25 Gang Members Indicted On Federal Charges

HOUSTON, TX -- Federal authorities announced the indictment of 25 members of the south-Texas based Tri-City Bombers criminal gang, on charges of conspiracy involving racketeering, drug distribution, money laundering, robbery and discharge of a firearm resulting in death.

The indictment was returned by a grand jury on March 30, and unsealed April 6, in U.S. District Court, Southern District of Texas, federal prosecutors announced Friday. (Sign up for Patch’s daily newsletter for your neighborhood.)

Authorities said the Tri-City Bombers, or TCB as they are referred to in court documents, is a gang that had beginnings in the 1980s in areas of Pharr, San Juan and Alamo areas of South Texas, near McAllen and Edinburg.

The TCB incorporated a hierarchy over each city whose function it was to ensure members were loyal, and administer punishment to those who violated the gang’s code of conduct.

The conspiracy charges also include murder, attempted murder, drug trafficking, firearms crimes, money laundering and other crimes in furtherance of the organization’s enterprise.

Federal authorities said the TCB members supplied money into the gang though illegal activities, such as drug trafficking, home invasion robberies and money laundering.

Prosecutors said that between January 2009, and March of this year, TCB gang members were actively engaged in racketeering activities that included murder, attempted murder, robbery and drug trafficking, and many of those same members were engaged in the transport and sale of cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and heroin from their bases in South Texas, to Atlanta, Georgia, Ft. Wayne, Indiana, St. Louis, Missouri, and other cities in the U.S.

The indictment also alleges that TCB members participated in a home invasion for the purpose of stealing drugs, which resulted in the shooting death of the the homeowner.

The 19 defendants charged for their alleged roles in the RICO conspiracy are Mike Bueno, aka Mocho, 45, of Edinburg/Alamo, Texas; Eduardo Hernandez, aka Lepo, 36, of Donna, Texas; Arturo Ramirez Jr., aka China, 41, of Weslaco/San Juan, Texas; Jose Rolando Gonzalez, aka Rollie, 38, of Alton, Texas; Ernesto Alonzo Ruiz, aka Gallito, 38, of Raymondville, Texas; Hipolito Gonzalez, aka Pollie, 34, of Mission, Texas; Israel Gonzalez, aka Rayo, 34, of Pharr, Texas; Rolando Cruz, aka Party, 45, of Edinburg/Mission, Texas; Jesus Silva, aka Bola, 42, of San Juan, Texas; Luis Antonio Saldivar, aka Flaco, 25, of Mission, Texas; Octavio Muniz, aka Tavo, 40, of Pharr/Edinburg, Texas; Joseph Alberto Lopez, 33, of Donna, Texas; Margil Reyna, Jr., aka Mikeo, 32, formerly of Alamo, Texas, now of Toledo, Ohio; Joshua Omar Santillan, 35, of Donna, Texas; Roberto Cortez, aka Robe, 35, of Pharr/San Juan, Texas; Rene Vela, aka Gordo, 47, of Edinburg/McAllen, Texas; Carlos de la Rosa, aka Charlie, 40, of San Juan, Texas, Ernesto Saenz, aka Tuerto, 26, of McAllen, Texas; and Luis Alberto Tello, aka Wicho, 36, of Mercedes, Texas.

Meanwhile, others who were charged along with the known gang members included: Daniel Saenz, 32, of Donna, Texas, who is charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. De la Rosa; Ricardo Ortega, 34, of Edinburg, Texas; and Veronica Chavez, 38, of Mesquite/Brownsville, Texas, are charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Ivan Rodriguez, 33, of McAllen, Texas, and Ciro Moya, 39, of Olivia, Minnesota, are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Roberto Reyes, aka Pelon, 31, of Pharr, Texas, is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

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The agencies involved in this investigation include investigators with the FBI and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Customs and Border Protection, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office and police departments in McAllen, Mission, Edinburg, Weslaco and Pharr, Texas.

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