Federal authorities in the Southern District of Texas have charged 334 individuals in new cases connected to ongoing border security efforts, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The charges, filed from January 16 to 22 as part of Operation Take Back America, involve immigration violations and related offenses.
Among the new cases are charges against 18 people for alleged human smuggling activities. Authorities filed 104 criminal complaints for illegal entry into the United States, while another 206 individuals face felony reentry charges after previous removal. Most of those charged reportedly have prior felony convictions involving narcotics, violent crimes, or other immigration offenses. Additional cases this week address various immigration crimes and smuggling of goods.
Criminal complaints allege that several individuals attempted to reenter the country illegally within a year after removal. According to court records, Mexican nationals Jorge Samuel Herrera-Elias and Abel Zambrano-Hernandez were removed in October and November of 2025 respectively; Salvadoran national Jasson Eduardo Canas-Membrano was removed in May 2025. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions for offenses such as illegal reentry, injury to a child or elderly person with intended bodily harm, or burglary.
Authorities also found Mexican national Juan Hernandez-Ramirez in Roma, Texas. He was previously removed in August 2023 and reportedly has a conviction for sexual assault of a child.
All four individuals face up to twenty years in federal prison if convicted.
Additionally, two alleged members of drug cartels have been transferred to face federal drug trafficking charges. Juan Pedro Saldivar-Farias (“Z-27”), identified as an alleged Los Zetas leader, and Ricardo Cortez-Mateos (“Billeton”), described as a high-ranking member of Cartel del Gulfo, are accused in separate indictments of participating in large-scale drug trafficking conspiracies along the U.S.–Mexico border. If convicted on these charges they could receive life sentences.
The district also announced that Diego Masiel Torres from Penitas was sentenced to federal prison after he interfered with law enforcement during an operation at a Harlingen worksite by trying to remove someone from custody and placing an officer in a chokehold.
“There is, at present, an unfortunate belief that the public can freely obstruct law enforcement from carrying out their duties, and do so without consequence,” said Ganjei. “If you want to express your disagreement with a particular federal law or policy, there is a right way to do so, and a wrong way — and tangling with the police is one hundred percent always the wrong way. Today, Mr. Torres learned that lesson the hard way.”
Owners Leonardo Baez-Lara and Alicia Avila-Guel of Abby’s Bakery and Dulce’s Cafe in Los Fresnos were sentenced for employing and housing undocumented workers at their restaurant locations. Evidence presented showed employees lived under poor conditions—including sleeping on mattresses with only one exit available—without adequate hot water.
Federal agencies involved included Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Border Patrol (CBP), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives (ATF) along with state/local partners.
Operation Take Back America is designed as a nationwide initiative using Department of Justice resources against illegal immigration activities including cartel operations as well as violent crime near borders.
The Southern District covers over nine million residents across forty-three counties spanning approximately forty-four thousand square miles—making it one of the nation’s busiest U.S. Attorney offices—with divisions located throughout Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi Brownsville McAllen Laredo working alongside law enforcement at multiple levels on such prosecutions.
Ganjei emphasized: “Under current leadership public safety & secure border remain top priorities for this district.” Enhanced enforcement actions have resulted in identifying noncitizens engaged in unlawful activity or possessing serious criminal histories—including human trafficking & violence against children—within both border areas & interior regions.
It should be noted that indictments or complaints represent accusations only; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
