Department of Justice

United States Attorney Robert Pitman

Western District of Texas
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: DARYL FIELDS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2014 (210) 384-7440

34 IN CUSTODY IN CONNECTION WITH AUSTIN-BASED DRUG DISTRIBUTION OPERATION

Federal and state authorities have arrested 24 individuals, including Austin lawyers Richard Patrick Fagerberg, age 45,
and David Ramos, age 39, for their roles in a cocaine and methamphetamine distribution operation announced United
States Attorney Robert Pitman and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge J oseph M. Arabit, Houston
Division.

Two related federal grand jury indictments, unsealed this afternoon, charges those arrested, as well as ten others who were
already in custody prior to today, with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. A list of the defendants is below.

According to the indictments, the defendants have allegedly participated in a conspiracy to distribute various amounts of
cocaine and methamphetamine since May 2013. During this 16-month-long operation, authorities have seized
approximately 87 kilograms of cocaine and two kilograms of methamphetamine, four firearms, close to $1.5 million in
criminally derived assets in connection with this investigation.

Nothing is more important than the safety and security of our communities. DEA, and our federal, state, and local law
enforcement partners in Austin and throughout Texas, will remain relentless in our pursuit of the vicious criminal
individuals and drug trafficking organizations who threaten our safety and stability. These arrests send a strong and
unified message that these crimes will not be tolerated in our communities and those who commit these offenses will be
brought to justice, stated DEA Special Agent in Charge J oseph M. Arabit.

Upon conviction, the defendants face statutory penalties of between ten years and life imprisonment or between five and
40 years imprisonment.

Organized crime and drug trafficking are a serious threat to public safety in Texas, and DPS vigilantly works alongside
our law enforcement partners to detect, deter and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in our communities,
said DPS Regional Commander Freeman Martin. This long-term investigation is an ideal example of how law
enforcement at all levels works together to put suspected criminals behind bars and protect Texans.

These charges and arrests resulted from an investigation conducted by the Austin High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area
(HIDTA) Task Force. The Austin HIDTA Task Force is made up of investigators from the Drug Enforcement
Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Texas Department of
Public Safety, Austin Police Department, Travis County Sheriffs Office, Bastrop County Sheriffs Office, Williamson
County Sheriffs Office, Hays County Sheriffs Office, Cedar Park Police Department and the Georgetown Police
Department. Other agencies participating in todays arrests include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service, Round Rock Police Department,
Travis County District Attorneys Office and the Williamson County District Attorneys Office. Assistant United States
Attorneys Mark Marshall and Dan Guess are prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed
innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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ARRESTED YESTERDAY (24)

CASE # NAME AGE RESIDENCE STAT. PENALTY

A14cr292 DAVID DEPAZ 22 Austin, TX 10 years to life
A14cr292 HECTOR MAYORGA 23 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr292 ALVARO SALINAS 46 Austin 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 ARTHUR VILLALOBOS 34 Taylor, TX 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 J OEL AVILEZ-J AIMES 38 Austin 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 VERONICA DeLEON 31 Taylor 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 RENE PEREZ 35 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr292 ALEJ ANDRO RODRIGUEZ 41 Austin 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 FRANCISCO LOPEZ 38 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr292 FERNANDO TEJ EDA 30 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr292 J AVIER TEJ EDA 24 Austin 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 ROGELIO VILLANUEVA 35 Austin 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 J AMES YERKES 46 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr292 TIMOTHY COOPER 49 Debray, FL 5 years to 40 years
A14cr300 RAY VILLEGAS 42 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 VALERIA CUENCA 23 Kyle, TX 10 years to life
A14cr300 ANTONIO NIETO 23 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 GERVACIO MORALES 31 Kyle 10 years to life
A14cr300 BENJ AMIN TYLER GOLDBERG 26 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 VICTOR HUGO EXCALANO-ZUVIETA 25 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 RICHARD PATRICK FAGERBERG 45 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 DAVID RAMOS 39 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 EUGENIO LUCIO 60 San Benito, TX 10 years to life
A14cr300 J UAN MAXIMO RUIZ 33 Brownsville, TX 10 years to life


ALREADY IN CUSTODY PRIOR TO YESTERDAY (10)

CASE # NAME AGE RESIDENCE STAT. PENALTY

A14cr292 J OSE NIETO-FIGUEROA 23 Pflugerville, TX 5 years to 40 years
A14cr292 RICARDO CRUZ 53 Pharr, TX 10 years to life
A14cr292 GERARDO DIAZ 23 Austin, TX 10 years to life
A14cr292 J UAN GONZALEZ 28 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 OSCAR ARMANDO AVILA-J AIMES 35 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 ARMANDO GUTIERREZ 40 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 ANTONIO de J ESUS HERNANDEZ-GONZALEZ 29 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 J ESUS ANGELOS DOMINGUEZ 29 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 OSCAR SUAREZ-LARA 29 Austin 10 years to life
A14cr300 J OSE LUIS REYES-VALLE 38 Austin 10 years to life