San Angelo, Texas Gang Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison Without Parole

LUBBOCK, TX—Gilbert Anthony Cuellar, a/k/a “Rascal,” 26, of San Angelo, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 20 years in federal prison, following his guilty plea to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Cuellar and 14 others, 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; Cuellar’s sentencing today is the seventh sentencing in the case.

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.”

The ranking member in the Abilene and San Angelo area was defendant Eduardo Sosa Martinez, Jr., a/k/a “Roro,” 33, who held the ranks of Captain and Lieutenant and was responsible for managing the Mexican Mafia’s distribution of methamphetamine in that area. He pleaded guilty in June to one count of conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering. He faces a maximum statutory sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1.25 million fine; sentencing is set for October 2, 2009.

1 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.

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