Longtime Gang Member Sentenced for Drug and Gun Crimes
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 42-year-old veteran member of the Homietos outlaw motorcycle gang has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute meth and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Larry Torres, 42, of Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2019.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales sentenced Torres to serve 121 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard evidence including that Torres sold multiple ounces of meth to undercover agent and was a member of the Homietos outlaw motorcycle gang.
In June 2019, authorities were conducting investigations into drug trafficking organizations that distributed meth throughout the area. This led them to Torres’ residence on Old Brownsville Road in Corpus Christi where he was believed to be involved in the distribution of drugs.
The investigation involved the controlled purchases of more than 160 grams of high potency meth known as “ice.”
A search warrant at the residence resulted in the discovery of a firearm, ammunition, large capacity magazines, cocaine, narcotics packaging materials and other indicia of drug sales. Law enforcement also discovered Homietos gang paraphernalia and clothing.
Per federal law, Torres is prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance and for being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2009.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; FBI; Corpus Christi Police Department Gang Unit and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the joint investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Paxton prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide initiative that brings together federal and local law enforcement officials, prosecutors and community leaders to stop violent crime.
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