Villarreal, 59, of San Benito, Texas, was also ordered to pay a $50,000 criminal fine for his role in a conspiracy that controlled the transmigrante industry in the Los Indios, Texas border region through monopolization and extortion of competitors. The court remanded Villarreal into custody to begin serving his sentence immediately. Transmigrantes arrange for and transport used vehicles and other goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America, with only a few crossing locations available, including the Los Indios Bridge.
According to court documents, Villarreal and co-defendants fixed prices for transmigrante forwarding agency services and created a centralized entity called the "Pool" to collect and divide revenues among conspirators while limiting competition and increasing prices. "Roberto Garcia chose to join a criminal enterprise that seized control of an industry through threats and violence, rigged prices against legitimate businesses, and laundered its proceeds," said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei of the Southern District of Texas.
Under the scheme, forwarding agencies not part of the conspiracy were forced to join and pay into the Pool, while Pool members monitored whether agencies charged agreed-upon prices and made required payments. The conspiracy also required agencies to pay extortion fees, including a "piso" for every transaction processed in the industry. Villarreal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to illegally fix prices and allocate markets, conspiracy to monopolize, and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.
The case represents part of a broader enforcement effort targeting violent criminal organizations at the U.S.-Mexico border. To date, eight others have been convicted in the conspiracy, with seven already sentenced, including leader Carlos Martinez, 39, of McAllen, who received an 11-year prison term. Three additional defendants — Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart and Diego Ceballos-Soto — remain fugitives and are being sought by authorities.
"Antitrust criminals deserve lengthy sentences for the economic — and in this case physical — violence they sow," said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel W. Glad. "The Antitrust Division is proud to have worked with our law enforcement colleagues on this long-running investigation that will restore competition and punish violent criminals at the U.S.-Mexico border." Acting Assistant Director Gregory Heeb of the FBI Criminal Division emphasized that "the use of violence and intimidation to threaten and remove competition will not be tolerated."
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, highlighting the multi-agency approach to combating cross-border criminal enterprises. Acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco noted that the case demonstrates "the significant danger posed by transnational criminal organizations operating near our borders" and HSI's commitment to protecting legitimate industries from criminal manipulation.
The Justice Department is continuing to pursue the remaining fugitive defendants and has established multiple avenues for tips, including the HSI Tip Line and FBI Tip Line. Under the Antitrust Division's whistleblower program, individuals providing original information about antitrust offenses resulting in recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible for rewards ranging from 15 to 30 percent of money collected, underscoring the government's ongoing commitment to rooting out anticompetitive conduct in specialized border industries.