DALLAS—Following a law enforcement operation yesterday by special agents with the FBI and officers with the Dallas Police Department, 10 defendants who are charged in a drug distribution and robbery conspiracy are in custody. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas, Special Agent in Charge Diego Rodriguez of Dallas FBI, and Chief David O. Brown of the Dallas Police Department.

Defendants indicted and in custody are:

• Cesar Ibarra, aka “Bling,” 39, of Mansfield, Texas
• Hilberto Ibarra, aka “Gilberto,” 29, of Mansfield, Texas
• Cesar Ibarra, Jr., aka “Chicho,” 21, of Dallas, Texas
• Lauro Reyes-Serrano, aka “Wicho” and “Gordo,” 29, of Dallas
• Nicholas Manriquez, 28, of Dallas, Texas
• Andres Garcia, aka “Mentiras,” 30, of Dallas, Texas
• Victor Anderson, aka “Old School,” 51, of Dallas, Texas
• Quinton Walker, 30, of Dallas, Texas
• Mark Anthony Nolasco, 22 of Dallas, Texas and Mansfield, Texas

One defendant named in the indictment, Elva Sofia Ibarra, 36, also of Dallas, has not been arrested. Another defendant, Felipe Gonzalez, 27, was arrested today on a related federal criminal complaint. The 10 arrested defendants made their initial appearances in federal court this afternoon and will remain in custody pending detention hearings scheduled for next week.

“This indictment and the arrests of these defendants represent the culmination of many months of diligent work by the FBI and the Dallas Police Department and serve as excellent examples of the collaborative efforts of the federal government and local law enforcement to apprehend those individuals who are the most dangerous in our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Saldaña. “We believe this case will have a significant impact on the communities in which these criminals operated.”

“These arrests have resulted in a significant disruption of a criminal enterprise in the Dallas Division,” said Special Agent in Charge Rodriguez. “This joint investigation is a clear example of law enforcement’s commitment to remove the elements that pose significant social and criminal threats to our communities.”

“The Dallas Police Department was pleased to be involved in the investigation which led to the successful indictment and arrest of several members of the Goon Squad street gang,” said Chief Brown. “The arrests of these individuals is the culmination of a successful collaboration between the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and our department, as well as other members of the law enforcement community.”

The indictment alleges that Cesar Ibarra and his brother, Hilberto Ibarra, and their sister, Elva Sofia Ibarra (the Ibarra siblings) conspired with each other and others to commit illegal narcotics trafficking offenses and criminal offenses in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities, including the commission or planned commission of burglaries, robberies, and other acts of violence. The Ibarra siblings and certain other co-conspirators called themselves the Goon Squad, and while Cesar and Hilberto Ibarra led the Goon Squad, the Ibarra siblings involved other family members, including Cesar Ibarra, Jr., in their cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana trafficking activities.

According to the indictment, the Goon Squad targeted individuals known or believed to be drug dealers for burglary, robbery, or other acts of violence, because those individuals were likely to possess large quantities of illegal narcotics, U.S. currency or firearms, and would not be likely to report any offenses by the Goon Squad.

The Goon Squad performed surveillance and reconnaissance on their potential victims. They also attempted to perform similar surveillance on members of law enforcement they believed were investigating their illicit activities by taking photographs and recording vehicle-specific information.

Count one of the indictment alleges that between November 2011 and June 3, 2014, these 10 defendants conspired to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and marijuana.

Count two of the indictment alleges that during the same time frame, defendants Cesar Ibarra, Hilberto Ibarra, Elva Sofia Ibarra, Lauro Reyes-Serrano, and Victor Anderson conspired with each other and others to obstruct, delay, and affect interstate commerce by robbery, in that the defendants and their co-conspirators conspired to unlawfully take and obtain controlled substances, firearms, and cash from others by actual or threatened force and violence. Cesar and Hilberto were the leaders and organizers of the robberies or other acts of violence, and personally participated in such illegal activities.

A federal indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. A complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge. The government has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment. A defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence unless proven guilty. If convicted, however, the statutory maximum penalty for each count of the drug trafficking conspiracy is life in federal prison and millions of dollars in fines. The statutory maximum penalty for each count of conspiracy to commit robbery affecting interstate and foreign commerce is 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys P. J. Meitl and Jason Schall are prosecuting.