Babalola Trial – Take Two

(HOUSTON, TX) – Three fugitive leaders of the foreign terrorist organization Tren de Aragua (TdA), designated by the Trump Administration last year, are charged in the Southern District of Texas and now have rewards totaling up to $50 million for information leading to their arrests and/or convictions. Yohan José Romero a/k/a Yohan Petrica, 48; Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano a/k/a El Viejo, 37; and Juan Gabriel Rivas Núñez a/k/a Juancho, 44, were previously charged in a six-count second superseding indictment returned in 2025. A nine-count third superseding indictment followed in July 2026. According to the allegations, all three face charges of conspiring to provide and providing material support to Tren de Aragua (TdA). Serrano is on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List and also faces charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine and international cocaine distribution. “Since President Trump returned to office, the Department of Justice has charged more than 350 members and associates of Tren de Aragua, including Yohan Petrica, El Viejo, and Juancho,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Their criminal enterprise has spread fear, violence, and lawlessness, and we will not stop until those responsible are brought to justice. Anyone with information regarding the location of the three individuals listed in today’s superseding indictment should help save lives by notifying the FBI.” “These gang members are monsters, and we’ve indicted them as such,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “I’m confident the enhanced bounties will incentivize these terrorists’ return to my district, where we will bring them to justice.” “By leveraging DEA’s investigative expertise alongside our partners through the Homeland Security Task Force, we are bringing the full force of the U.S. government to bear against narco-terrorists that threaten our communities. Today’s announcement demonstrates what can be achieved through unprecedented coordination and intelligence sharing across federal law enforcement,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration. “Yohan José Romero, Mosquera Serrano, and Rivas Núñez have played key roles in directing and expanding Tren de Aragua’s operations throughout the Western Hemisphere. TdA spreads violence, fear, and instability wherever it operates. Make no mistake – DEA will stop at nothing to identify, disrupt, and dismantle this criminal network.” “There’s a reason Giovanni Mosquera Serrano is one of the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted fugitives. He, along with “Petrica,” “Juancho,” and their foreign terror organization, are accused of a long list of crimes that include murders, kidnappings, drug and sex trafficking, and illegal gold mining operations that help finance TdA’s terrorist activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “TdA’s criminal activity spills into streets and communities across the U.S., including Houston. We hope today’s multimillion-dollar rewards motivate someone, anywhere, to say, ‘enough is enough’ and lead us to one or all three fugitives. The arm of the law is long, and no border will shield them from American justice.” “As Secretary Rubio has repeatedly stated, transnational criminal and terrorist organizations such as Tren de Aragua are the most urgent security threat in our hemisphere,” said Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Thomas G. DiNanno. “Today, we are offering rewards totaling up to $50 million under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program for information leading to the arrests and/or convictions of the top three leaders of Tren de Aragua. The Trump Administration remains fully committed to eliminating narcoterrorist organizations in the region that traffic illicit drugs, commit violent acts, and cause harm to American communities.” The Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs is offering the rewards through its Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program for information leading to arrests or convictions of the three fugitives in any country. The reward for information leading to Romero’s arrest or conviction increased from $4 million to $20 million, while the reward for Serrano has increased to $15 million from $5 million. A new reward of up to $15 million is also being offered for information regarding Núñez. According to court documents, TdA originated as a Venezuelan prison gang in the mid-2000s and has since expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere, including the United States. The organization engages in drug and firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. Members also commit murder, assault, and other violent acts to further its criminal activities, according to the charges. TdA also allegedly generated revenue through financial crimes targeting financial institutions, including ATM jackpotting schemes used to steal millions of dollars. The investigation revealed the conspiracy targeted or carried out ATM jackpotting attacks in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and several foreign countries, according to the allegations. If you have any information concerning these individuals, please contact the FBI via WhatsApp or Telegram at +1-281-787-9939. Those with information may also contact their local FBI office, nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate or can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz of the SDTX are prosecuting the case along with Deputy Director David C. Smith and Trial Attorneys James Keller and Kelly McGann of Joint Task Force Vulcan. This case is part of JTFV, which was created in 2019 to eradicate MS-13 and now expanded at the direction of the Attorney General to target TdA. JTFV is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. Those include SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, Eastern and Western Districts of North Carolina; Western District of Virginia; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Texas; Western District of Oklahoma; Northern District of Indiana; and Districts of Nevada and Arizona as well as the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys, and Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Criminal Division, and the Office of Judicial Attaché and DEA partners in Bogotá, Colombia. Additionally, Federal Bureau of Prisons; FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Customs and Border Protection; USMS and Homeland Security Task Forces are essential law enforcement partners with JTFV. This case is part […]

