Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of Texas

Donald J. DeGabrielle, Jr.

United States Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   ANGELA DODGE   
MONDAY, OCT. 27, 2008   PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER 
WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/TXS  (713) 567-9388                 

OWNER OF VILLARREAL TRANSPORT  CONVICTED OF CONSPIRING TO POSSES WITH INTENT TO DISTRIBUTE COCAINE

(BROWNSVILLE, Texas) - Miguel Fernando Villarreal-Ochoa, 35, owner of Villarreal Transport, has been found guilty by a jury of conspiring to posses and possessing with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, U.S. Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. The trial, which began Oct. 22, 2008, concluded Friday, Oct. 24, at 8:00 P.M. with the jury’s guilty verdict.

During trial, the United States presented evidence proving that on March 28, 2008, Brownsville FBI agents received information that a large amount of narcotics was located at a certain address in Brownsville. Brownsville Police Department (BPD) officers responded to the address. Police simultaneously approached the residence and a vehicle they had observe arrive and park at the rear. Villarreal-Ochoa, the owner to the residence, was present and gave consent to search his residence. A narcotics dog alerted to a filing cabinet within the house in which officers found $3,200 in $100 bills. The vehicle, registered to Villarreal-Ochoa, was being driven by Gilberto Gutierrez-Gonzalez, an employee of Villarreal-Ochoa. The vehicle was found to contain 21 kilograms of cocaine within two boxes located in the back seat. Gutierrez-Gonzalez was also arrested at the scene and indicted as a co-conspirator in the case.

Villarreal-Ochoa told police he had sent his employee, Gutierrez-Gonzalez, to retrieve the cocaine from an unknown co-conspirator at a local restaurant parking lot. At trial, Villarreal-Ochoa claimed the confession was false and given under duress. Testimony from officers contracted his claim.

Villarreal-Ochoa will be sentenced by United States District Judge Andrew S. Hanen on Jan. 26, 2009, and faces a term of imprisonment of 10 years to a maximum of life and a maximum fine of $4 million.

The case was investigated by the Brownsville Police Department and the FBI and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Angel Castro.