Tuesday, May 21, 2013

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Six more people charged in Panama Unit scandal
Posted: 03.06.2013 at 4:23 PM
Sergio Chapa

Sergio is KGBT's Interactive Manager and a reporter for VALLEYCENTRAL.COM.

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Left To Right: Claudio Mata, Alexis Espinoza, Salvador Arguello, Jonathan Treviño and Eric Alcantar
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A federal grand jury has handed down a new indictment charging six new people in connection to the “Panama Unit” scandal.

Handed down Wednesday afternoon, the superseding indictment charges three additional members of the former anti-drug task force as well as three other people for various drug and theft charges.

A federal grand jury charged Jonathan Christian Trevino, Alexis Rigoberto Espinoza, Fabian Rodriguez, and Gerardo Mendoza-Duran back in January.

The four were accused of taking bribes to escort drug loads.

But today, the new indictment also names former Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Deputies: Salvador Joel Arguello, Claudio Alberto Mata, and Eric Michael Alcantar.

The three former deputies are charged with conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, marijuana and meth.

Prosecutors reported that the superceding indictment also includes one count of theft of government property against Treviño, Rodriguez and Arguello. 

The new indictment also names Fernando Guerra Sr.,Fernando Guerra Jr., and Alvaro Gilberto DeHoyos.

The three men were with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.   

All those charged face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, along with a potential fine up to $10 million.

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