Score:   1
Docket Number:   ND-TX  3:19-cr-00220
Case Name:   USA v. Reed
  Press Releases:
SENTENCING - JEAN LOUI VARGAS-MALAVE

On January 31, Jean Loui Vargas-Malave, 29, was sentenced 10 years in federal custody for conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Vargas-Malave agreed to smuggle controlled substances onto commercial airlines at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFWIA).  He, along with coconspirators, bypassed security at the DFWIA and loaded what they believed to be methamphetamine onto an American Airlines flight to Newark, New Jersey. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Criminal Investigations Division of the Internal Revenue Service, and the Dallas Police Department. This case was prosecuted by AUSA George Leal, AUSA John De La Garza, and AUSA John Kull.

GUILTY PLEA – HECTOR TORRES-GONZALEZ

On February 4, Hector Torres-Gonzalez, 44, pled guilty to aiding and abetting possession with the intent to distribute heroin. Torres-Gonzalez admitted to agreeing to distribute 24 kilograms of methamphetamine, 13 kilograms of heroin, and 91 grams of cocaine in April of 2019. Agents also found a pistol and $12,520 in Torres-Gonzalez’ possession. He faces up to 20 years in federal custody for his crimes. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and is prosecuted by AUSA Rachael Jones.

SENTENCING – AUSTIN DAVID REED

On February 3, Austin David Reed, 27, was sentenced to 15 years in federal custody for the crimes of carjacking and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Reed stole a 2006 Acura from a victim by threatening the victim at gunpoint. After stealing the car, Reed led the officers pursuing him on a dangerous chase. Please click here to hear more about this case. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dallas Police Department and was prosecuted by AUSA Ryan Raybould.

SENTENCING – JOHNNATTAN RAMIREZ

On February 3, Johnnattan Ramirez, 37, was sentenced to 25 years in federal custody and $182,942.96 in restitution for 3 counts related to robbery and 2 counts related to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Ramirez was involved in three separate robberies of diamond and jewelry salesmen. Ramirez and his coconspirators would rent vehicles, conduct surveillance of the salesmen, and then apprehend their victims. The coconspirators would threaten the salesmen with guns and take their valuables, however on one occasion they also abducted a victim and took him to a nearby apartment complex. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by AUSA Ryan Raybould.  

SENTENCING – CRYSTAL DOUGLAS

On February 3, Chrystal Douglas, 35, was sentenced to 9 years in federal custody for maintaining a drug involved premises. Douglas allowed her coconspirator to conduct methamphetamine sales at her home in Arlington. In exchange, Douglas would receive personal use amounts of methamphetamine. Sometimes, Douglas was unaware of the amounts of methamphetamine being bought and sold in her house. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by AUSA Shawn Smith.

An armed carjacker who led police on a wild chase across Northeast Dallas was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Erin Nealy Cox.

Austin David Reed, 27, pleaded guilty in September to carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to plea papers, Mr. Reed admitted that while armed with a pistol, he used force and violence to steal a 2006 Acura in February 2019.  

Law enforcement encountered Mr. Reed, who was wearing a bullet proof vest, at a hotel room in Dallas after receiving about a domestic disturbance.

According to an indictment, Mr. Reed stated he was “not going down like this,” and fled the scene, running through a wooded area and into a nearby neighborhood, where he carjacked the Acura.

He then led police on a high-speed chase, crashing the car through a neighborhood gate in an attempt to reach the road.  After wrecking the Acura on a light pole, Mr. Reed exited the vehicle and ran into a nearby home. Inside, he brandished a knife and demanded car keys.  When one of the home’s occupants confronted Mr. Reed with a firearm, he fled through the garage.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge Samuel A. Lindsay handed down the sentence.

