Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A series of legal actions in immigration and border security have been announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Between March 21 and March 27, 257 new cases were filed, which include charges against 98 individuals for illegally re-entering the United States. Many of these individuals have prior felony convictions related to narcotics, violent, or sexual crimes, as well as previous immigration violations. Another 132 cases involve illegal entry, 23 cases pertain to human smuggling, and the remainder involve firearms and immigration-related offenses.
Among the charged are two individuals accused of human smuggling. Jose Manuel Zamarripa-Torres is alleged to have picked up Daniel Flores-Hernandez and four illegal aliens after they crossed the Rio Grande, engaging in a vehicle pursuit that ended in a crash. If convicted, both face up to 10 years in federal prison.
In another case, a 20-year-old Mexican national affiliated with the Cartel Del Noreste (CDN) was sentenced for illegal possession of ammunition intended for smuggling to Mexico. The court sentenced Charbel Garza Macias to 63 months in prison.
Also convicted this week is Cuban citizen Jorge Grimon Maturell, who was found guilty by a jury in Corpus Christi for transporting seven illegal aliens in a tractor-trailer. The aliens were concealed in the sleeper area of the vehicle.
Additionally, Jaquon Davis, a longtime smuggler, has been sentenced to 44 months for leading an alien smuggling conspiracy after being apprehended with 12 illegal aliens in his vehicle.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at eliminating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations. Various federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE, Border Patrol, the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service, among others, supported these operations.
The Southern District of Texas (SDTX) emphasizes public safety and border security as top priorities. The SDTX covers 43 counties, serving over nine million people across 44,000 square miles, collaborating with both federal and local agencies to prosecute offenders.
"An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law," clarified the release.
