A former Starr County justice of the peace who was previously accused of helping a drug trafficking organization move drugs is now also accused of laundering money, according to an amended indictment that grew from 10 counts to 16.
The case involves 18 defendants, but only four of them are facing new charges: Ignacio ‘Nacho’ Garza, Diego Alberto Reyes-Roiz, Jose ‘Lupillo’ Diaz and former Starr County Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Roel ‘Role’ Valadez Jr.
The new charges range from conspiring to distribute drugs to money laundering.
Garza is the only defendant facing all 16 charges. He is considered one of the leaders of the drug trafficking operation in Starr County, and during his detention hearing, prosecutors revealed he reportedly tried to hire a hitman from Mexico after he suspected someone lost a drug load.
The amended indictment alleges Garza also conspired with the justice of the peace and Diaz to launder money from November 2020 to March 2021.
In separate charges, Garza is specifically accused of moving or trying to hide $78,740 in illicit proceeds, and the trio also allegedly tried to move $35,010 on March 8, 2021.
Diaz, also known as Lupillo, is one of the wealthiest defendants. He has more than $1 million in assets and a $479,000 education fund for his children that a prosecutor called “somewhat sketchy.”
According to the amended indictment, Diaz, Garza and Reyes-Roiz tried to distribute 600 pounds of marijuana on Feb. 23, 2021.
Garza is also accused of trying to distribute about 15 pounds of cocaine on June 3, 2020, and another 5 pounds on Dec. 2, 2020 with the help of Reyes-Roiz.
Reyes-Roiz, a naturalized citizen originally from Matamoros, is the other suspected leader of the drug trafficking organization. Prosecutors said he was “heavily involved” in coordinating the trafficking of drugs from Mexico to the U.S., and according to cooperating defendants, he was in line to take over as one of the decision makers for the Gulf Cartel in Mexico.
The government also has 116 wiretap interceptions that link the former justice of the peace to his drug supplier, Javier Eden Gonzalez.
In one of the released conversations, Valadez is heard talking with Gonzalez about how to deliver ‘high grade drugs’ to him.
Valadez is also accused of using his position as justice of the peace to assist the “Ignacio Garza drug trafficking organization.” Specifically, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Profit said Valadez was asked to identify government vehicles to confirm the identities of law enforcement and their agencies during a time in which the organization suspected it was being investigated and surveilled.
All 16 defendants are scheduled to appear before a federal judge next week for their re-arraignments.
