ENNIS, TX – Jose Cardenas Aguirre, 25, of Dallas, will spend the next 27 years of his life behind bars after receiving a 324-month federal prison sentence yesterday. U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle handed down the punishment following Aguirre’s guilty plea in October 2016 to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. The case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl, details a brutal and escalating series of crimes rooted in a paltry $800 drug debt.
The botched kidnapping attempt, which took place on July 12, 2016, quickly spiraled into a violent shootout in Ennis, Texas. According to court documents, Aguirre, along with co-defendants Javier Martinez, 24, and Melissa Trevino, 23, planned to abduct a victim to settle a debt related to cocaine trafficking. The trio, decked out in ballistic vests and black camouflage, weren’t messing around. They prepped for the abduction with supplies purchased from Walmart: rubber gloves, zip ties, and plenty of duct tape.
Things went south fast. The attempt to snatch the victim involved a barrage of gunfire directed at a home in Ennis. When the kidnapping failed, the crew bolted, triggering a high-speed chase with Ennis Police Department officers. The pursuit took a terrifying turn when Javier Martinez opened fire on an officer with an AR-15 style rifle. It wasn’t a brief exchange; Martinez unleashed multiple shots at the pursuing lawman.
The chase ended when their vehicle was disabled, but the flight didn’t. Aguirre, Martinez, and Trevino abandoned the car and fled on foot, sparking an eight-hour manhunt. Aguirre and Trevino were eventually apprehended. Martinez remained on the run for several weeks before finally being taken into custody. Aguirre, a Mexican citizen, will face deportation after completing his sentence.
This wasn’t an isolated incident. Co-defendants Melissa Trevino, Javier Martinez, Maria Guadalupe Bello, 22, and Indolfo Martinez, 47 (Javier’s father), have all pleaded guilty to various charges related to the kidnapping, drug distribution (cocaine and heroin), and firearm offenses. They are currently awaiting sentencing. One suspect, Jonathan Benitez, remains at large and is considered a fugitive. The investigation was a joint effort between the Ennis Police Department and the FBI’s Violent Gang Taskforce.
This case highlights the dangerous intersection of drug debts, violent crime, and the willingness to escalate to extreme measures. Aguirre’s 324-month sentence sends a clear message: those who engage in such brazen and reckless behavior will face the full force of federal law. The Grimy Times will continue to follow the sentencing of the remaining defendants.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime|Drug Trafficking|Organized Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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