Houston Field Division
Photo used under Creative Commons from flickr user Adam Baker
Welcome to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Field Division website. The Houston Division includes all of Southern Texas from Del Rio, San Antonio, Waco and Austin over to Beaumont and down to Corpus Christi, McAllen and Laredo. Our dedicated employees are special agents, investigators, auditors, technicians and support staff.
ATF Houston is committed to reducing violent crime in our neighborhoods. We accomplish this by targeting specific criminal organizations, gun traffickers and violent offenders under Project Safe Neighborhoods, Project Gunrunner and the Violent Crime Impact Teams.
Explosives and arson enforcement is an integral part of ATF’s overall violent crime reduction strategy. ATF Houston special agents combat arson and explosives-related crimes by conducting independent investigations and by working in partnership with local and state fire investigators and police bomb squads.
ATF also has the duty of regulating the firearms and explosives industries. Our industry operations investigators work to ensure that all firearms and explosives are stored, handled and sold in a safe manner according to law.
Since Houston is the number one origination point of firearms recovered in crimes in Mexico, firearms trafficking is an investigative priority. Recently we detailed 100 agents, investigators and support staff for 120 days to Houston and the border with Mexico to combat firearms trafficking. The initiative, called Gunrunner Impact Teams (GRIT) was very successful resulting in hundreds of criminal investigations and over 1000 firearms dealer inspections.
We encourage all residents to get involved and assist us in our goal of reducing crime in our communities. Give us a call and let us know what we can do for you.
Melvin D. King
Division Management Team
- Melvin D. King
- Special Agent In Charge (SAC)
- Todd Reichert
- Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
- Gary Orchowski
- Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
- Crisanto Perez
- Assistant Special Agent In Charge (ASAC)
- Tanarra James
- Director of Industry Operations (DIO)
- Franceska Perot
- Public Information Officer (PIO)
Division Contact Information
Receive Houston Press Release Updates
Detention Center Employees Convicted on Federal Firearms Charges
September 10, 2012
LAREDO, Texas – Seven Laredo residents have pleaded guilty to making false statements in connection with firearms purchases from local gun stores, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Melvin King Jr., special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.More »
More Arrests in Local Gun Store Indictment
September 4, 2012
LAREDO, Texas – The last four persons named in last week's indictment of a local gun store owner and his wife have been taken into custody by federal authorities, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Jerry Robinette, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Antonio and Melvin King Jr., special agent in charge of the ATF.More »
21-Year-Old Houston Woman Sentenced for Straw Purchasing Firearms
September 4, 2012
McALLEN, Texas – Nayely Ruby Herrera, 21, of Houston, has been handed a 36-month-term of federal imprisonment for making a false statement concerning the purchase of firearms on ATF Form 4473, commonly referred to as straw purchasing, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Member Sentenced for Jefferson County Shooting
August 23, 2012
BEAUMONT, Texas – A member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) was sentenced for his role in the 2009 shooting of a man in Jefferson County, Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales of the Eastern District of Texas.More »
Orange County Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms Violation
August 21, 2012
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 27-year-old Orange, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.More »
Local Gun Store Owner and Wife Arrested for Numerous Alleged Firearms Violations
August 20, 2012
Laredo, Texas – Robert Jacaman Sr. and his wife, Veronica Jacaman, have been arrested following the return of an 11-count federal indictment alleging a variety of violations associated with the selling of firearms and ammunition, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Possessing a Firearm
August 13, 2012
McALLEN, Texas – Alexis Nazareth Mendez, 22, of Edinburg, Texas, has been sentenced to prison for illegal possession of a firearm, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Naser Jason Abdo Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison in Connection with Killeen, Texas Bomb Plot
August 10, 2012
Naser Jason Abdo, age 22, will spend the rest of his life in federal prison for plotting to kill American soldiers and others near Fort Hood, Texas, announced Assistant Attorney General for National Security Lisa Monaco, United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez and Killeen Police Chief Dennis M. Baldwin.More »
Three Indicted in Austin for Conspiracy to Possess Machine Guns
August 8, 2012
Three San Antonio residents face multiple federal firearms charges in connection with an attempt to purchase machine guns announced United States Attorney Robert Pitman.More »
ATF Offers $5,000 Reward for Garden Ridge Fire
August 8, 2012
HOUSTON – ATF Houston Field Division Special Agent in Charge Melvin D. King, Jr. today announced a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting a fire inside of the Garden Ridge Home Décor Store located at 16788 I-45, Conroe, Texas.More »
Federal Jury Convicts Port Arthur Man for Role in Kidnapping and Carjacking Scheme
August 3, 2012
BEAUMONT, Texas – A 33-year-old Port Arthur, Texas man has been convicted in a carjacking case as a result of Operation Time Machine in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.More »
Three Arrested for Alleged Unlawful Manufacturing of Firearms
August 1, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two men and one woman have been charged with aiding, abetting and assisting one another in dealing and manufacturing firearms without a federal license, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Leader of Straw Purchasing Cell Gets 10 Years in Federal Prison
