Published: September 18, 2009 11:15 am      

Street gang members sentenced to federal prison

WICHITA FALLS — U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor sentenced five members of the Puro Lil Mafia (PLM) street gang following their guilty pleas to various firearms offenses, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. In April 2008, three of the five, Andrew Cecil Harris, 36; Hugo Lopez, 22; and Betty Bustillos, 25; were arrested by members of the Wichita Falls Police Department and FBI agents on federal weapons charges in an early morning round-up. The other two, Jessie James Greek; 27, and Jason Grantham, 20, were already in state/local custody on related charges. Andrew Cecil Harris pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. He was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison.

Hugo Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison.

Betty Bustillos pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm and was sentenced to 36 months probation with six months of that to be served in home confinement.

Jessie James Greek pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison.

Jason Grantham pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 41 months in the bureau of prisons.

Earlier this month, the known leader of the PLM gang, Mauricio Diaz, 33, was convicted at trial on one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faces up to life in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 15, 2009, by Judge O’Connor.

Diaz’s conviction brings the total to 14 PLM gang members who were charged federally and have been convicted. Other sentencings are scheduled for later this fall.

U.S. Attorney Jacks praised the excellent investigative efforts of the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Wichita Falls Police Department, the Wichita Falls County Sheriff’s Office, the Wichita Falls City Attorney’s Office and the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taly Haffar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Hector M. Valle prosecuted the cases.