Four gang members have been sentenced for their involvement in an assault at the Rio Grande Detention Center, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Regalado-Solis, a 47-year-old Mexican national, along with Ruben Salazar, 52; Javier Contreras, 48; and Jesus Guadalupe Ortega, 31, all from Laredo, pleaded guilty on August 24, 2024. They were charged with conspiracy to commit assault resulting in serious bodily injury. Regalado-Solis also admitted to conspiracy to commit assault with a deadly weapon.
Senior U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison sentenced Regalado-Solis to 144 months in federal prison. Salazar and Contreras each received a sentence of 60 months, while Ortega was given a 72-month sentence. During the hearing, the court reviewed written victim statements and heard testimony from one of the victims detailing extensive injuries and ongoing medical issues caused by the assault. Judge Ellison remarked that it was "the most serious case of prison gang violence I have seen" during his 26 years on the bench and justified maximum sentences due to the severity of injuries and unprovoked nature of the attack.
“Ensuring that criminals refrain from violent conduct while in custody is just as important as ensuring they refrain from violence outside prison walls,” said Ganjei. “Hopefully the defendants in this case are enjoying their time behind bars because they just earned themselves many more years in the federal pen.”
The incident occurred on August 18, 2023, when authorities were processing nine new inmates at the facility. Ortega questioned their gang affiliations and ordered them to line up along a wall after hearing their responses. Other inmates retrieved shoes from their bunks while Regalado-Solis armed himself with a "shank." As lights went off in the unit, Regalado-Solis led an assault against eight new inmates who indicated alternative gang affiliations by kicking, stomping, and making stabbing gestures.
Salazar joined later by striking and kicking those on the ground while Contreras rushed into action similarly attacking several others. Authorities quickly intervened but not before eight victims suffered significant injuries including puncture wounds requiring emergency transport for two individuals to Laredo Medical Center.
One inmate without any claimed gang membership remained unharmed throughout this ordeal.
All involved parties remain detained under custody following these events which were investigated jointly by FBI & US Marshals Service alongside cooperation from The Geo Group under prosecution led by Assistant US Attorneys Homero Ramirez & Andrew P Hakala-Finch
