A Midland man has been sentenced to over seven years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso.
Manuel Trevino Padilla, 43, identified as a documented member of the Tango Blast gang and a U.S. citizen, was arrested on August 19, 2025. The arrest took place during a joint narcotics operation led by HSI Midland and the Midland County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities executed a state narcotics search warrant at Padilla’s home. According to officials, Padilla tried to escape but was detained quickly. Officers found two loaded firearms—a semiautomatic handgun and a revolver—during the search.
“Taking repeat offenders and illegal firearms off our streets is essential to keeping Midland safe,” said HSI El Paso acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho. “This case shows what’s possible when law enforcement agencies work together to disrupt criminal activity at its source.”
Padilla faced charges under a one-count federal indictment issued on August 27, 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 16 of that year. On January 20, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge David Counts sentenced him to 87 months in federal prison with an additional three years of supervised release.
Records show Padilla had prior felony convictions in Texas for possession of a controlled substance and previous federal convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. His past sentences have totaled more than sixteen years of confinement.
The investigation involved HSI Midland, the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigative Division, the Midland County Sheriff’s Office, and support from the Homeland Security Task Force. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.
Further details are available on Justice.gov.
