A 29-count indictment was unsealed on May 22 following the arrest of nine individuals in Houston for their alleged involvement in a drug trafficking operation. The group reportedly used a taco truck and the U.S. mail to distribute illegal narcotics.
The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston and the Houston Police Department, with support from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice – Office of the Inspector General.
Those arrested include James Michael Brewer, Jonathan Alvarado, Alexis Delgado, Hector Luis Lopez, Kylie Rae Alvarado, Ruby Mata, Victor Norris Ellison, Mexi Dyan Garcia, and Jesus Gomez-Rodriguez. They appeared in court on May 22 when the indictment was revealed.
Enzo Xavier Dominguez, William Alexander Lazo, and Alfredo Gomez have also been charged. They are currently detained and expected to appear in court soon.
Three other suspects remain at large: Jose Francisco Garcia-Martinez from Mexico; Marcos Rene Simaj-Guch from Guatemala; and Jose Eduardo Morales.
ICE HSI Houston Special Agent Chad Plantz commented on the case: “For years, the transnational criminal organization allegedly operated by these gang members has brazenly flooded our local communities with deadly narcotics.” He emphasized collaboration with local law enforcement to dismantle this operation.
Matthew R. Galeotti from the Justice Department's Criminal Division stated that "this drug trafficking organization imported methamphetamine directly from Mexico" using various methods including a taco truck. Some defendants are also accused of firearms offenses despite previous felony convictions.
The indictment alleges that those involved were part of an organization distributing methamphetamine along with other drugs such as cocaine and heroin. In June 2023 authorities seized 29 kilograms of methamphetamine being transported into the U.S., according to charges filed.
Most defendants face potential life sentences if convicted; Simaj-Guch could receive up to 40 years. Additional firearms charges against some defendants could add up to another 15 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco Rodriguez is prosecuting alongside Trial Attorneys Ralph Paradiso and Amanda Kotula from the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process.