July 26, 2012
MCALLEN, Texas – The leader of a straw purchasing cell and another defendant have just been handed significant sentences for their respective roles in the recruiting of others to make false statements on ATF forms 4473 in the acquisition of firearms from FFL, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
New Leader for ATF Houston Field Division
July 23, 2012
Houston – Melvin D. King, Jr. has reported to Houston as the new Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Houston Field Division which encompasses all of Southern Texas. Mr. King brings 27 years of law enforcement experience to Houston.More »
Father and Son Sentenced for Straw Purchasing
July 25, 2012
MCALLEN, Texas – A father and son involved in making false statements on ATF forms 4473 in the acquisition of firearms from federal firearms licensees (FFL) will now be serving prison terms, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
San Antonio Firearms Straw Purchasing/Trafficking Ringleader Sentenced to Federal Prison
July 24, 2012
United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Special Agent in Charge Melvin D. King, Jr., Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Houston Division and Special Agent in Charge Jerry Robinette, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio announced that in Del Rio, 27-year-old Marino Castro, Jr. of San Antonio, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release in connection with a firearms straw purchasing and trafficking scheme.More »
Former Sheriff’s Deputies and Convicted Felons Indicted in Relation to Drug Conspiracy, Firearm Possession
June 19, 2012
McALLEN, Texas — Two former deputy sheriffs from Duval County, Texas, have been indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Jury Convicts Houston Woman for Straw Purchasing Firearms
June 7, 2012
McALLEN, Texas — Nayely Ruby Herrera, 21, of Houston, has been convicted of making a false statement concerning the purchase of firearms on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Form 4473, commonly referred to as straw purchasing, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. The jury returned its verdict after two hours of trial and approximately 30 minutes of deliberation in McAllen, Texas.More »
Several Houstonians Arrested in Firearms and Drug Investigation
June 7, 2012
HOUSTON — A total of five people from Houston are now in custody following the return of a 15–count federal indictment, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. The partially unsealed indictment, alleges conspiracy, making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms, smuggling goods from the United States, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.More »
Raza Unida Gang Member Gets Life in Meth Trafficking Conspiracy
May 24, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Orlando Garcia, 33, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been sentenced to life in federal prison following his conviction of drug trafficking in a conspiracy that involved gang leadership both inside and outside of the Texas prison system, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Garcia was convicted in February by a federal jury and is the final defendant to be found guilty in a seven–count indictment that involved 13 other defendants.More »
Jury Convicts Naser Jason Abdo on All Counts in Connection with Killeen Bomb Plot
May 24, 2012
A jury this afternoon in Waco, convicted 22–year–old Naser Jason Abdo on federal charges in connection with a July bomb plot in Killeen, Texas. That announcement was made by United States Attorney Robert Pitman and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Armando Fernandez.More »
Peñitas Man Handed Sentence for Trafficking Firearms, Ammunition and Military Vests
May 24, 2012
McALLEN, Texas — Juan Ricardo Puente–Paez, a legal permanent resident alien residing in Peñitas, Texas, has been sentenced to 95 months in federal prison for the trafficking of firearms, ammunition and military vests as a result of an investigation that began in May 2010, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Puente–Paez, 34, pleaded guilty Feb. 29, 2012, to the attempted exportation of military spec body armor vests before United States District Judge Micaela Alvarez.More »
Federal Agents Arrest Two Eagle Pass Brothers Charged with Ammunition Smuggling
April 10, 2012
United States Attorney Robert Pitman, ICE–HSI Special Agent in Charge Jerry Robinette and ATF Acting Special Agent in Charge Gary Orchowski announced the arrests today of Eagle Pass, Texas, residents Richard Hesles, Jr., age 32 and his brother, Damien Hesles, age 22, in connection with a scheme to smuggle over 6,000 rounds of ammunition and hundreds of firearm magazines into the Republic of Mexico.More »
Progresso Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison For Possessing a Firearm
April 10, 2012
McALLEN, Texas – Sergio Hernandez Jr., 21, of Progresso, Texas, has been sentenced to 110 months in federal prison for illegally possessing a revolver, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. As a previously-convicted felon, Hernandez was banned under federal law from possessing any firearm that had crossed state lines. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane further ordered he serve three years on supervised release following completion of his prison term.More »
Chambers County Woman Convicted of Conspiracy Involving Destructive Devices
March 30, 2012
HOUSTON – Pamela Leggett, 31, of Anhuac, Texas, has entered a plea of guilty to conspiracy to illegally receive, make and possess unregistered firearms and destructive devices and to aiding and abetting illegal possession of an unlawful machine gun, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) acting Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Orchowski.More »
Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Member Sentenced for Role in 2009 Jefferson County Shooting
March 27, 2012
BEAUMONT, Texas — A member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) was sentenced today his role in the 2009 shooting of a man in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.More »
Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Member Convicted in Houston of Racketeering Charges
March 21, 2012
WASHINGTON – Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT) gang member David Harlow was found guilty today by Senior U.S. District Judge Ewing Werlein Jr. in Houston of racketeering aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit racketeering aggravated assault for his role in the 2008 beating of a gang prospect.More »
Three Men Sentenced for Roles in a Straw Purchasing Ring
March 19, 2012
McALLEN, Texas – Three men have been sentenced to varying terms of federal prison for their roles in lying on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) forms 4473, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
ATF’s National Response Team Activated to Investigate Channelview Flea Market Fire
March 19, 2012
CHANNELVIEW, TX — Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team (NRT) along with ATF Special Agents from the Houston Field Division have been activated by a request from the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office to investigate a fire at the White Elephant Flea Market located at 15660 East Freeway (I–10), Channelview, Texas. The fire occurred early Friday, March 16. The team of two dozen agents and specialists arrived late today and will start the scene investigation in the morning. The local ATF Arson Task Force and investigators from the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office are already on the scene.More »
HPL Felon Gets 24+ Years
March 15, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Previously convicted felon Richard Angel Gonzales, 39, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been handed a 293-month prison term, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Raza Unida Gang Leader Gets 30 Years for Racketeering
March 8, 2012
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Raza Unida Gang Leader Karlos Bouchot, 35, of Corpus Christi, Texas, has been was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Kidnapper Gets Max For Illegal Possession of a Firearm
March 8, 2012
LAREDO, Texas – Gerardo Banda Jr., a 26-year-old Laredo resident, has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for illegally possessing two handguns that he used to threaten and kidnap another person, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Senior United States District Judge George Kazen handed Banda the maximum sentence for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and further ordered he serve a three-year-term of supervised release after completing his sentence.More »
Leader of Weapon Smuggling Organization Sent to Federal Prison
March 8, 2012
VICTORIA, Texas — Saul Salinas Salazar, 26, of Pasadena, Texas, has been sentenced to 84 months in prison for conspiracy to smuggle firearms into Mexico and for making false statements with regards to purchasing firearms, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
10 Sentenced for Involvement in Straw Purchase and Export Ring
March 1, 2012
McALLEN, Texas – Ten people have been sentenced today for their roles in making false statement on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) forms 4473 in the acquisition of firearms from federal firearms licensees (FFL) and exporting those firearms to Mexico, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Four of Five Convicted for Roles in Attempted Armored Car Robbery Land in Federal Prison
February 9, 2012
HOUSTON — Four Houston residents have been sentenced to prison for the attempted robbery of an armored car, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
San Antonio Men Sentenced in Firearms Straw Purchasing/Trafficking Investigation
February 8, 2012
United States Attorney Robert Pitman, Special Agent in Charge Gary Orchowski, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Houston Division and Special Agent in Charge Jerry Robinette, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement–Homeland Security Investigations in San Antonio announced that two San Antonio men–23–year–old Keith Edwards and 22–year–old Ricky Gonzales–have been sentenced to 87 and 42 months in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a firearms straw purchasing and trafficking investigation.More »
Baytown Man Gets More Federal Prison Time for Exportation of Firearms
January 30, 2012
HOUSTON — Manuel Gomez Barba, of Baytown, Texas, has been sentenced to 100 months for exportation of firearms, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) acting Special Agent in Charge Gary Orchowski and Immigration and Customs Enforcement — Homeland Security Investigations (ICE–HSI) Special Agent in Charge Robert Rutt.More »
ATF, Crime-Stoppers and Local Law Enforcement Offer Reward for Information on Gun Store Burglaries
January 26, 2012
HOUSTON – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Crime Stoppers of Houston and local law enforcement agencies announce today a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons responsible for eight burglaries at Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) in the Houston area. More »
Port Arthur Man Sentenced for Armed Robbery Spree
January 26, 2012
BEAUMONT, Texas — A 31–year–old Port Arthur, Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a crime spree targeting area businesses in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.More »
Pharr Man Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Buy Almost Two Dozen Firearms Destined for Mexico
January 25, 2012
McALLEN, Texas – Lying to buy almost two dozen firearms destined for Mexico has netted a Pharr, Texas, man a prison term, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.More »
Laredo Man Gets 10 Years for Illegal Possession
January 12, 2012
LAREDO, Texas – Ruben Ibarra, 37, of Laredo, Texas, has been sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today for illegally possessing a firearm, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Laredo Police Department Chief Carlos R. Maldonado. The conviction and sentence stems from an altercation at the Coyote Creek Bar and Grill restaurant during the early morning hours of Feb. 28, 2011, involving Ibarra and Fernando Perez, 28, also of Laredo.More »