U.S. hits Gulf Cartel
More than a dozen arrests in the Valley
Twelve Rio Grande Valley residents are behind bars following a federal operation that netted 175 arrests in two days of alleged Gulf Cartel members and associates, federal officials announced Wednesday.
The arrests are part of 507 people taken into custody during the Drug Enforcement Agency's Project Reckoning, a 15-month investigation into the Gulf Cartel's drug trafficking and distribution network, U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey said.
The suspects taken into custody face multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, according to court documents.
The three alleged leaders of the Gulf Cartel, Ezequiel Cardenas-Guillen, Heriberto Lazcano-Lazcano, and Jorge Eduardo Costilla-Sanchez also were indicted as part the operation that officials say moved tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana from Colombia, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico to the United States.
The operation, which was a joint effort between international, federal, state and local law enforcement officials, has resulted in the seizure of $60.1 million dollars, more than 16,000 kilos of cocaine, 51,258 pounds of marijuana, 19 pounds of heroin, 1,039 pounds of methamphetamine, vehicles and weapons.
Several of the suspects will be arraigned at 9:30 a.m. today in the U.S. District Court in McAllen before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos.
Attorney Eric S. Jarvis of McAllen, who represents Raymundo Edgar Gonzalez, said Wednesday that he did not have enough information to assess the government's case against his client.
"Until we look at the file, we can actually see the quality of their evidence," Jarvis said.
Attorney Terry Canales of Edinburg declined to comment on the allegations against his client Sergio Ivan Olivarez-Flores.
The Valley and Mexico suspects were named in indictments and complaints returned and filed in the Houston and McAllen divisions of the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas.
U.S. Attorney Don DeGabrielle of the Southern District of Texas said that, "more arrests are expected."
Individuals indicted in other cases also were charged with drug trafficking, attempted murder, solicitation and conspiracy to kill and kidnap, racketeering, and money laundering.
The Valley suspects include:
Luis Ariel Rivera-Rodriguez, 35, of McAllen
Mario Alberto Mascorro aka "Mavito," 33, of McAllen
Clarissa Lizbeth Gonzalez, 24, of Roma
Jose Carlos Hinojosa aka "Sobrino," 31, of Roma
Juan Francisco Ayala, 36, of Brownsville
Felix Garcia, 39, of Brownsville
Mario Gomez, 45, of Edinburg
Jaime Herrera, 33, of Edinburg
Roberto Eden Moreno, 27, of Mission
San Juanita M. Garcia, 55, of Garciasville
Ricardo Soto, 36, of Escobares
Tarsila Villarreal Vidal, 37, of Salenino
Mexico and Tamaulipas residents that are also under arrest include:
Raymundo Edgar Gonzalez aka "Marrano/Globo," 37
Sergio Ivan Olivarez-Flores aka "Loba," 24
Juan Montelong-Garcia aka Ivan Villarreal, 31
Onesimo Cruz, 38
Olegario Flores Garcia, 42
Jose Luis Del Toro Estrada, 37
