On October 11, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas announced that 25 members of the feared Texas Mexican Mafia prison gang were indicted for trafficking heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine.  They are also charged with firearms violations and the distribution of explosive materials.  

One of the charged defendants is Michael Mares who is also an Onalaska Police officer.  He was found to have provided firearms to convicted felons on numerous occasions.  

The following defendants were taken into custody around the Houston area: Robert Arechiga, Alexander Garcia, Adam Guzman, George Maldonado, Jorge Montemayor, Juan Sarmientos, Tony Valdez, and Michael Villarreal.  Ruben Esparza was arrested in the Corpus Chrisi area.  Jose Cerda and Michael A. Villarreal were arrested around the San Antonio area, and Francisco Galvan was arrested on the Texas-Mexico border.  

Carlos Romero, Gilbert Gonzalez, and Enrique Bravo are fugitives in the case and are considered dangerous.  If you have information about the fugitives, you need to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.  

The remaining defendants have been taken into custody.  They are Juan Deluna, Johnny Reyes, Ricardo Sanchez, Valentin Ayala-Guiterrez, Ernesto Villarreal, Eric Gomez, Armando Villarreal, III, Rene Gonzalez, and Alvin Valadaz.  

According to the indictment, the defendants conspired from 2008 to October of 2012 in order to obtain and distribute the illegal drugs around Texas.  Some of the members are believed to have illegally sold assault rifles, numerous other types of guns, and a detonation cord.  The arrests were made after an investigation that lasted four years.  

All of the defendants face a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison and a $10 million fine.  All of the other counts carry equal or lesser possible sentences.  

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tim S. Braley and Mark Donnelly.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation