A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for violating drug trafficking laws in the Eastern District of Texas.
Alexis Villatoro, 26, pleaded guilty on January 12, 2021, to conspiracy to commit money laundering and was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield.
“Drugs and money laundering go hand-in-hand,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “Seizing the proceeds of drug trafficking is an important part of our efforts to fight illegal drug activity and our district will continue to pursue these violators with every resource available.”
According to information presented in court, local law enforcement authorities conducted a traffic stop of Villatoro on Interstate-10 in Beaumont on December 10, 2018. During the traffic stop, a police canine positively alerted to the presence of contraband. A subsequent probable cause search was conducted on the vehicle, during which $12,360 in cash was located in the rear hatch area. Further investigation revealed the money was the proceeds of an illegal drug transaction.
Villatoro was indicted by a federal grand jury on October 7, 2020. This effort is part of Operation Guitar Hero, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Beaumont Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
Defendant: Alexis Villatoro
Criminal Charges: Conspiracy to commit money laundering
City and State: Houston, Texas
Crime Date: December 10, 2018
Sentence: 40 months in federal prison
Dollar Amount: $12,360
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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