New charges for former Starr County public officials in drug trafficking case

Federal prosecutors have filed new charges against several people accused of running a drug trafficking organization on behalf of the Gulf Cartel in Starr County.

The charges add to the criminal allegations against at least two former public officials and also reveal a new defendant who is accused of trying to threaten one of the federal agents investigating the drug trafficking.

Roel “Role” Valadez Jr., once a Starr County justice of the peace, and Melissa Garza, formerly the city secretary for Rio Grande City, both waived their right to appear in person for an arraignment on the new charges Thursday, which were outlined in a second superseding indictment filed by prosecutors on June 27.

The case now spans 26 separate defendants, all of whom are accused of participating in some way in the trafficking of marijuana and cocaine or of attempting to launder the proceeds from the drug enterprise throughout 2020.

The charges first came to light in August 2021 when federal prosecutors unsealed a 10-count indictment against 18 people, including Valadez, who was originally charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and distributing a controlled substance.

But the scope of the charges soon expanded to include additional defendants, including Melissa Garza, whose husband, Ignacio “Nacho” Garza, is accused of being the drug trafficking organization’s ring leader.

Prosecutors first laid the new charges in May before amending the superseding indictment again last week.

Now, Valadez and Melissa Garza face two new allegations of money laundering, including one count of money laundering involving foreign commerce.

The second superseding indictment also includes charges against a new defendant — Hector Reyes Jr. — who is accused of attempting to intimidate a DEA agent as he left a federal courthouse for a hearing regarding Reyes’ father, Hector Reyes Sr., over separate charges.

According to the criminal complaint against Reyes Jr., he and another man waited for the DEA agent to approach his government vehicle inside a parking garage.

“Reyes Jr. then walked near (the agent’s official government vehicle) and spit toward the (official government vehicle),” the criminal complaint reads, in part.

Reyes Jr. has been charged with two counts of obstruction of justice in relation to the incident.

Reyes Jr. had been present in the courtroom when the agent had testified at his father’s detention hearing in a case where the elder Reyes, known as “Padrino,” is accused of trafficking drugs as part of a transnational criminal organization.

The elder Reyes is also accused of animal cruelty for allegedly obtaining “a female jaguar intended for sacrifice,” court records show.

In the case against Reyes Jr., however, several of the 26 defendants have pleaded guilty to their roles in the drug trafficking scheme.

Ramiro Eden Clarke, Eugenio Peña, Roosevelt Vela, Janella Chavarria and Adrean Espita-Garza pleaded guilty to their respective charges in March.

Their sentencing hearings, which were set for next week, have been rescheduled. A new date has not been announced.