Odessa La Familia MC Members Jailed in Cocaine Ring

Eight members of the Odessa La Familia Motorcycle Club have been slammed with federal prison time after being convicted in a sprawling cocaine distribution conspiracy that pumped multi-kilogram quantities of the drug through the Permian Basin between August 2014 and May 2016. The sentences, handed down in Midland by U.S. District Judge Robert A. Junell, mark the end of a years-long investigation led by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force and underscore the violent reach of outlaw biker gangs in West Texas.

Ruben Rodriguez, Jr., 31, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and slapped with a $10,000 fine. His co-defendant, 23-year-old Nicholas Dominguez Rodriguez, received 120 months behind bars. Both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, admitting their roles in a tightly organized drug network that used their club status to shield illegal operations from law enforcement scrutiny.

Other sentencing totals include Paul Reyes Rodriguez, 36, who got 188 months—the longest term in the case. Patrick Amalio Carrillo, 27, and Roy Christopher Rodriguez, 28, each received 120 months and were fined $5,000 apiece. Arturo Brandon Campos, 24, was sentenced to 57 months and a $5,000 fine, while Renato Souza Paz, 32, got 60 months. Ryan Frausto, 30, was hit with 33 months and a $5,000 fine. All eight will face five years of supervised release upon exiting prison.

The takedown wasn’t just about prison time—authorities seized the gang’s dirty profits. The forfeiture order included an Odessa residence at the 1600 block of Sam Houston Avenue, three motorcycles, two vehicles, and approximately $195,000 in cash—all tied directly to the drug scheme. Investigators described the operation as a sophisticated trafficking ring that leveraged the club’s structure to move cocaine across the region with impunity.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division, said the convictions reflect relentless coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement. ‘The convictions and sentences of these La Familia Motorcycle Club members demonstrates the continued cooperation between the FBI and our federal, state and local partners to protect the citizens in the Midland/Odessa area,’ Lindquist stated, emphasizing the threat such gangs pose to public safety.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, which includes the Midland County Sheriff’s Office, Texas DPS, Odessa Police, Midland Police, and Ector County Sheriff’s Office. DEA, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and ATF agents provided critical support. Assistant U.S. Attorney V. LaTawn Warsaw prosecuted the case for the government, closing a dark chapter in the Permian Basin’s underground drug economy.