The US Attorney’s Office said that Operation Take Back America resulted in 95 new charges in South Texas, including multiple counts of illegal reentry, drug trafficking, and firearms crimes.
The operation, which lasted from June 27 to July 2, resulted in 62 persons being charged with illegal entry, with another 26 facing felony reentry charges. Many of these people have a criminal history, including narcotics charges, violent crimes, and immigration infractions.
Among the most noteworthy examples, 16 Venezuelan nationals living illegally in Houston were charged with drug trafficking and firearms violations in connection with the Anti-Tren criminal organization, which has been linked to serious crimes such as attempted murder and other violent acts.
Federal charges were filed against individuals such as Cesar Alejandro Tovar-Guillen, a convicted felon for cocaine dealing who was captured after being deported from the United States only months before. Osvaldo Aguilar-Aguilar and Jose Alejandro Dominguez-Guzman, both serial offenders, were also accused after being removed in 2024 and serving a sentence for unlawful reentry.
Margarito Llanes of McAllen was sentenced to 52 months in federal prison for leading authorities on a high-speed chase that ended in a wreck that gravely injured all eight passengers in his vehicle. Llanes has a history of violent crime, having already faced convictions for indecency with a child and robbery.
Additionally, two Mexican nationals, Luis Ernesto Hernandez-Doria and Jose Angel Lopez-Herrera, were sentenced to multiple years in prison for unlawful reentry. Hernandez-Doria had already been convicted of felony unlawful reentry and firearms charges, but Lopez-Herrera’s case was a human smuggling episode that ended in a deadly drowning.
The Southern District of Texas United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to border security and the eradication of violent crime.
“Operation Take Back America is about going on the offensive against transnational criminal organizations to ensure they cannot take root in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “SDTX is unapologetic in carrying out this mission to secure our borders and protect our communities from those who would do harm.”