CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — 4 La Quarenta gang members pleaded responsible Thursday to conspiring to own with intent to distribute meth, heroin and cocaine.
The investigation was carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Safety Investigations in Corpus Christi, Texas; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Customs and Border Safety Air and Marine Operations; and Corpus Christi Police Division’s Gang Unit.
Fernando Martinez, 44, Corpus Christi, pleaded responsible at this time to the conspiracy which spanned from Sept. 6, 2020, to Aug. 26, 2021. Three others – Jayden Wandell Coleman, 18, Carlos Acosta, 38, and Ricky Reyna, 34, all of Corpus Christi – beforehand admitted to the their roles within the conspiracy. All are recognized members of the La Quarenta gang.
The investigation started in September 2020. It revealed the narcotics trafficking group used a Corpus Christi residence on Cortez Avenue to distribute meth, heroin, crack and marijuana. Authorities noticed Reyna, Martinez, Acosta and Coleman getting into and exiting the drug stash home as numerous instances and directing folks to the residence.
Over the course of the investigation, legislation enforcement noticed a excessive quantity of foot site visitors strategy and enter the residence, keep for a couple of minutes after which exit the world. Site visitors stops resulted within the seizure of narcotics they’d obtained from the drug stash home.
Authorities additionally executed search warrants at 4 residences and a storage yard in August 2021. They finally discovered a complete of over 5 kilograms of cocaine, over 4 kilograms of meth, greater than two kilograms of heroin; almost 200 grams of crack and 13 kilograms of marijuana and over 100 thousand {dollars}, digital scales, a drug ledger, and loaded firearms and ammunition.
The investigation additional revealed the 4 males had been in communication with one another concerning the acquisition and sale of assorted narcotics throughout the conspiracy.
U.S. District Choose David S. Morales for will impose sentencing April 20. At the moment, the 4 males face a minimal of 10 years and as much as life in jail in addition to a attainable $10 million most superb.
All 4 will stay in custody pending that listening to.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Marin and John Marck are prosecuting the case.
HSI is a directorate of ICE and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), chargeable for investigating transnational crime and threats, particularly felony organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure via which worldwide commerce, journey, and finance transfer. HSI brokers examine a big selection of transnational crime, together with terrorism; narcotics smuggling; baby exploitation; human smuggling and trafficking; unlawful exports of managed expertise and weapons; cash laundering; monetary fraud and scams; labor exploitation; cybercrime; mental property theft and commerce fraud; identification and profit fraud; and human rights violations and struggle crimes.
