maggie and Paul Murdaugh as he tried to sleep or thought about how he disgraced his family's three-generation reputation for justice through lying, stealing and eventually murder. In December, six Coahuila businessmen gathered at the Hotel Contessa in downtown San Antonio. The indictment accuses the defendants of conspiring to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine in the Midwestern and Southern U.S. During a year-long investigation culminating in coordinated raids this week, law enforcement officers led by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration seized 23 kilos of cocaine, more than 30 pounds of hydroponic marijuana, 100 kilos of methamphetamine, along with firearms and $359,000 in cash. 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. Good Morning San Antonio. Thanks to the excellent work of the DEA and our other law enforcement partners, our community is safer today, stated U.S. Attorney Sofer. Cash found at drug bust in West Bexar County. Jason Buch, Guillermo Contreras, San Antonio Express-News. Find more AP coverage of the case: https://apnews.com/hub/alex-murdaugh. Prosecutors in Corpus Christi filed a lawsuit in late September accusing Torres, who owns a house near Houston, of using JP Morgan Chase Bank accounts to transfer millions of dollars from Mexico to Texas, then turning around and sending it offshore. Today, it has large office buildings in Saltillo and hangars at the city airport. S.A.-area rancher catches the hearts of American Idol judges, USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days a week, Take a look inside this $3.5 million 'mystery' mansion, New food truck park opens at The CO-OP SA, 10 things to do this weekend in San Antonio. Ashley. Copyright 2023 by KSAT - All rights reserved. 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. By the time federal prosecutors charged Torres and Villarreal, Bexar County prosecutors finally had started moving their civil lawsuit forward. When one defendant was brought to court in San Antonio, a former U.S. congressman showed up to support him. Prior to today, authorities seized approximately 21 kilograms of cocaine, 100 kilograms of methamphetamine, a firearm and approximately $124,000 along with other assets attributable to this organization. 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. Jose De Jesus Garcia, age 35 of San Antonio; 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. And, San Diego Pride Kicks off today. DEA officials said the pills were smaller than a dime and that even a tiny dose of the drug could be fatal. He's facing a federal charge of possession with an intent to distribute over 500 grams of a controlled substance, according to Salazar. Frank Anthony Hernandez aka Pancho, 36, of San Antonio; Instructions. In February, Villarreal slipped across one of the international bridges in El Paso and turned himself in to federal agents. On Wednesday, a joint task force including the DEA along with the sheriff's office arrested 41-year-old Francisco Ortiz. Here's What's Up in San Diego County for July 9, 2022. Lastiri was sentenced to a total of 100 months in federal prison. In 2008, Humberto Moreira named Gonzlez Trevio the state of Coahuila's spokesman in San Antonio, but it's unclear what duties he performed. Official websites use .govA .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. They say those millions were looted from the Coahuila government and flooded Texas starting in 2007, during the term of former Gov. In interviews after his son's killing, Moreira placed blame on narcoempresarios, businessmen with ties to the cartels who allowed the gangs to act with impunity. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The now-disbarred attorney admitted stealing millions of dollars from the family firm and clients, saying he needed the money to fund his drug habit. Rosalinda Flores, 54, of San Antonio; (Robert McLeroy/Staff). ROBERT MCLEROY, STAFF / SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, S.A.-area rancher catches the hearts of American Idol judges, USAA wants some remote employees in the office three days a week, Take a look inside this $3.5 million 'mystery' mansion, New food truck park opens at The CO-OP SA, 10 things to do this weekend in San Antonio. He did say this is part of a larger drug operation and the investigation is on-going. Murdaugh faced the judge in the Colleton County courtroom on the circuit where his father, grandfather and great-grandfather tried cases as the elected prosecutor for more than 80 years. Frank Zepeda aka Pancho, 51, of San Antonio DRUG BUSTThe Castle Hills Police Department confiscated 6.5 grams of Fentanyl and over four grams of Heroin during a traffic stop overnight. Rodger Hernandez aka Rocky, 43, of San Antonio Guillermo has been with the Express-News for 20 years, and has covered federal court and its investigative agencies for most of that time. During this investigation, authorities have seized approximately 25 kilograms of cocaine, 35 firearms, two silencers, a grenade, body armor and approximately $265,000 in U.S. Currency along with other assets attributable to this organization. The truth is he brought shame upon himself, his family, the community, his profession, Kinsinger said. Brian Victorino Chavarria, age 24 of San Antonio; Last year, Raul Gonzlez Trevio bought a one-acre piece of commercial property on U.S. 281 near TPC Parkway. 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. 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.. Authorities call it the largest fentanyl seizure in Bexar County. Also on the list were Villarreal, the former treasurer; Torres, the former interim governor; and Flores, the businessman who pleaded guilty in Corpus Christi. 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: The head of south central Texas DEA shares new insight on the. 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. A network of politicians and businessmen from the Mexican state of Coahuila relocated to San Antonio over the past seven years, and prosecutors say a corrupt group among them invested millions of dollars in illegal kickbacks here from drug traffickers and state contractors. 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. Despite the tony digs, the raid looked like any other drug case. 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. 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. SAN ANTONIO A massive drug bust took place at a northwest side hotel where 75,000 fentanyl pills were seized, the Bexar County Sherriff's Office said. ) or https:// means youve safely connected to the .gov website. The U.S. After six weeks of trial, they came away more convinced he did not do this. This arrest operation also resulted in firearms, currency, and a large amount of methamphetamine being seized from these individuals. 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. The indictment alleges that defendants Arteaga, Rodriguez, Brown, Chavarria, Oscar Oviedo, Joseph Guerrero, Vasquez, Martinez, Justin Guerrero, Gonzalez, Robles, Moreno, Palafos, Barron, Lopez, Jose Garcia, Alvarado, Bartlett, and Albelardo Oviedo conspired from June 2019 until April 7, 2021, to distribute methamphetamine. The DEA said her father may have used her as a decoy. 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. And that is why we want to ask questions as far as their involvement or knowledge.. Deputies and Drug Enforcement Administration agents discovered the lab Thursday night after the arrest of 39-year-old Jose . Zoos in the past were judged by who had the most animals, San Antonio Zoo chief Tim Morrow says. According to police, during a traffic stop, officers found a loaded syringe containing heroin inside of a vehicle. 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.