Mexican Mafia members sent to prison for slashings, shootings, drugs

The gallery provides a look at some of the largest gangs in Texas. The gallery provides a look at some of the largest gangs in Texas. Photo: Guillermo Contreras, Photo Illustration Photo: Guillermo Contreras, Photo Illustration Image 1 of / 24 Caption Close Mexican Mafia members sent to prison for slashings, shootings, drugs 1 / 24 Back to Gallery

Drive to strip club in San Antonio to buy drugs. Go back to New Braunfels. Rob, shoot or slash people who aren’t paying an extortion tax. Repeat.

Members of a New Braunfels crew of the Texas Mexican Mafia that partook in such a pattern for at least two years were sentenced Monday to federal prison terms ranging from five years to more than 19 years.

The violent enforcement of the San Antonio-based gang’s drug-distribution efforts and collection of a street tax from other drug dealers led New Braunfels authorities to seek help from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in San Antonio.

On Monday, Chief U.S. District Judge Fred Biery sentenced six Eme members or prospects, and nearly all got far more time than the guy who ordered them to commit the crimes: Abraham “Puppet” Ramirez.

Ramirez, 30, was the gang’s acting lieutenant for New Braunfels and was responsible for overseeing the gang’s collection of the 10 percent street tax, known as “the dime,” there until he was arrested in 2013 and flipped. As a result, he was sentenced in November to 80 months in prison for violating the Hobbs Act (interfering with commerce through robbery, violence or extortion) and conspiracy to distribute meth, instead of the possible 20 years he faced, court records show.

He ordered minions to rob drug dealers who didn’t pay up, and to use more violent means if they refused to pay or fell further behind.

In the wake of his orders, his crew committed several drive-by shootings, shot two suspected drug dealers, slashed two more with machetes and put lots of methamphetamine on the streets of central Texas, court records show.

“On a weekly basis, Ramirez and others acting at Ramirez’s direction traveled to gentlemen’s clubs in San Antonio to meet with (other) members of the...Texas Mexican Mafia,” at which point they would buy meth to distribute in New Braunfels and surrounding areas, Ramirez’s plea deal said.

Ramirez’s most immediate underling, gang sergeant Ignacio “Iggy” Flores Jr., 32, was sentenced Monday to 235 months in prison. His brother, Nicholas Jose Flores, 31, received and identical sentence.

Meanwhile, Rene Zamaripa, 38, got 188 months; Juan “Johnny Boy” Vega, 33, received 130 months for the extortion conspiracy; and Javier Martin Meza, 30, got 160 months. Gary “G-Monster” Gonzales, 23, got five years for participating solely in the drug dealing.

Another crew member, Julian “Oso” Morales, 36, was sentenced in May to 128 months in prison.

An associate, Rocky Esquivel, was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for possessing methamphetamine and having four guns used in other crimes.

gcontreras@express-news.net

Twitter: @gmaninfedland