Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
Two Venezuelan nationals, allegedly members of the Tren de Aragua (TdA), have been arrested on federal charges of international drug distribution. The arrests, announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, took place in connection with an indictment filed in the Southern District of Texas.
Jesus Miguel Barreto Lezama, 29, is now in custody following his appearance in federal court in Houston. The second individual, Briley Jesus Ballera Farias, also known as Derek, was apprehended in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 30, where he made his initial court appearance.
The indictment, which was returned by a federal grand jury on January 29, accuses both men of conspiring to import over five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Venezuela and Colombia. In addition, Barreto Lezama is charged with importing nearly five kilograms of cocaine from Colombia to the United States between June 26 and July 3, 2024. If convicted, both men face up to life in federal prison and a maximum fine of $10 million.
The investigation was led by the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), with support from the Colombian National Police. FBI-Houston's Safe Streets Gang Task Force carried out the arrest in Houston, with assistance from the Houston Police Department, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz, alongside Trial Attorney David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan, are prosecuting the case. The action is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect communities from violent crime.
The case also falls under the efforts of the Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV), which was established in 2019 to dismantle MS-13 and has now expanded to target TdA. JTFV includes U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide and various law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and DEA.
It is crucial to note that an indictment is merely a formal accusation, and both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due legal process.
