ICE HSI, DEA charge Texas legislature candidate with drug trafficking

2012-02-27 07:46 AM
By: Mark Rockwell

Federal immigration and drug enforcement agents arrested a candidate for the Texas state legislature and an associate on drug charges and money laundering charges on Feb. 23.

ICE Homeland Security Investigation (ICE HSI) and Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested El Paso County Precinct 3 Commissioner Guillermo "Willie" Gandara Jr., 37, of El Paso, on Feb. 22. Gandara has filed to run for a seat in the state legislature, said ICE.

If convicted, each man faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison per count, according to ICE.

A federal grand jury indictment unsealed on Feb. 23 charged the defendants with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 kilograms or more of marijuana, and one substantive count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The indictment also charges Gandara with three counts of maintaining property for distributing marijuana.

The indictment alleges that beginning in November 2010 until their arrests, the Gandara and Canales conspired to distribute the drugs from property owned by Gandara in El Paso. The indictment also contains a notice of criminal forfeiture whereby the government is seeking to forfeit any and all proceeds derived from their alleged marijuana trafficking operation.

According to local press reports, Gandara comes from a well-known political family in El Paso County, where he, his brother and their father have served on the school board or city council or both in Socorro, TX. Press report also quote Gandara’s attorney as saying Gandara will stay on the county commission as he fights the charges.

"HSI, together with our federal law enforcement partners, will continue to stand steadfast and commit our resources to battle drug trafficking organizations to target the dangers they pose to public safety and border security," said Dennis A. Ulrich, special agent in charge of HSI El Paso. "This joint investigation has thwarted a criminal enterprise, and illustrates that no member of this community is above the law."

ICE HSI, DEA charge Texas legislature candidate with drug trafficking | Government Security News