SENTENCING -- Mario Melendez

On April 26, Dallas tax return preparer Mario Melendez was sentenced to 51 months in prison for conspiring to defraud the United States and aiding in the preparation of false tax returns. From November 2013 to April 2014, Mr. Melendez, a manager at Uptown Multi Services, helped prepare fraudulent income tax returns for clients, including false education credits, Schedule C expenses, and other items. He also assisted in trainings instructing new employees how to prepare fraudulent tax returns. The IRS – Criminal Investigations unit conducted the investigation.

INDICTMENT* – J. Concepcion Serrano-Alba

On April 24, a federal grand jury indicted J. Concepcion Serrano-Alba, 47, on three counts of straw purchase, or acquiring a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement. Over a 13-month period, Mr. Alba allegedly purchased several pistols from pawn shops across the Northern District of Texas. He told the shops that he was the actual buyer of the firearm, when in fact, the guns were meant for someone else. If convicted, Mr. Serrano-Alba faces 30 years in federal prison. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives investigated.

INDICTMENT* – Austin Reed

On April 24, a federal grand jury indicted Austin David Reed, 26, of Dallas, Texas, for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. When Dallas police officers responded to a domestic violence all at his hotel room, Mr. Reed allegedly donned a bullet-proof vest and stated he was “not going down like this.” He then lead officers on a dangerous pursuit through a wooded area and into a neighborhood, firing several rounds at officers as he fled. Once inside the neighborhood, he allegedly brandished his weapon to carjack a vehicle, which he promptly crashed into a light pole. He exited the mangled vehicle and entered a home, where he demanded the keys to another car. When the victims confronted him with a gun, he fled the home through the garage. If convicted, Mr. Reed faces up to 22 years in federal prison. ATF and Dallas Police Department and investigated the case.

INDICTMENT* – Lilla Haiddar

On April 24, a federal grand jury indicted Lilla Haiddar, 56 of Arlington, Texas on two counts of making false statements in her passport applications. In October 2011 and again in November 2018, Ms. Haiddar applied for a passport without disclosing a name she had used previously: Marufa Khashim Surgul. If convicted, Ms. Haiddar faces up to 120 months in federal prison on each count. United States Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service conducted the investigation.

SENTENCING – Toure couple

On April 22, Mohamed Toure, 58, and Denise Cros-Toure, 58, of Southlake, Texas, were sentenced seven years in prison each and ordered to pay $288,620.24 in restitution following a January forced labor conviction. According evidence preented at trial, the defendants, members of powerful Guinean families, arranged for the victim, then a young child from a rural Guinean community, to travel alone from her home in West Africa to the defendants’ home in Southlake, Texas, in early 2000. Once in the United States, the defendants forced the victim to cook, clean, and take care of their biological children, some of whom were close in age to the victim, without pay for the next 16 years. The U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Houston Field Office, investigated the case. More here.

SENTENCING -- Matias Alacala

On April 22, 23-year-old Matias Medina Alcala, of Zacatecas, Mexico, was sentenced to 97 months confinement in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  According to Court documents, in December 2015, Mr. Alcala delivered approximately 1 kilogram of meth to another individual at the request of Domingo Arreola Avalos (see below).  As part of the plea agreement, the defendant, who was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the offense, agreed to forfeit a firearm and $36,900 in U.S. currency.  The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS – Criminal Investigations Division and prosecuted by AUSA George Leal.

SENTENCING -- Pedro Barriga-Avalaos

On April 22, 28- year-old Pedro Barriga-Avalos, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced to 97 months confinement in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  Court documents indicate that on New Year’s Day 2016, the defendant delivered approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine to another person.  During the delivery, the defendant advised he had two kilograms of methamphetamine but one was for another person.  Mr. Barriga Avalos, who was in the U.S. illegally at the time of the offense, forfeited $9236.00 in U.S. currency, as well as a firearm. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the IRS – Criminal Investigations Division and prosecuted by AUSA George Leal.

* An indictment is merely an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All criminal defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
Magistrate Docket Number:   ND-TX  3:19-mj-00122
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
F U C K I N G P E D O S R E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E