Eagle Pass, Texas Mexican Mafia Leader Faces Up to Life Imprisonment after Pleading Guilty to Federal R.I.C.O. Charge

(Press Release) In Del Rio, 36-year-old Eagle Pass, Texas Mexican Mafia (TMM) leader Jesus Lopez (aka “Worst Ever”) faces up to life in federal prison after pleading guilty today to conspiring to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statute to include acts of murder, extortion and drug trafficking.  That announcement was made today by United States Attorney Richard Durbin, Jr.; Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division; Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw; Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden; and, Chief Patrol Agent Rodolfo Karisch, U.S. Border Patrol, Del Rio Sector.

According to court records, under the direction of Lopez, fellow TMM member and co-defendant Anselmo Flores, age 28 formerly of Eagle Pass, stabbed and murdered Eagle Pass resident Angel Cantu on January 22, 2011.  In an effort to deflect law enforcement attention away from the criminal enterprise, Lopez provided money to Flores following the murder so that Flores could flee the area.  Furthermore, at the time of Cantu’s murder, fellow TMM member and co-defendant, 37-year-old Francisco Hernandez of Eagle Pass, assaulted an individual with a dangerous weapon.

Court records also reflect that in December 2010, Lopez ordered Flores, Hernandez and others to retrieve and destroy firearms, which they did, that were used during the attempted murder of an individual who provided information about the TMM to law enforcement.  Since 2009, Lopez admitted to distributing narcotics and extorting other cocaine distributors in Eagle Pass in furtherance of the TMM criminal enterprise.

Lopez, Flores and Hernandez are among 16 TMM members or associates to enter a guilty plea resulting from this investigation.  No sentencing date has been scheduled for Lopez.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI, Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Border Patrol.