BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A McAllen woman has been taken into custody following the return of an indictment alleging she made a false statement to authorities in a bribery investigation involving alien detainee roster lists, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. 

The grand jury returned the indictment under seal Feb. 18 against Cynthia Alanis, 27. She is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III at 2 p.m. today.

The charge stems from a bribery investigation involving Benito Barrientez, 42, Lyford; Exy Adelaida Gomez, 42, Los Fresnos; and Damian Ortiz, 30, and her brother - McAllen attorney Roel Alanis, 39, both of Weslaco. They were charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery in relation to obtaining alien detainee roster lists.

The indictment against Cynthia Alanis alleges she falsely stated she did not receive nor know of any alien detainee roster lists given to the Alanis law firm. However, the charges allege she had previously received detainee roster lists and also knew of such lists given to the law firm.

Barrientez and Ortiz were employed at the Willacy County Regional Detention Center as a classification clerk and a senior program director, respectively. Gomez was a corrections officer at the El Valle Detention Center. Both facilities are located in Raymondville.

The indictment alleges Barrientes, Ortiz and Gomez obtained alien detainee roster lists from the El Valle Detention Center and the Port Isabel Detention Center-Los Fresnos while employed in their respective capacities.

The lists were then allegedly provided to Roel Alanis, an attorney with a practice in in the Rio Grande Valley. Roel Alanis then allegedly paid money to the employees in return for receiving the lists which contained names, dates of birth, country of origin and A-numbers of alien detainees. The charges allege Roel Alanis would visit the illegal aliens for the purpose of hiring his law firm as their attorney in immigration proceedings. Alternatively, he would instruct his sister or others to do so, according to the charges.  

If convicted, Cynthia Alanis faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Barrientez and Ortiz have pleaded guilty and are set for sentencing April 29.   

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) - Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation with assistance from the Department of Homeland Security - Office of the Inspector General and ICE's Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.

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

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Federal authorities have arrested a Weslaco attorney following the return of an indictment alleging conspiracy and bribery involving immigration detention employees, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.   

Today, law enforcement took Roel Alaniz, 39, of Weslaco, into custody. He is expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III tomorrow at 10:00.

The seven-count indictment, returned yesterday, alleges he obtained “alien detainee roster lists” from immigration detention employees who received cash payments in return.

In May 2019, a federal grand jury also indicted Benito Barrientez, 42, of Lyford, Damian Ortiz, 30, of Weslaco, and Exy Adelaida Gomez, 42, of Los Fresnos. Barrientez and Ortiz were employed at the Willacy County Regional Detention Center, while Gomez was employed at the El Valle Detention Center. Both facilities are located in Raymondville.

Barrientes, Ortiz and Gomez allegedly obtained these lists from the El Valle Detention Center and the Port Isabel Detention Center while employed in their capacities as classification clerk, senior program director and corrections officer, respectively. 

These three are charged with providing the lists which contained names, dates of birth, country of origin and “A-numbers” of alien detainees to Alanis. The indictment alleges Alanis, an attorney with a practice in in the Rio Grande Valley, paid money in return. He would then visit, or instruct others to visit, illegal aliens for the purpose of hiring his law firm as their attorney in immigration proceedings, according to the charges.

If convicted, Alanis faces up to 15 years for bribery and a maximum of five years for the conspiracy. The charges also carry a possible penalty of $250,ooo.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation along with Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.

A indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against three local residents for selling alien detainee roster lists in exchange for cash,  announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

The five-count indictment was returned under seal May 28. Today, law enforcement took Benito Barrientez, 42, of Lyford; Damian Ortiz, 30, of Weslaco; and Exy Adelaida Gomez, 42, of Los Fresnos, into custody. They are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald Morgan at 10 a.m. tomorrow.  

Barrientez and Ortiz were employed at the Willacy County Regional Detention Center as a classification clerk and a senior program director, respectively. Gomez was a corrections officer at the El Valle Detention Center. Both facilities are located in Raymondville.

The three are charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and bribery. 

The indictment alleges Barrientes, Ortiz and Gomez obtained alien detainee roster lists from the EL Valle Detention Center and the Port Isabel Detention Center-Los Fresnos, while employed in their respective capacities.

The lists contained the names, dates of birth, country of origin and other information of alien detainees, according to the charges. The three defendants allegedly then provided the lists to a local attorney in exchange for money. The indictment alleges the attorney would then use that information to attempt to solicit the detainees to hire his firm in immigration proceedings.

If convicted, the three employees defendant face up to 15 years in federal prison for the bribery charges and up to five years for the conspiracy. Each charge also carries a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation along with Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.

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