Federal and local authorities have charged 41 persons based on 50 indictments for drug trafficking and associated crimes in a widespread drug trafficking case that centers on Houston and Galveston.
Authorities said the charges were for members of the Mexico-based Jalisco New Generation Cartel, and the charges alleged trafficking of cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and meth in the Houston and Galveston areas.
Alamdar S. Hamdani, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas, joined members of the Houston Police Department, the Galveston Police Department and other agencies to announce the widespread arrests on Monday, April 1, 2024.
According to the Houston Chronicle, charging documents named Roque Zamudio-Mendoza, 52, an alleged cartel leader, as the “main source of drugs” smuggled into this country via the U.S. border with Mexico.
The drug-selling operation, which was reportedly overseen by Zamudio-Mendoza, spanned an area from Houston and Galveston to New Orleans, Nashville, Colorado, Washington state and Chicago, among other places.
So far, authorities say they have arrested 20 persons who were charged with trafficking drugs, and those persons joined 3 others who were already in custody. Zamudio-Mendoza is believed to be in Mexico, and at least 15 others who were charged with the drug crimes remain at large.
Some of those charged and arrested have already made appearances in court, according to federal documents. Others are appearing in court in Galveston and in Houston this week.
Every person charged in the investigation is accused of conspiracy to possess and intent to distribute cocaine, fentanyl, heroin and meth. If convicted of such crimes, they can face up to life in prison. They will also face counts of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Difference between drug distribution and drug trafficking
If you face a drug crime charge, it’s important to understand the difference between drug distribution and drug trafficking.
Drug investigation lasted 63 months
Federal authorities said an investigation called “Operation Rainmaker,” which lasted for 63 months, or more than 5 years, yielded the seizure of:
- 550 kilograms of meth
- 34 kilograms of heroin
- 249 kilograms of cocaine
- 22,600 fentanyl-laced pills.
All of that would have been worth about $10 million if it had been sold.
Authorities said 9 firearms, several Rolex watches and U.S. currency amounting to about $190,000 were also seized during a traffic stop in Porter, Texas, an unincorporated community that is north of Kingwood in the Houston area and lies in Montgomery County.
Authorities praise team’s efforts
“From the barrios of Jalisco, in Michoacán, Mexico, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel casts a dark shadow that extends far beyond borders of a single nation into the streets and communities of places like Houston and beyond,” U.S. Attorney Hamdani said.
He called the cartel “one of the most powerful and dangerous criminal organizations in Mexico, characterized by a business model of extreme violence and trafficking in the most deadly of substances.”
Houston’s police chief praised the investigative team. It included Houston and Galveston police as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces’ sweeping investigation into the drug trafficking ring.
“I, like everyone else, am extremely proud of our partnership—state, local, federal—all of our partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District,” HPD Chief Troy Finner said. “A lot of work goes on behind the scenes, and I just want to thank everyone.”
Houston defense attorney Neal Davis discusses Texas drug charges & laws
Drug trafficking dominates federal sentences
As recently as 2021, drug trafficking offenses alone comprised 31.3%, or almost a third, of all federal crimes that led to sentencing. That made drug crimes the most common type of federal crime that resulted in sentencing.
In part, such statistics owe to widespread “sting” operations, such as the one that led to 41 charges in Houston and Galveston this week.
The most common illegal drug among the federal system’s cases has been methamphetamine, or meth. It’s been involved in almost half of all drug convictions leading to federal sentencing in recent years.
Meth trafficking has also been the most severely punished federal drug crime. Under federal law, persons who have been convicted of possessing any amount that is above 5 grams of meth face a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum prison sentence of 40 years.
The average sentence for methamphetamine trafficking recently has been 90 months, or 7½ years.
Mandatory minimum punishments for federal drug crimes
Learn about the mandatory minimum penalties for drug crimes under federal law.
Defenses against federal drug charges
If you or a family member faces a claim, accusation, allegation or charge of illegal drug trafficking or some other federal drug offense, you must engage an experienced drug crime defense lawyer to stand up for your rights with defenses against federal drug charges.
Such defenses can include establishing that evidence was obtained via an unlawful search and seizure. If law officers lacked a search warrant, they must have had probable cause to search someone or their property. If not, then anything they found would not be admissible as evidence in court.
A drug crime defense attorney may also be able to establish that there was unlawful entrapment by federal agents. Such an entrapment means the defendant was induced to break a federal drug law—which they otherwise would not have done—by government agents.
A knowledgeable drug crime defense lawyer could also establish that there was faulty evidence delivered by paid informants, or “snitches.” The federal government often pays such people in order to pin a crime on someone, but snitches and informants can be unreliable and may manufacture “evidence” simply in order to be paid.
You also may be able to challenge the testing of drugs claimed to be yours in a crime lab, since such drug tests often tend to be inaccurate, either due to faulty equipment or poorly trained personnel administering them.
Or, your drug crime defense lawyer may be able to establish that the drugs in question belonged to someone else who perhaps had access to your vehicle or home.
By these and other means, a drug charge can be contested, provided that you have the right attorney.
Get a skilled Houston drug possession defense attorney
Persons in the Houston area who face a federal or state charge for illegal drugs can contact us today at the award-winning Neal Davis Law Firm and arrange a confidential consultation for your case.
Whether the charge is for drug possession, drug trafficking, drug distribution, drug manufacturing or drug conspiracy, our drug crime defense lawyers have the skill and experience you may need to fight for your legal rights and your freedom.
Contact us today, and let’s get started.
