Texas Mexican Mafia leader faces life in prison after pleading guilty to federal racketeering charges

EAGLE PASS, Texas — The high ranking leader for the Texas Mexican Mafia (TMM) pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to violate the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) statue for acts that included murder, extortion and drug trafficking.  

This plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Richard Durbin, Western District of Texas. These criminal charges stem from an investigation by the following agencies: FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Jesus Lopez, aka “Worst Ever” 36, from Eagle Pass, pleaded guilty to federal RICO charges Aug. 25. According to court records, on Jan. 22, 2011, Lopez told TMM member and co-defendant Anselmo Flores, 28, from Eagle Pass, to stab and murder Eagle Pass resident Angel Cantu.

This investigation revealed that Lopez provided money to Flores following the murder. Lopez paid this so he could flee the area. Furthermore, at the time of Cantu’s murder, fellow TMM member and co-defendant, 37-year-old Francisco Hernandez of Eagle Pass, assaulted an individual with a dangerous weapon.

Court records indicate that in December 2010, Lopez ordered Flores, Hernandez and others to retrieve and destroy firearms. These were the firearms that were used during the attempted murder of an individual who provided information to law enforcement about TMM. Since 2009, Lopez admitted to distributing narcotics and extorting other cocaine distributors in Eagle Pass in furtherance of the TMM criminal enterprise.

Lopez, Flores and Hernandez are among 16 TMM members or associates to enter guilty pleas resulting from this investigation.

The Western District of Texas prosecuted this case.