Fifteen Arrested on Federal Conspiracy Charge in Austin-Based Heroin Distribution Operation

Federal, state, and local law enforcement have arrested 15 individuals, including ringleader 64-year-old Amado Pardo, in connection with an Austin-based heroin distribution operation. A complete list of those arrested is at the end of this release.

That joint announcement was made this morning by United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Javier Pena, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo, Travis County Sheriff Greg Hamilton, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw and Inspector General of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Bruce Toney.

All 15 defendants are charged by a federal grand jury indictment, returned on Tuesday and unsealed today, with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin. According to the indictment, the defendants conspired since May 2011 to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin. Upon conviction, each defendant faces between 10 years and life in federal prison. The indictment also seeks the criminal forfeiture of the interests of Amado Pardo, and his wife Amanda, in four Austin properties allegedly used to facilitate the drug distribution operation, namely, 404 and 406 Milton Street, as well as 1615 and 1619 South First Street.

Upon conviction of the drug conspiracy count, the defendants face between 10 years and life in federal prison. All of the defendants remain in federal custody at this time.

This investigation was conducted by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Austin Police Department, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Office of the Inspector General. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dan Guess.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Indicted/Arrested Defendants:

Name Age Residence

Amado Pardo 64 Austin, Texas

Jorge Carrillo

 44

 Lockhart, Texas

Jose Pardo

 68 Austin, Texas

Amanda Pardo 45 Austin, Texas

Tatiana Huang

 25 Austin, Texas

Michael Martinez

 66 Austin, Texas

Alfedo Alvarez

 62 Austin, Texas

David Sosa

 32 Austin, Texas

Lucy Estrada

 62 Austin, Texas

Dionicio Sanchez

 32 Austin, Texas

Chris Mier

 32 Austin, Texas

Terry Ayers

 65 Austin, Texas

Kilpatrick Williams

 46 Austin, Texas

Leah Day

 24 Austin, Texas

Jeffrey Finn

 45 Shenandoah, Texas

Anchorage Man Indicted for Kidnapping and Killing Samantha Koenig

ANCHORAGE—United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today, April 18, 2012, that a federal grand jury returned an indictment against Israel Keyes on charges that he kidnapped and killed 18-year-old Samantha Koenig.

The indictment charges Keyes with three counts: (1) kidnapping resulting in the death of Samantha Koenig, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1201(a)(1); (2) receiving and possessing ransom money in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1202(a); and (3) access device fraud, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 1029(a)(5).

The indictment alleges that Israel Keyes, age 34, abducted Samantha Koenig from the Common Grounds coffee stand on Tudor Road on February 1, 2012 and took her against her will to his white pickup truck that was parked across the street. The allegations continue that he confined her and intentionally killed her early the next morning.

The indictment also alleges that Keyes stole a debit card from a vehicle shared by Ms. Koenig that was parked near her residence and that he further obtained the PIN for that card from Samantha Koenig. Keyes also sent text messages from Samantha’s cell phone to conceal her abduction. According to the indictment, Keyes then left Alaska and boarded a flight to Texas.

The indictment further alleges that on February 24, Keyes sent a text message using Samantha’s cell phone for the purpose of demanding that ransom money be placed into the bank account connected to the stolen debit card. With the help of the reward money generously contributed by members of this community, Samantha’s family deposited money into this account, and the indictment charges that Keyes used the stolen debit card to withdraw this ransom money from ATMs in Alaska, and then in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. Law enforcement was able to track these withdrawals.

The crime of kidnapping and killing Samantha Koenig charged in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or death. The United States anticipates that Israel Keyes will be arraigned in federal court on these charges tomorrow.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The charges today are the result of the dedicated work and cooperation of the Anchorage Police Department, the FBI, the Texas Rangers and State Police, the Lufkin Texas Police Department, the Anchorage District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office.

Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Member Sentenced for Role in 2009 Jefferson County Shooting

BEAUMONT, Texas — A member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) was sentenced today his role in the 2009 shooting of a man in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Joshua Mark Bodine, aka “Desperado,” 32, of Vidor, Texas, pleaded guilty on Oct. 11, 2011, to assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering activity and was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

Co–defendant John Oliver Manning, aka “Fish,” 52, of Pasadena, Texas, was convicted on Dec. 1, 2011, of racketeering and firearms charges.

According to the indictment, the ABT is a race–based, state–wide organization that operates inside and outside of state and federal prisons throughout the United States. The ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system. It modeled itself after and adopted many of the teachings and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California–based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s. According to the indictment, the ABT was primarily concerned with the protection of white inmates and white supremacy/separatism. Over time, the ABT expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.

The evidence presented at trial also showed that the ABT enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault, robbery and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise. Members, and oftentimes associates, are required to follow the orders of higher–ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”

The evidence at Manning’s trial established that on Sept. 7, 2009, Manning shot and wounded ABT associate Matthew Fails in Nederland, Texas, on the orders of Bodine. Specifically, Manning approached Fails with a firearm and a pair of handcuffs in an attempt to collect a debt on Bodine’s behalf, and ultimately shot Fails. Fails was declared brain–dead, but later regained consciousness after emergency surgery. A surgeon testified that the wound Fails received caused “agonizing pain” and that Fails “would not ever be the same.”

Bodine has been in custody since his arrest on Feb. 24, 2011, and Manning has been in custody since his arrest on Sept. 9, 2009. A sentencing date for Manning has not yet been set by the court.

The case was investigated by the ATF; the Nederland Police Department; Orange County, Texas, Constable’s Office, Precinct 2; Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; Williamson County Sheriff’s Office; Chambers County Sheriff’s Office; Alvin, Texas, Police Department; Mont Belvieu, Texas, Police Department; and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Baylor Wortham of the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Cody L. Skipper of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

Raza Unida Gang Leader Gets 30 Years for Racketeering

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Raza Unida Gang Leader Karlos Bouchot, 35, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced Bouchot today as well as Jose Manuel Ledezma, 24, of Brownsville, Texas, and Valerie Botello, 28, of Corpus Christi. Bouchot pleaded guilty in April to two counts in an indictment in which he and 13 other members or associates of the Raza Unida gang were charged with violent crimes in aid of racketeering (VICAR), conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and various federal firearm violations. The VICAR indictment alleged three violent crimes committed in Corpus Christi by Raza Unida gang members, including a home invasion in which a man was shot and two other shootings at Corpus Christi nightclubs. Bouchot pleaded guilty to a VICAR count which alleged he and other Raza Unida members conspired to kill another gang member, known as “Casper,” for stealing Raza Unida drug money. Bouchot was an inmate in the Texas prison system at the time of the offenses and contributed to the conspiracies by use of an illegal cell phone.

Ledezma, described as an associate of Raza Unida, attempted to broker a deal involving more than five pounds of methamphetamine will be serving 324 months in prison. Botello, determined to be a minimal participant in the methamphetamine conspiracy, received a 17-month prison term.

Three other known gang members are set for sentencing tomorrow – Michael Ornelas, 31, of Corpus Christi; Israel Plazola, 26, Mexican Citizen and resident of Lytle, Texas; and Preston Moscorro, 30, formerly of Aransas Pass, Texas.

The charges are the result of an ongoing investigation dubbed Operation Prison Cell being conducted jointly by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and officers of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General and the Corpus Christi Police Department Gang and Organized Crime Units.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Patterson and Michael Hess