A man from San Benito, Texas, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a $50,000 fine for his involvement in a conspiracy that monopolized the transmigrante forwarding agency industry near the Los Indios border. Roberto Garcia Villarreal pleaded guilty to charges including conspiracy to fix prices, allocate markets, and interfere with commerce by extortion.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks handed down the sentence and ordered Villarreal into custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
According to prosecutors, Villarreal and others used threats and violence to control the transmigrante industry, extorting competitors and manipulating market conditions.
“Roberto Garcia Villarreal chose to join a criminal enterprise that seized control of an industry through threats and violence, rigged prices against legitimate businesses, and laundered its proceeds—and now, he is headed to federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas. “Today’s sentence serves as proof that no participant of this conspiracy will walk away without consequence. Although, the conspiracy may be finished, the Southern District of Texas is just getting started.”
The Southern District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of the Department of Justice and operates under the Attorney General. The office employs over 200 attorneys across several locations—including Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, and Brownsville—covering 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million people (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/about-us). Its responsibilities include prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases on behalf of the government (https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/about-us).
“Antitrust criminals deserve lengthy sentences for the economic — and in this case physical — violence they sow. The Antitrust Division is proud to have worked with our law enforcement colleagues on this long-running investigation that will restore competition and punish violent criminals at the U.S.-Mexico border,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel W. Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “We will continue working to incarcerate antitrust criminals and hold accountable the remaining co-defendants in this scheme.”
“The use of violence and intimidation to threaten and remove competition will not be tolerated,” said Acting Assistant Director Gregory Heeb of the FBI Criminal Division. “Today’s sentencing shows the FBI’s commitment to investigating and holding accountable those responsible for price fixing and extortion schemes.”
“This case highlights the significant danger posed by transnational criminal organizations operating near our borders,” said acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco of Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), San Antonio. “As an accomplice in carrying out a violent operation that targeted small businesses for extortion, manipulated market prices, and concealed millions of dollars in illicit funds—undermining the security and fairness of lawful trade—HSI will relentlessly seek out those who harm legitimate industries through dishonest actions and intimidation. Our dedication to protecting our communities and economic stability remains firm.”
Transmigrantes are individuals or businesses that arrange for used vehicles or goods from the United States to be transported through Mexico for resale in Central America. There are limited crossing points for transmigrantes between the United States and Mexico; one such location is at Los Indios Bridge.
Transmigrante forwarding agencies are U.S.-based businesses providing services such as customs paperwork assistance for clients exporting vehicles into Mexico. Prosecutors say Villarreal participated in fixing prices among these agencies by creating a centralized entity called “the Pool.” This entity collected revenues from conspirators while limiting competition from outside agencies.
Agencies not involved in this arrangement were required to join “the Pool” or pay fees such as a transaction-based “piso.” Members enforced compliance by monitoring pricing practices among forwarding agencies.
Eight other individuals have been convicted so far; seven have already been sentenced—including Carlos Martinez from McAllen who received an 11-year prison term as leader of this group.
Three individuals named Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto remain fugitives after being charged in a superseding indictment.
The investigation was conducted by ICE-HSI alongside FBI agents.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander L. Alum prosecuted alongside Senior Litigation Attorney John Davis; Trial Attorneys Brittany E. McClure, Anne Veldhuis, Michael G. Lepage (Antitrust Division); Trial Attorney Christina Taylor (Criminal Division’s Violent Crime & Racketeering Section).
Authorities encourage anyone with information about this case or related matters to contact relevant tip lines listed on www.justice.gov/atr/report-violations or call 866-347-2423 (HSI), tips.fbi.gov or 210-225-6741 (FBI San Antonio Field Office), or 888-647-3258 (Antitrust Division Complaint Center). Whistleblowers who report original information leading to recoveries over $1 million may qualify for rewards ranging from 15%–30%. Details about whistleblower rewards can be found at https://www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
