Faz & Crew Launder Millions for Cartel: Sentenced

McALLEN, Texas – A complex network of money launderers funneling millions of dollars to a Mexican drug cartel has been dismantled, with six individuals receiving federal prison sentences, Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez announced. The operation, dubbed “Operation Emerald Chariots,” exposed a sophisticated scheme to clean illicit profits from the drug trade, stretching from the streets of McAllen to cities like Atlanta and St. Louis.

The ringleader, Roosevelt Faz, 49, of Donna, received the harshest sentence – 140 months in prison – for coordinating the collection of drug proceeds across state lines. Faz admitted to working directly for Javier Reyna, a now-fugitive defendant in the case. Ted Cantu, 48, also of Donna, and Guillermo Trevino, 44, of Weslaco, served as the muscle, driving loads of cash picked up in Atlanta and St. Louis, respectively, at Faz’s direction. Erwin Rolando Contreras-Mata, 27, of Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, acted as a courier, collecting funds from Faz on behalf of Reyna. The crew’s operation stretched back to 2014.

The cash wasn’t simply moving; it was being hidden. Maria Elena Bonilla-Torres, 41, of Puente de Camciclan, Nayarit, Mexico, managed a stash house in McAllen owned by Sandra Haro, 37, of Edinburg, where the drug money was stored before being smuggled across the border into Mexico. Haro, in turn, handled communications between Reyna and the recipient of the funds south of the border. Judge Micaela Alvarez ordered Faz, Trevino and Haro to pay a money forfeiture of $1,825,000, in addition to the $1,028,006 already seized during the investigation. The forfeiture order followed two days of damning testimony and evidence presented in October 2016.

Sentencing wasn’t limited to the key players. Contreras-Mata and Cantu received 46 and 38 months, respectively, and both agreed to forfeit any money seized from them during the investigation. Bonilla-Torres and Contreras-Mata remain in custody. Faz and Haro were taken into custody following yesterday’s hearing, while Trevino and Cantu have been permitted to self-surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The sentences handed down to Haro, Trevino and Bonilla-Torres were 130, 80 and 72 months in prison respectively.

But the investigation isn’t over. Javier Reyna, 44, of Penitas, remains a fugitive, and a warrant is outstanding for his arrest. Authorities are urging anyone with information on Reyna’s whereabouts to contact the DEA in McAllen at 956-992-8400. This case highlights the relentless flow of illicit funds and the dedication of law enforcement to disrupt these criminal networks.

The Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation was a collaborative effort between the DEA, Texas Department of Public Safety, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juan F. Alanis is leading the prosecution. This case serves as a stark reminder of the constant battle against drug trafficking and the financial crimes that fuel it, even in the shadows of the border.