Assaults on federal agents and 55 aliens locked in a produce trailer among 505 cases recently filed in SDTX’s continuing border security efforts

HOUSTON - Between Sept. 19-25, a total of 511 individuals have been charged in immigration and related matters as part of ongoing enforcement actions along the South Texas border, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Among those are 180 people charged with illegally reentering the country. The majority have prior felony convictions for narcotics, violent crime, sexual offenses, prior immigration crimes and more. A total of 304 people are charged with illegal entry, while 16 others are alleged to have engaged in human smuggling. Other relevant cases include five individuals charged with other immigration-related matters, illegal fishing and assaults of officers.

Two of those are Mexican nationals Juan Carmen Padron Mendez and Juan Carlos Padron Barron for allegedly strangling a Border Patrol agent while en route to a Houston-area detention facility. Court documents allege Mendez wrapped his arm around the agent's neck as Barron grabbed their belongings and fled on foot before authorities apprehended both men. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in federal prison.

Another assault of on officer allegedly occurred Sept. 23. The criminal complaint alleges an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer encountered Sindi Moreno-Flores and attempted to place her under arrest. She allegedly resisted and began scratching him and swinging her arm in order to strike him. The charges allege she was eventually placed into custody following a continued struggle that included a family member. The officer allegedly sustained deep scratches on his arm and hands.

"The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for those who assault law enforcement," said Ganjei. "Let it be known: if you lay a hand on an officer, deputy, or federal agent, SDTX will do whatever it can to put you in federal prison for as long as the law will allow. You've been warned."

Also charged this week are Brandon Lajohn Hargrove, Houston, and Jose Luis Castellanos-Hercules, an illegal alien from Honduras. They allegedly transported 55 illegal aliens in a hidden compartment in a produce trailer near San Ygnacio. According to the complaint, multiple heavy pallets blocked the access door and prevented them from being able to leave on their own. Once authorities discovered them, the aliens had to crawl through a small door to get out from behind the false wall. If convicted, Hargrove and Castellanos-Hercules could receive up to 10 years in federal prison. Several of the illegal aliens in the truck are also facing charges of illegal entry or reentry.

Others facing new criminal charges are four men discovered in the Rio Grande Valley. The complaints allege they attempted to unlawfully reenter the country within six months of their most recent removals. Mexican nationals Vicente Trejo-Rodriguez, David Flores-Garcia and Romeo Enrique Perez-Santacruz were previously removed March 14, Aug. 15 and Sept. 10, respectively, while Honduran national Enil Omar Guillen-Santos was removed May 10, according to the charges. Each allegedly has prior felony convictions, including identity theft, drug manufacturing and distribution, tampering with government records or possessing counterfeit permits.

Authorities also found two other Mexican nationals who had been previously removed in the McAllen area, according to the criminal complaints. Charges allege Leonardo Chavez-Sifuentes and Leobardo Perez-Fernandez have both been sentenced previously for illegal reentry crimes.

All six men face up to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted.

In addition to the new cases, Erik Villegas Cusi, a resident of Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico, admitted he conspired with others in Mexico to smuggle fentanyl and cocaine during a family trip. Authorities discovered the drugs hidden in an aftermarket compartment in the undercarriage of his vehicle as he crossed the Internation Bridge No. 2 with his wife and minor son. He faces up to life in prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine.

These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.

The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.

An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.