Texas Border Business
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas
HOUSTON – Two Venezuelan nationals and alleged members of the recently designated foreign terrorist organization known as the Tren de Aragua (TdA) have been arrested on charges filed in the Southern District of Texas (SDTX).
Jesus Miguel Barreto Lezama, 29, who was residing in Houston, has now appeared in federal court in Houston.
Also in custody is Briley Jesus Ballera Farias aka Derek, 32, who was arrested March 30 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he made his initial appearance.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment Jan. 29.
According to the allegations in the indictment, both men participated in a conspiracy, along with others, to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Venezuela and Colombia. Barreto Lezama is also charged with importing nearly five kilograms of cocaine into the United States from Colombia between June 26, 2024, and July 3, 2024.
If convicted, they face a up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum fine.
The FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Colombian National Police. FBI-Houston’s Safe Streets Gang Task Force made the Houston arrest with the assistance of the Houston Police Department, DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and U.S. Marshals Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz are prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney David C. Smith from the Department of Justice’s Joint Task Force Vulcan.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
This case is also part of JTFV, which was created in 2019 to destroy MS-13 and now expanded to target TdA. It is comprised of U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country, including SDTX; Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Districts of New Jersey, Utah, Massachusetts, Nevada, Alaska; Northern District of Ohio; Eastern District of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Eastern District of Virginia; Southern District of California; and the District of Columbia; as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Criminal Division. Additionally, the FBI; DEA; Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; and Federal Bureau of Prisons have been essential law enforcement partners and spearheaded JTFV’s investigations.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Updated March 31, 2025
