Press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas
A federal jury convicted three codefendants in a Homeland Security Task Force case for their involvement in an alien smuggling organization, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
Israel Ramirez-Perez and Ricardo Rojas Vazquez were found guilty of
conspiring to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, transporting illegal aliens resulting in death, conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy and transporting illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.
David Christopher Ewell was found guilty of conspiring to transport illegal aliens resulting in death, transporting illegal aliens resulting in death and conspiracy to transport illegal aliens placing lives in jeopardy.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, several defendants, including Ewell, continued to manage the Alejandro Santoyo-Guzman alien smuggling organization after being incarcerated in the Oklahoma Department of Corrections.
Ewell was an alien smuggling facilitator with his significant other, co-conspirator Marcelina Truxillo-Logan. Ewell and Truxillo-Logan communicated with co-defendant Jessica Castillo-Guzman, who handled the cash flow for the organization.
Over the course of the conspiracy, evidence and testimony indicated that the organization made more than $5 million.
Rojas Vazquez spearheaded the organization’s operations in Mexico and maintained a 50-50 partnership with co-conspirator Santoyo-Guzman.
Ramirez-Perez served as the organization’s enforcer and was responsible for a kidnapping, an attempted murder and a murder.
Evidence presented at trial revealed that Rojas Vazquez ordered the murder of Edgar Ponce Campos. Ramirez-Perez shot Ponce several times.
After the fatal shooting, Ramirez-Perez attempted to dispose of Ponce’s body by dipping it in acid. When that proved unsuccessful, Ramirez-
Perez placed the body in a vehicle, poured gasoline on it and set it on fire.
Evidence and testimony presented at trial showed that Ramirez-Perez filmed the burning vehicle, fired shots at it and shared the video with Santoyo-Guzman.
“As I’ve said many times, Alien Smuggling Organizations care nothing about the lives, hopes and dreams of those they smuggle,” Simmons said. “They only care about their money. Even once aliens arrive in the U.S., alien smuggling organizations will often extort and terrorize the aliens and their families until additional fees are paid.
“These organizations also use the safety of homes in U.S. neighborhoods to hide those they smuggle and facilitate their illegal, extortionist schemes, endangering Americans who live close by. The Western District has set itself apart as the national leader in the prosecution of these organizations, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute those who engage in this behavior.
“Of course, we do this because this activity violates the law, but we also do it because it is antithetical to who we are as Americans who value the God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Warsame Galaydh and Carli Tuttle are prosecuting the case.
