Abraham Barajas-Alcantar, a 31-year-old Mexican citizen illegally living in Mission, Texas, is staring down federal prison after being indicted on charges of money laundering conspiracy and illegal possession of firearms. A federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment, marking the latest blow in a multi-year probe into how drug traffickers move dirty cash across borders.
Barajas-Alcantar was first arrested April 30, 2019, via criminal complaint and has remained in custody since. Now, he’ll face formal charges before a U.S. magistrate judge in Corpus Christi in the coming days. The indictment alleges he conspired to transport, transmit, and transfer drug trafficking proceeds from May 28, 2014, to November 1, 2017 — a nearly four-year window of underground financial operations tied to narcotics.
According to court documents, Barajas-Alcantar didn’t just stash cash — he laundered it through high-value purchases. He allegedly used drug money to buy aircraft, aircraft engines, and parts, shipping them to his business in McAllen. From there, the goods were rerouted to buyers in Mexico — a textbook trade-based money laundering scheme designed to mask illicit profits as legitimate commerce.
The operation didn’t stop there. Prosecutors say bulk cash — the lifeblood of the drug trade — was funneled to Barajas-Alcantar through a network of bank accounts he controlled or had access to. These so-called ‘funnel accounts’ allowed him to blend illegal earnings with seemingly normal financial transactions, further obscuring the origin of the funds.
The second count hits harder: as an alien illegally in the United States, Barajas-Alcantar is accused of knowingly possessing six firearms that had previously traveled in interstate or foreign commerce. Federal law bars undocumented individuals from owning guns — a violation that carries serious time behind bars.
If convicted, Barajas-Alcantar faces up to 20 years in prison for the money laundering conspiracy and another 20 years for the firearms offense — each with a potential $250,000 fine. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Cusick. An indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Drug Trafficking|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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