In Houston, Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery announced that a massive law enforcement operation in Houston and other parts of the country resulted in the arrest of 29 individuals on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering.
Multiple states and jurisdictions were involved in the coordinated police operation, including North Carolina, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana.
Initial appearances have commenced for those apprehended in the Houston region before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray.
Crimes allegedly committed between April 2022 and October 2024 are detailed in four separate indictments.
In October and November of 2024, grand juries in Houston returned the indictments. The people in question are allegedly involved in a global money laundering network that launders funds through international trade and retail transactions. The Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) and other criminal organizations allegedly purchased and sold cellular phones on the network to conceal their illicit funds.
A high-ranking member of the CJNG allegedly involved, Francisco Jaramillo-Valdovinos, better known as Chico Jaramillo, is among those facing charges. A warrant for his arrest is still active, and he is considered a fugitive. Call the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) at 713-693-3000 if you know anything about his whereabouts or any of the other fugitives involved in this investigation.
The 21-month investigation, Operation Noch by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF), led to the arrests. Narcotics worth millions of dollars and hundreds of kilograms of cocaine, heroin, meth, marijuana, and alprazolam were allegedly confiscated by police authorities over the course of the investigation.
The seizure of 85 kg of meth, 10 kg of cocaine, 17 guns, $481,000 from a bank account, and over $566,000 in bulk cash was also included of the arrest warrants.
A life sentence in federal prison and millions of dollars in fines await anyone found guilty of narcotics trafficking charges. Federal jail terms for those convicted of money laundering offenses can reach 20 years.
The investigation was carried out by the Drug Enforcement Administration and IRS Criminal Investigation in collaboration with the Galveston and Houston police departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and local law enforcement agencies nationwide.
Through an intelligence-driven, multi-agency strategy spearheaded by federal prosecutors, OCDETF tracks down and destroys the most dangerous transnational criminal organizations. Visit the OCDETF webpage of the Department of Justice for more details regarding the OCDETF Program.
Leo J. Leo III, Sherin Daniel, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Bauman are handling the prosecution of the case.
The allegations of wrongdoing, rather than proof of guilt, are what constitute an indictment. Unless proven guilty by a fair trial, the public has the right to assume that a defendant is innocent.