Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
Two members of the Tango Blast gang have been sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to transport illegal aliens, as announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Juan Miguel Regalado, 28, and Samuel Grajeda Jr., 21, had pleaded guilty on November 12, 2024.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen sentenced Regalado to 66 months in prison. Grajeda was previously sentenced to a total of 36 months: a 30-month term for his current conviction and an additional six months for violating supervised release from a prior conviction related to alien transporting. Both individuals will serve three years of supervised release after their prison terms.
The investigation began on April 20, 2024, when suspected illegal aliens entered a green Tahoe driven by Regalado in the Mines Road area. Regalado led law enforcement on a high-speed chase during which several individuals exited the vehicle before he drove into the Rio Grande River and swam to Mexico.
In November 2024, authorities observed another group entering a white Ford Taurus near Father McNaboe Park in the same area. The subsequent pursuit involved both Grajeda and Regalado driving separate vehicles that attempted to evade law enforcement. During this incident, Grajeda crashed into another vehicle but continued fleeing until abandoning the Ford Taurus with four illegal aliens inside in north Laredo.
Both men were apprehended nearby and admitted their roles in the conspiracy as part of their guilty pleas.
“With these sentencings, two less gang members are out on the streets, and a human smuggling operation has been dismantled,” said Ganjei. “Securing the border is the Southern District’s top priority, and we’re delivering.”
Grajeda and Regalado remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Border Patrol-Anti-Smuggling Unit and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Lopez prosecuted the case.
