If convicted on the drug conspiracy charge, Reyes faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison. He’s also charged with one count of violating the Endangered Species Act for “unlawfully taking, by harassing or harming,” the jaguar. ![]() Reyes is charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of possession in the drug case. Reyes was “found in Mexico, and deported to the United States through Tijuana,” according to the motion, which doesn’t explain how the government located him. It is home to three generations of gorillas, Komodo dragons, rhinos. Pedro Ramirez, a special agent with the Criminal Investigation division of the IRS, testified about the trip during a hearing on May 3. Welcome to the Gladys Porter Zoos YouTube channel The Zoo is a subtropical oasis comprised of a diverse ensemble of animals. The government obtained a photo of them together at the airport in Monterrey. ![]() In April, however, Resendez-Garza met with Reyes in Monterrey and Cancun. Reyes left his girlfriend, Liliana Resendez-Garza, and their children behind in Mission. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. Jerry Stones, the facilities director for the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, the birthplace of Harambe, told ABC News that he was there for Harambes birth and raised him like a child. Reyes apparently fled to Mexico after the government started making arrests, according to a motion filed by the U.S. The Gladys Porter Zoo, which received the jaguar, also declined to comment. In April 2021, according to the indictment against him, Reyes acquired a five-week-old female jaguar “intended for sacrifice.”Īsked about the incident, the Fish and Wildlife Service confirmed a “young jaguar” had been confiscated “near the Brownsville Port of Entry” but declined to release any details. Fish and Wildlife Service also investigated Reyes for violating the Endangered Species Act. According to the indictment, Reyes also smuggled marijuana, including a nearly 1,500 pound shipment in November 2020. Reyes mailed cocaine from McAllen to “northern U.S. Prosecutors brought charges against 25 people, including Garza’s wife, Melissa, the former city secretary for Rio Grande City and former Starr County Justice of the Peace Roel “Role” Valadez Jr. The case against Reyes is part of “ Operation Ice River,” which targeted a drug trafficking organization allegedly headed by Ignacio “Nacho” Garza, 51, of Rio Grande City. Reyes believed ritual sacrifices would protect drug shipments from law enforcement, Zaruba said, adding that agents heard people discuss the quasi-religious ceremonies on wiretaps.Īttorney Joel Furman of Tustin, California, who represented Reyes, didn’t respond to requests for comment. “Before a narcotic load would be brought from, for example, from McAllen to San Antonio or Austin or other locations that we’ve learned from our investigation, they would do these rituals,” Zaruba said. Reyes also participated in quasi-religious ceremonies that involved animal sacrifice. Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Patrick Zaruba, who testified about the drug trafficking organization during a hearing on May 9. Reyes recruited drivers to transport drug shipments, according to U.S. Hector Reyes, a man in his mid-30s from Rio Grande City, is charged with smuggling drugs and violating the federal Endangered Species Act. ![]() “We’re really excited about the City of Brownsville pitching in and realizing what value the zoo brings to the Rio Grande Valley and Brownsville in particular,” he shared.Ĭlick on the video below to watch the full story.A man accused of sacrificing animals to “bless” drug shipments was arrested in Mexico last month. Patrick Burchfield, Director of Gladys Porter Zoo.ĭr. Burchfield said the City Commission has awarded a contract to Hanson Engineering to start the layout process. “The initial part won’t affect the visitors because it’s be in the perimeter aisle behind the buildings and that’s where all the new water and sewer is run,” said Dr. The water and wastewater pipes are as old as the 50-year-old zoo. The replacement of its infrastructure is the first step in the city’s master plan for the zoo renovation. The zoo will be getting new exhibits and new animals by December 2023. BROWNSVILLE – The City of Brownsville has received 6.5 million dollars from the American Rescue Plan, and 5.5 million will be allocated to the replacement of Gladys Porter Zoo’s infrastructure.
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