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

CBP Officers at Brownsville Port Arrest Man Wanted on Charges of Sexual Assault of a Child

Brownsville, Texas – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Brownsville port of entry apprehended a man on an arrest warrant for sexual assault of a child from Austin, Texas.

On Wednesday, Jan. 12, a CBP officer’s query on primary at the Gateway International Bridge resulted in a referral of a man identified as Raul Campusano, 46, a United States citizen who resides in Taylorsville, Kentucky, for a secondary examination. A CBP officer’s secondary checks of a national database revealed a possible active warrant for sexual assault of a child for Campusano.

CBP officers confirmed the active warrant for Raul Campusano with pending charges related to a case from the Travis County Sherriff’s Office in the Austin, Texas area for sexual assault of a child. CBP officers arrested Campusano and subsequently turned him over to the custody of a Cameron County sheriff’s deputy. Raul Campusano was transported to the Carrizales/Rucker Detention Center pending extradition.

“Our CBP officer’s primary checks identified Campusano as a wanted person. The apprehension of this fugitive is a direct result of the outstanding vigilance by our frontline officers," said Michael Freeman, CBP port director, Brownsville port of entry.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.