Top-Ranking Members of the Mexican Mafia Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Terms

LUBBOCK, TX—The two top-ranking members in command of the Mexican Mafia that operated in San Angelo and Abilene, Texas, have been sentenced to lengthy prison sentences by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas.

Today, Judge Cummings sentenced Eduardo Sosa Martinez, Jr., a/k/a “Roro,” 33, of San Angelo, to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Martinez, who held the ranks of Captain and Lieutenant and was responsible for managing the Mexican Mafia’s distribution of methamphetamine in San Angelo, Abilene, and throughout North Texas, pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering. Second in command, Sammy Garcia, a/k/a “Candyman,” 40, of San Angelo, was sentenced last Friday by Judge Cummings to 210 months in federal prison. He pleaded guilty in May to distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Fifteen defendants, mostly members/associates of the Mexican Mafia, were charged in a 15-count federal indictment with various offenses related to their operation of a major methamphetamine trafficking operation in the Abilene and San Angelo, Texas areas, as well as throughout North Texas. All defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles; two defendants have not yet been sentenced.

Last Friday, other defendants, from San Angelo, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to methamphetamine offenses, were also sentenced by Judge Cummings:

• Emilio Lopez Garcia, Jr., age 36, – 105 months
• Johnny Sosa Martinez, age 49, – 71 months
• Armando Villarreal, Jr., a/k/a “Chucky,” age 32, – 188 months

Earlier this month, Gilbert Anthony Cuellar, a/k/a “Rascal,” 26, was sentenced to 240 months following his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The Mexican Mafia, also known as “Mexikanemi” or “La Eme,” is a prison gang that was originated in the Texas prison system in the early 1980's. It operates under a hierarchical system, with members holding ranks from President down to Prospect. The Mexican Mafia is organized geographically so that each geographical area will have a ranking member to coordinate the gang’s efforts.

Part of the Mexican Mafia’s constitution states, “[i]n being a criminal organization we will function in any aspect of criminal interest for the benefit of advancement of Mexikanemi. We will traffic in drugs, contracts of assassination, prostitution, robbery of high magnitude and in anything we can imagine.”

In addition to being actively involved in the methamphetamine trade, the Mexican Mafia would impose a “tax” on other individuals involved in trafficking narcotics by charging individuals who trafficked narcotics in their individual area. Mexican Mafia members often used threats, coercion, intimidation and violence to collect this tax or to prevent other individuals from trafficking narcotics in its geographical area.

The case was investigated by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the San Angelo Police Department, the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, the Tom Green County District Attorney’s Office, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Security Threat Group Gang Intelligence Unit.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.