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The Progreso school board’s former president has pleaded guilty to drug trafficking.
Francisco Javier Alanis, who was arrested in October 2023, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute approximately 11 pounds of cocaine.
He’s charged along with his brother, Progreso’s former mayor, Gerardo Alanis, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute approximately 58 pounds of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute approximately 30 pounds of cocaine.
Specifically, Francisco Javier Alanis confessed to conspiring with Jose Rosbel Salas, David Gomez-Ramos, Gregorio Salinas and other co-conspirators to distribute cocaine.
“Alanis provided money or financing to obtain tractor trailers, insurance with the purpose of using said tractor trailers for the transportation of cocaine from Progreso, Texas to other predetermined places within the United States,” a plea packet stated.
That document cites an Aug. 8, 2020 seizure at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita where Salas was caught driving a tractor-trailer that contained approximately 28 pounds of cocaine.
“Defendant admitted furthering the conspiracy by facilitating the money for the tractor trailers to facilitate the transportation of the controlled substances, cocaine, for further distribution,” the plea packet stated.
His brother, Gerardo Alanis, went into hiding after his arrest. Federal authorities arrested Gerardo Alanis on March 18.
During a court hearing after his arrest, authorities said “packaging materials for narcotics were found in the defendant’s workspace at the Progreso Independent School District Campus where he is employed in October of 2023.”
Those materials were consistent with the description of packaging materials used to package narcotics as described by people cooperating with the government, according to court documents.
“Cooperating individuals stated the defendant was storing narcotics at the public middle school where he worked in Progreso, Texas,” the documents stated. “Cooperating individuals stated the defendant was re-packaging narcotics at the public middle school where he worked in Progreso, Texas.”
Gerardo Alanis is scheduled for another court hearing in late October. Francisco Javier Alanis is scheduled for sentencing in January.
