In an indictment, returned on May 30, 2012, and unsealed on Tuesday, a federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas charged 14 people, including the leader of the Los Zetas criminal syndicate in Mexico with conspiracy to launder money through a horse ranch operation.
Horse ranch - Front for drug cartel
The members of Los Zetas are charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to launder drug money by purchasing, training, breeding and racing American quarter horses.
© 2012 by Thomas Barret
Federal authorities arrested seven of the 14 indicted defendants. They included Jose Trevino-Morales 45, and his wife, Zulema Trevino, 38, in Lexington, Oklahoma; Fernando Solis Garcia, 29, in Ruidoso, New Mexico; Carlos Miguel Nayen Borbolla, 26, Adan Farias, 32, and Felipe Alejandro, 28, all of Quintero, in Los Angeles, California; and Eusevio Maldonado Huitron, 48, of Austin, Texas.
The members of the criminal syndicate are charged in connection with an alleged conspiracy to launder Los Zetas drug distribution proceeds by purchasing, training, breeding and racing American quarter horses in the United States, said United States Attorney Robert Pitman, based in Texas.
Federal authorities are seeking forfeiture of numerous quarter horses in the case, including several top-performing animals.
The indictment identifies millions of dollars worth of transactions in New Mexico, Oklahoma, California and Texas involving a large number of quarter horses.
Jose Trevino, Zulema Trevino and others used “front” companies to conceal and disguise the true ownership of the quarter horses.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of farm and ranch equipment, horse-racing equipment, real estate in Lexington, Oklahoma, and in Bastrop County, Texas; and funds in three bank accounts allegedly used in the defendants’ scheme.