Jesus Alanis, 8 Others Charged in Cartel Marijuana Trafficking

McALLEN, Texas — A sprawling marijuana trafficking ring funneling drugs for Mexican cartel operatives has been ripped apart by federal prosecutors, with nine defendants now in custody. The operation, which ran from May 2013 to February 2014, moved massive quantities of marijuana from South Texas to Houston under orders from cartel members, according to indictments unsealed following a series of coordinated arrests.

Among those charged: Evelina Bermea, 32, of La Grulla; Wenceslao Ortiz, 62; Maggie L. Montoya, 26; Daniel Herrera, 23; and Luis Hernandez, 24 — all of Rio Grande City; and Joshua Serna, 25, of Roma. All made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Ormsby, who ordered them held pending detention hearings on Dec. 21, 2016. Joselyn Rivera, 24, of Rio Grande City, was arrested in Houston, while Jordan Bermea, 28, of La Grulla, was taken into custody in Galveston. Both are detained ahead of a Dec. 20, 2016 hearing. Jesus Alanis, 25, of Roma, the ninth defendant, was already locked up on unrelated charges.

The indictments, returned under seal on Nov. 8, 2016, charge each defendant with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and varying counts of substantive drug possession. If convicted, they each face a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison. Prosecutors allege the trafficking organization relied on exploited illegal aliens, forcing them to carry backpacks loaded with marijuana across rural South Texas terrain to staging points.

The investigation, dubbed Operation Crash and Burn, targeted the Maria Ortiz drug trafficking organization, which operated under direct coordination with cartel members in Mexico. The first indictments hit cell leaders Rosa Maria Barrera, 50, and Maria Guadalupe Ortiz, 36, both of Roma. They have since pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the multi-agency task force, with critical support from the U.S. Marshals Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Gulf Coast Violent Offender and Fugitive Task Force, Laredo Independent School District Police, and Border Patrol. The operation spanned more than three years, beginning in May 2013, before culminating in last week’s arrests.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Pat Profit and K. Alejandra Andrade are prosecuting the case. An indictment is not evidence of guilt. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.