AUSTIN — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (USAO - Texas, Western), published as received.
AUSTIN – U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel today sentenced 34-year-old Austin resident Juan Angel Aguirre aka “Larry Aguirre” to 235 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release for supplying traffickers with multiple kilograms of narcotics that were distributed throughout the Austin area.
Aguirre is one of 19 defendants who have been convicted on federal drug trafficking charges based on this indictment. The defendants conspired to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than one kilogram of heroin, methamphetamine and other narcotics in Austin from December 2016 to September 2019. During this investigation, authorities seized approximately 20 kilograms of methamphetamine, seven kilograms of cocaine, five kilograms of heroin and more than $594,000 in cash and assets attributed to this drug trafficking organization.
One defendant, Luis Alberto Mota, Jr, is awaiting sentencing next month. The other 18, including Aguirre, have received prison sentences ranging from nine months to 235 months.
“The prosecutions of Juan Angel Aguirre and his codefendants have resulted in the dismantling of a major drug trafficking organization and the removal of a significant criminal element from the streets of Austin,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “This case is an excellent example of the effectiveness of our Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program in combatting the scourge of drug trafficking and the related crimes drug trafficking generates in our community.”
Special Agent in Charge Daniel C. Comeaux of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Houston Division, Interim Austin Police Chief Joseph Chacon, Cedar Park Police Chief Mike Harmon, Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw, Hays County Sheriff Gary Cutler and Special Agent in Charge Richard D. Goss of the IRS-Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office joined U.S. Attorney Hoff in making today’s announcement.
This case resulted from an investigation conducted by the DEA, Austin Police Department, Cedar Park Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Hays County Sheriff’s Office and IRS-CI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Gardner is prosecuting this case.
This prosecution resulted from an OCDETF investigation called Operation “No Big Deal.” OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the U.S. by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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