Media Release 10/06/2026: (AUSTIN, TX) – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that he directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to mobilize additional state emergency response resources in anticipation of rain and flooding expected to impact the state this weekend. “The State of Texas is prepared to respond to the threat of heavy rainfall and flash floods across South and West Texas,” said Governor Abbott. “I directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to mobilize additional state emergency response resources to support local officials and help protect Texans. I urge all Texans to remain weather-aware, monitor local forecasts, avoid flooded roadways, and heed guidance from state and local officials.” According to the National Weather Service, multiple rounds of thunderstorms in South and West Texas are anticipated to begin later tonight and last through the early part of next week. Primary threats include heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas Border, and Coastal Bend regions. At the Governor’s direction, the following state emergency response resources are available to support local response operations: Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (Texas A&M Task Force 1 and Texas A&M Task Force 3): Swiftwater and Floodwater Rescue Boat Squads, and high-profile vehicles to assist with flood rescues Texas Division of Emergency Management: Regional personnel to support deployed emergency response resources across the state Texas Department of Transportation: Personnel monitoring roadway and transportation conditions Texas Parks and Wildlife Department: Game Wardens, rescue boat teams, and helicopters with hoist capability to assist with water rescues Texas Department of Public Safety: Texas Highway Patrol Troopers, helicopters with hoist capability, and the Tactical Marine Unit Texas Department of State Health Services (Texas Emergency Medical Task Force): Severe Weather Support Packages consisting of medics, ambulances, and all-terrain vehicles Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: Disaster Assessment and Recovery Agents and County Extension Agents to support agricultural and livestock needs Public Utility Commission of Texas: Power-outage monitoring and coordination with utility providers Railroad Commission of Texas: Monitoring of the state’s natural gas supply and communication with the oil and gas industry Texas Commission on Environmental Quality: Air, water, and wastewater monitoring Texans are urged to remain weather aware, make an emergency plan, pack an emergency supply kit, and follow directions from local officials. Texans can access storm safety tips at TexasReady.gov, check road conditions at DriveTexas.org, find flood information at TexasFlood.org, and visit tdem.texas.gov/prepare for all-hazards preparedness information. Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.

Media Release 10/06/2026: (AUSTIN, TX) — Texas Comptroller Don Huffines today called on President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to audit every state and local government entity in Texas, after the agency-wide performance review Huffines ordered uncovered what appears to be decades of systemic failures in the agency’s employment eligibility verification practices and its compliance with federal Form I-9 requirements. Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification) is used to identify and verify the identity and legal work authorization of every individual hired to work in the United States. While the full scope is still being determined, the problems may date back as far as 20 years and leave taxpayers facing approximately $5 million or more in federal civil penalties, based on a preliminary internal assessment, for the agency’s failure to properly complete, verify, and retain the required federal hiring records. Upon learning of these concerns, the agency engaged independent outside legal counsel to conduct a full investigation. The agency will not contest legitimate penalties. “My message to Texans never changed: audit government, expose corruption. It is your money,” Huffines said. “I said I could not wait to clean out the garage. This just scratches the surface of the waste and neglect my administration has found. “This is what decades of neglect and weak leadership from the mushy middle look like. Our officials were desperate to stay in power and desperate for the approval of elitists and lobbyists, so they never looked under the hood, and taxpayers are left holding the bag. If 90 days of auditing found this in one agency, Texans should ask what is sitting in all the others. We are the outsiders who found it, and sunlight is the best disinfectant. “This was not ignorance. The early findings suggest people inside government knew about these failures and hid them.” Huffines ordered a comprehensive performance review of all aspects of the agency when he took office in August. The independent review will assess existing processes, identify any compliance gaps, and recommend corrective actions as appropriate. Remediation is already underway as part of the Comptroller’s Taxpayer First Project. “I invite President Trump and ICE to review the employment eligibility of every government employee in Texas,” Huffines said. “The state of Texas needs to pay its fines for violating federal I-9 requirements, just like every business has to. And every government entity out of compliance should be audited and pay up too.” Got a news tip? e-mail us at news@wtaw.com, text us at (979) 695-1620, or reach out on Facebook or Twitter/X.