Valley residents among dozens arrested in major operation targeting Gulf Cartel

Twelve Rio Grande Valley residents have been arrested as part of a federal operation that netted 175 alleged Gulf Cartel members and associates over a two-day period, federal officials announced Wednesday.

Those arrested are among 507 people taken into custody as part of "Project Reckoning," a 15-month investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration into the Gulf Cartel's drug trafficking and distribution network, according to the U.S. attorney general's office.

The suspects face multiple charges, including drug trafficking and money laundering, according to court documents.

The three alleged leaders of the Gulf Cartel - Ezequiel Cardenas-Guillen, Heriberto Lazcano-Lazcano and Jorge Eduardo Costilla-Sanchez - were indicted as part of a criminal operation that officials say moved tons of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana from Colombia, Guatemala, Panama and Mexico to the United States.

The joint investigation among international, federal, state and local law enforcement officials has resulted in the seizure of $60.1 million, more than 36,841 pounds of cocaine, 51,258 pounds of marijuana, 19 pounds of heroin, 1,039 pounds of methamphetamine, vehicles and weapons.

Several of the suspects are scheduled to be arraigned at 9:30 a.m. today in the U.S. District Court in McAllen before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dorina Ramos.

Attorney Eric S. Jarvis of McAllen, who represents Raymundo Edgar Gonzalez, said Wednesday he did not have enough information to assess the government's case against his client.

"Until we look at the file, we can actually see the quality of their evidence," Jarvis said.

Attorney Terry Canales of Edinburg declined to comment on the allegations against his client Sergio Ivan Olivarez-Flores.

The suspects from Mexico and the Valley were named in indictments and complaints returned and filed in the Houston and McAllen divisions of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

The Texas Southern District's U.S. Attorney Don DeGabrielle said "more arrests are expected."

Individuals indicted in other cases were charged with drug trafficking, attempted murder, solicitation and conspiracy to kill and kidnap, racketeering and money laundering.

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The Rio Grande Valley suspects:

>> Luis Ariel Rivera-Rodriguez, 35, of McAllen.

>> Mario Alberto Mascorro, aka "Mavito," 33, of McAllen.

>> Clarissa Lizbeth Gonzalez, 24, of Roma.

>> Jose Carlos Hinojosa, aka "Sobrino," 31, of Roma.

>> Juan Francisco Ayala, 36, of Brownsville.

>> Felix Garcia, 39, of Brownsville.

>> Mario Gomez, 45, of Edinburg.

>> Jaime Herrera, 33, of Edinburg.

>> Roberto Eden Moreno, 27, of Mission.

>> San Juanita M. Garcia, 55, of Garciasville.

>> Ricardo Soto, 36, of Escobares.

>> Tarsila Villarreal Vidal, 37, of Salineno.

Residents of Tamaulipas and elsewhere in Mexico who are also under arrest:

>> Raymundo Edgar Gonzalez, aka "Marrano/Globo," 37.

>> Sergio Ivan Olivarez-Flores, aka "Loba," 24.

>> Juan Montelong-Garcia, aka Ivan Villarreal, 31.

>> Onesimo Cruz, 38.

>> Olegario Flores Garcia, 42.

>> Jose Luis Del Toro Estrada, 37.