Two men from the Houston area have been convicted on several charges after a federal jury found them guilty in connection with a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in the shooting of a Katy man. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
After an eight-day trial, the jury deliberated for about two days before reaching its verdict against Michael Seery, 43, of Katy, and Ricardo Obando Jr., 51, of Houston. The prosecution presented evidence that the men had planned the attack over several months and carried it out on February 4, 2025. Obando shot the victim multiple times while he was driving to work. The victim suffered gunshot wounds to his neck, torso, and hand but survived.
“An innocent victim was ambushed by gunfire during his daily commute—all because of one man’s jealousy and faulty information,” said Ganjei. “This verdict demonstrates my office’s commitment to identifying and prosecuting all members of violent criminal conspiracies. No matter your role, if you conspire to commit an act of violence in the Southern District of Texas, we will hold you accountable and seek a significant sentence. All Texans deserve to be able to travel to work without fear of becoming a target of violent criminals.”
“A murder-for-hire plot transformed a Houston highway into an incredibly dangerous situation for morning commuters,” said FBI Houston Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson. “Michael Seery and Ricardo Obando Jr. showed total disregard for human life and put countless innocent bystanders at risk. FBI Houston proudly partnered with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety to identify, locate, and apprehend these men in order to bring them to justice."
According to testimony presented at trial, Seery hired Obando because he believed another man had an affair with Seery’s wife while he was incarcerated. Cell phone records indicated that Obando conducted surveillance on the intended target and attempted an earlier attack before carrying out the shooting.
Obando used a firearm equipped with a silencer when he shot at the victim as he drove along Highway 99. Jurors saw footage from the victim's car camera system showing both the shooting itself and his subsequent call to emergency services.
It later became clear that Seery had targeted the wrong individual; his intended target no longer lived at the address where Seery believed him to reside.
Both Seery’s wife and the actual intended target testified during trial. Testimony revealed that Seery remained upset about an affair that took place more than a decade earlier.
Evidence included photographs of firearms found at Seery’s residence and storage unit as well as images of a 3D printer allegedly used by Seery to manufacture parts for weapons including silencers.
Seery paid Obando through his business for carrying out the crime.
The defense argued there was insufficient evidence linking either defendant directly to both victims or suggesting any relationship among them. They also disputed cell phone data implicating their clients in surveillance activities or planning stages; however, jurors rejected these claims.
Both defendants were convicted on counts including conspiracy to use interstate facilities for murder-for-hire causing bodily injury; aiding and abetting use of interstate facilities for murder-for-hire causing bodily injury; aiding and abetting discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence; aiding and abetting use of a firearm silencer during such crimes; transferring firearms for felonies (for Seery); being a felon in possession (for Seery); and receiving firearms for felonies (for Obando). They each face potential life sentences in federal prison.
The investigation involved collaboration between FBI Houston, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Katy Police Department, with assistance from Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hunter Brown and Jill Stotts are leading prosecution efforts.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under supervision from the Attorney General's office.The office has locations throughout major cities such as Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville.It employs over 200 attorneys covering 43 counties with more than nine million residents.Its main focus is prosecuting federal crimes as well as representing government interests in civil cases.Past leaders include Alamdar Hamdani, who served from 2022–2025.
