Texas Arrests Mexican Mafia Gang Member, Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrant

TEXAS, April 25 - April 25, 2025 | Austin, Texas | Press Release

Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), and the Texas National Guard continue to work together with the Trump Administration to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry.
 
Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 532,800 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 52,900 criminal arrests, with more than 44,800 felony charges. In the fight against the fentanyl crisis, Texas law enforcement has seized over 671 million lethal doses of fentanyl—enough to kill every man, woman, and child in the United States, Mexico, and Canada combined during this border mission.
 
Operation Lone Star continues working to undo the damage done by the Biden Administration. Every individual who is apprehended or arrested and every ounce of drugs seized would have otherwise made their way into communities across Texas and the nation due to open border policies.   
 
RECENT HIGHLIGHTS FROM OPERATION LONE STAR:
 
Governor Abbott: Border Crossings Grind To A Halt As President Trump’s Border Policies Take Effect
 
On Sunday, Governor Abbott took to X, formally known as Twitter, to report that illegal border crossings have slowed to a crawl as a result of President Donald Trump’s strong border policies.
 
Operation Lone Star personnel continue working with our federal partners to secure the southern border to keep America safe.

DPS Captures Criminal Illegal Immigrant Wanted For Crimes Against Children In Tarrant County
 
Earlier this month, DPS captured another fugitive from Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List.  
 
Carlos Venegas Ortiz, 46, a criminal illegal immigrant from Mexico, who was wanted out of Tarrant County since October 2024 for continuous sexual abuse of a young child, was taken into custody at an apartment complex in Haltom City on Wednesday, April 9. Working in coordination with Special Agents from DPS’ Criminal Investigations Division, Haltom City Police Department Officers, along with members of the U.S. Marshals North Texas Fugitive Task Force, located and arrested Ortiz.
 
Last summer, Governor Abbott launched Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List to locate and arrest repeat offenders who have entered the country illegally and are wanted for dangerous crimes committed in Texas.
 
Read more on capture of this criminal illegal immigrant here.

DPS Arrests Mexican Mafia Gang Member, Four Illegal Immigrants 

Last week, DPS troopers were led on a high-speed pursuit by a smuggler driving a red Dodge Ram on IH-35 in Webb County.

The smuggler, John Henry Romero, a Mexican Mafia gang member from Rio Bravo, Mexico, crashed into a private ranch fence and continued evading through the property before bailing out of the vehicle. With assistance from Border Patrol, he was located and arrested.

Four illegal immigrants from Mexico, including a 15-year-old, were also apprehended. Romero is charged with three counts of smuggling of persons, one count of smuggling of persons under 18, evading arrest, reckless driving, and criminal mischief. DPS troopers referred the four illegal immigrants to Border Patrol. 

WATCH: DPS Arrests Human Smuggler, Apprehends Five Illegal Immigrants In Webb County
 
Last Thursday, a human smuggler driving a red Chevy Tahoe led DPS troopers on a high-speed pursuit on IH-35 in Webb County. The smuggler, Carlos Alejandro Hernandez Briones, from Laredo, crashed into two vehicles during the pursuit. Briones and two illegal immigrants eventually bailed out of the vehicle and jumped into the Rio Grande River. DPS troopers deployed a rescue grab line to prevent Briones from drowning as the two illegal immigrants swam back across to Mexico.
 
Five additional illegal immigrants were located inside the Tahoe and referred to Border Patrol. Briones was arrested and charged with five counts of smuggling of persons, evading arrest, and reckless driving.

WATCH: DPS K-9s Apprehend 19 Illegal Immigrants
 
While working Operation Lone Star, DPS K-9s Shark and Bona and their handlers, along with DPS’ Border Mounted Patrol Unit, assisted Border Patrol in the apprehension of 19 illegal immigrants in South Texas between April 11 and April 16.
 
K-9s Shark and Bona tracked the illegal immigrants through thick brush in Maverick, Dimmit, and Webb counties. This collaboration between DPS’ K-9 and Border Mounted Patrol units and the Border Patrol highlights the importance of state and federal law enforcement partnering to secure the border.
 
Month after month, K-9 Bona and her handler continue to track down illegal immigrants along the border and assist in their apprehension to protect our state and the nation. Earlier this month, K-9 Bona and her handler also tracked down a group of illegal immigrants over nearly two miles in Webb County.

DPS Special Agents Seize Three Bundles Of Narcotics 
 
On April 13, DPS Special Agents responded to the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry in El Paso regarding three subjects believed to be attempting to smuggle narcotics into the United States via internal concealment. One subject voluntarily consented to be medically examined while DPS obtained body cavity search warrants for the other two subjects.
 
After a thorough search, a total of three bundles of M-30 fentanyl pills, fentanyl powder, and methamphetamine were recovered. Special Agents arrested one female subject for the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance.

Texas National Guard Provides Manpower, Support To Border Patrol
 
Texas National Guard continues to bolster border security efforts by providing crucial manpower and support to Border Patrol agents, joining them on ride-alongs to enhance surveillance and response capabilities along the Texas-Mexico border.
 
During these ride-alongs, Texas National Guard soldiers work side-by-side with Border Patrol agents, observing operations, relaying critical information, and assisting with apprehensions. Their presence enhances the agents’ ability to cover more ground and respond quickly to incidents in remote or high-traffic areas.
 
As the border mission continues to evolve, Texas National Guard soldiers expanded role under Title 8 highlights the importance of interagency cooperation when addressing complex security challenges. By working alongside Border Patrol, Texas National Guard soldiers enhance operational effectiveness and reinforce a unified commitment to national security.

Texas National Guard Soldiers Train To Be Lethal In Combat
 
Texas National Guard soldiers train every day to combat illegal activity along the border. It is vital for soldiers to assess a wide range of skills, including physical fitness, to prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry. 
 
"I train every day regardless of the best warrior competition to be as lethal as I can in combat," said Private First Class Jacob Carruth. "What motivates me everyday is to be the best version of myself and to pursue that every single day. I encourage someone who is thinking about competing to find their why."  
 
The Best Warrior Competition is an annual U.S. Army event that tests the skills, knowledge, and physical capabilities of soldiers.