NDTX Roundup - 1/17/2019

PLEA – Roberto Rodriguez Salinas          
On Jan. 17, Robert Rodriguez Salinas, 38, of Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine and conspiracy to launder money.  Plea documents reveal Mr. Salinas was arrested with approximately 8 kilograms of cocaine, $115,913.00 in United States Currency, and a .380 Bersa Firearm.  Mr. Salinas admitted he was conspiring with others to distribute the cocaine he had in his possession and that the currency was drug proceeds which he was going to send to an individual located in Mexico.  Rodriguez Salinas agreed to forfeit the currency and the firearm.  The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Dallas Police Department, and the Dallas County Sheriff’s Department.

SENTENCING – LaPorshya Polley
On Jan. 16, Chief Judge Barbara Lynn sentenced LaPorshya Polley, convicted of firearms offenses last April, to 4 years in federal prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release. Last year, a jury found her and her codefendant, Darius Fields, guilty of straw purchasing. Mr. Fields --  who was at the time a person of interest in the kidnapping and eventual murder of 13-year-old Shavon Randle --  is set to be sentenced in April.  The FBI and Irving Police Department conducted the investigation.

PLEA – Corry Jessie
On Oct. 16, Corry Jessie, 26, of Dallas pleaded guilty to two counts of felon in possession of a firearm. Jessie was prosecuted in connection with the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, an initiative bringing together federal and local law enforcement to stem violent crime in hard-hit communities. He now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000. The FBI investigated.

SENTENCING – Jose Benavidez III
On Jan. 14, Judge Sam A. Lindsay sentenced 29-year-old Jose Benavidez, III, of Dallas, to 13 years in federal prison for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine between February 2017 and October 2017.  Plea documents reveal that, on multiple occasions, Jose Benavidez, III sold methamphetamine from an address located on Duleth Street in Dallas.  Lab reports revealed the methamphetamine ranged in purity from 94% to 100%.  During one of the methamphetamine transactions Jose Benavidez, III opened the door of his residence and discharged a firearm. The Texas Department of Public Safety investigated.

SENTENCING – Roger Zamora, 41
On Jan. 14, Roger Zamora was sentenced to 8 years in federal prison for his role in a RICO conspiracy.  In March 2018, Zamora pled guilty to participation in a transnational criminal enterprise, comprised mostly of Colombian nationals or individuals of Colombian descent, whose members targeted and robbed traveling diamond and jewelry salesmen across the United States.  Zamora participated in six armed robberies of traveling diamond and jewelry salesmen over a four month period, between 2015 and 2016, in Texas, Florida, Indiana, and Virginia.

NOTE: Due the the lapse in appropraitions, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Texas will not be issuing press releases or distributing news roundups via email. We will, however, post roundups online.