Between September 19 and 25, authorities charged 511 individuals in the Southern District of Texas with immigration and related offenses as part of ongoing border enforcement actions, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Of those charged, 180 people face allegations of illegal reentry into the United States, many with prior felony convictions for crimes such as narcotics violations, violent acts, sexual offenses, and previous immigration crimes. Another 304 individuals are accused of illegal entry, while 16 face human smuggling charges. Additional cases involve five people charged with other immigration-related matters, including illegal fishing and assaults on officers.
Two Mexican nationals, Juan Carmen Padron Mendez and Juan Carlos Padron Barron, have been charged for allegedly strangling a Border Patrol agent during transport to a Houston-area detention facility. Court documents state that Mendez put his arm around the agent’s neck while Barron took their belongings and attempted to flee before both were apprehended. If convicted, they could each receive up to 20 years in federal prison.
Another reported assault occurred on September 23 when Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers tried to arrest Sindi Moreno-Flores. She allegedly resisted arrest by scratching and swinging at an officer before being subdued with assistance from a family member. The officer reportedly sustained deep scratches on his arm and hands.
“The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for those who assault law enforcement,” said Ganjei. “Let it be known: if you lay a hand on an officer, deputy, or federal agent, SDTX will do whatever it can to put you in federal prison for as long as the law will allow. You’ve been warned.”
Brandon Lajohn Hargrove of Houston and Jose Luis Castellanos-Hercules from Honduras are also facing charges after allegedly transporting 55 undocumented immigrants in a concealed compartment within a produce trailer near San Ygnacio. Authorities say heavy pallets blocked the exit door, preventing those inside from leaving until discovered by officials; the migrants had to crawl through a small door behind a false wall to escape. If convicted, Hargrove and Castellanos-Hercules could receive up to ten years in prison.
Four men found in the Rio Grande Valley are accused of attempting unlawful reentry within six months of their most recent removals from the United States. Three Mexican nationals—Vicente Trejo-Rodriguez (removed March 14), David Flores-Garcia (August 15), Romeo Enrique Perez-Santacruz (September 10)—and Honduran national Enil Omar Guillen-Santos (May 10) all have prior felony convictions including identity theft and drug offenses.
In McAllen, two more Mexican nationals previously removed—Leonardo Chavez-Sifuentes and Leobardo Perez-Fernandez—are now facing new charges related to illegal reentry crimes. All six men could be sentenced up to twenty years if convicted.
Additionally, Erik Villegas Cusi from Queretaro admitted conspiring with others in Mexico to smuggle fentanyl and cocaine during a family trip across International Bridge No. 2; drugs were found hidden under his vehicle’s undercarriage as he crossed with his wife and son. He faces possible life imprisonment and up to $1 million in fines.
These cases resulted from collaboration among several federal agencies including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF), along with state and local partners.
The prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protecting communities from violent crime by leveraging resources from programs like Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The Southern District of Texas covers over nine million residents across forty-three counties spanning approximately forty-four thousand square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys work throughout seven divisions—Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, Laredo—in cooperation with law enforcement at all levels.
An indictment or criminal complaint is only an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
