Two former Katy residents sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin

Contributed Report
Posted 7/14/22

Two former Katy residents have been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Justice Department officials said Thursday.

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Two former Katy residents sentenced to federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin

Posted

Two former Katy residents have been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, U.S. Justice Department officials said Thursday.

Esteban Lopez Hernandez, 41, pleaded guilty in June 2021, as did Longion Jaimes-Solorzano, 23. Both men lived in Katy, illegally so, officials said.

A third man, Robert Gomez, 28, of Missouri City was part of the conspiracy and also pleaded guilty.

U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes found Hernandez to be a leader in the conspiracy and ordered him to serve a 235-month term of imprisonment—over 19 years. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing that their drug trafficking organization specialized in distributing black heroin.

In handing down the prison terms, Judge Hughes noted the extreme negative impact of the drug on the community after hearing that since the group was placed in custody there is almost no black tar heroin circulating in the Katy area.

Gomez and Jaimes-Solarzano were previously sentenced to 10 years in prison. Not U.S. citizens, Hernandez and Jaimes-Solarzano are expected to face removal proceeding following their terms of imprisonment, officials said.

All three men were involved in a drug trafficking organization that specialized in black tar heroin for approximately two years. While Hernandez was found to be the leader, Gomez and Jaimes-Solarzano were drug couriers.

The drug had a major impact on the Katy area in 2017, officials said. A rash of several young drug-related overdoses had links to specific dealers in the Katy area. Authorities identified the supply source for the dealers, and they uncovered other details of the organization. The investigation revealed the organization deployed multiple stash houses and used several couriers.

Officials said all three men remain in custody and will soon be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

Officials said several law enforcement agencies were involved in the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration, Harris County Precinct 5 Constable’s Office and Fort Bend Sheriff’s Office conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which was dubbed Operation Shadow Theory.

These agencies worked with the IRS–Criminal Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Office of Inspector General and the Katy and Houston police departments, officials said.

OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.

conspiracy, drug trafficking, heroin