Carlos Martinez, a 39-year-old man from Mission, Texas, has been sentenced to 11 years in federal prison and must pay a $2 million fine. His crime? Leading a long-running, violent conspiracy to take over and control a special part of the transportation industry at the Texas-Mexico border.
This industry helps transmigrantes—people who transport used cars and other goods from the U.S. to Central America—cross the border legally. To do this, they rely on businesses called Transmigrante Forwarding Agencies (TFAs). These companies help prepare customs paperwork and handle important details for the crossing.
But for years, Martinez and his group didn’t play fair. They forced companies at the Los Indios Bridge—a key border crossing—to follow their rules or face serious punishment. They formed a secret organization known as “The Pool.” Any business that wanted to operate had to join The Pool, charge fixed prices, and pay illegal fees called piso. If they didn’t, Martinez and his crew used threats, violence, and sometimes worse.
Threats, Payments, and Dirty Money
Martinez collected over $9.5 million through extortion. Businesses were ordered to pay piso for every customer they helped. If they disobeyed, their cars could be stolen, their access to the bridge could be blocked, or they could face violent attacks—even shootings or murder. The group enforced these rules by using lookouts who tracked each transaction and reported violations.
To hide the illegal money, Martinez and his family laundered it through personal bank accounts. They used this money to buy a home, luxury vehicles, a boat, and expensive watches. All of these purchases are now being taken by the government as part of the penalty.
Martinez is also linked by marriage to a former leader of the Gulf Cartel, a violent criminal group operating at the U.S.-Mexico border. This connection helped him tighten his grip on the TFA industry and enforce fear among business owners.
Sentencing, Charges, and Investigations
Carlos Martinez pleaded guilty in February to several serious crimes, including:
- Conspiracy to fix prices and control the TFA market
- Conspiracy to use threats to interfere with business
- Extortion
- Money laundering
His sentencing was the most severe, but others in the conspiracy also faced justice:
- Carlos Yzaguirre, 66, got 2 years in prison.
- Sandra Guerra Medina, 70, received 8 months of home detention.
- Juan Hector Ramirez Avila, 59, was sentenced to time served.
- Jose Tapia, Mireya Miranda, Pedro Calvillo, and Roberto Garcia Villarreal all pleaded guilty and are waiting for sentencing.
- Rigoberto Brown, Miguel Hipolito Caballero Aupart, and Diego Ceballos-Soto are still on the run and considered fugitives.
Several government officials praised the outcome of the case. Matthew R. Galeotti from the Department of Justice said Martinez and his team “exploited hardworking professionals” and “manipulated the market.” Abigail Slater from the Antitrust Division added that the crimes brought real harm to both businesses and communities near the border.
U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei made it clear: “Price fixing is not a victimless crime,” and people must be held accountable for corrupting fair markets.
The FBI’s Jose A. Perez said the group used their positions to “prey on vulnerable communities,” while Craig Larrabee from Homeland Security Investigations called it a “violent scheme” that threatened both safety and lawful commerce.
The investigation was handled by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations. The team of prosecutors included Christina Taylor, John Davis, Brittany McClure, Anne Veldhuis, Michael Lepage, and Alexander Alum.
The court will decide in September how much restitution will be paid to victims who suffered because of the scheme.
