South Texas official charged with drug trafficking following HSI, federal partner investigation

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — A South Texas man was arrested Oct. 13 for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances following an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rio Grande Valley and its federal and state law enforcement partners.

Francisco Javier Alanis, 40, from Weslaco, Texas, was an assistant city manager in Progreso, Texas. He was also a school board president for the Progreso Independent School District at the time of his arrest. A federal grand jury returned the three-count superseding indictment Oct. 3.

Alanis is expected to be charged Oct. 16 at 9 a.m.

According to court documents, from January 2020 to March 20, 2022, Alanis allegedly conspired with Jose Rosbel Salas and others to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances — mainly cocaine.

If convicted, Alanis faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million fine. The indictment also includes a notice of forfeiture related to the charges.

Salas, 42, of Weslaco, has pleaded guilty for his role and is awaiting sentencing. Also charged are David Gomez Ramos, 34, and Gregorio Salinas, 52, both of Mercedes, and Juan Pablo Serrata, 48, of Santa Rosa. They are currently in custody pending further criminal proceedings.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alejandra Andrade is prosecuting the case.

The investigation is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, which identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multiagency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.