Sixteen ICE holds in one week, and multiple federal prison sentences are driving the latest Texas Takedown.
In Denton County, a cluster of recent arrests, many tied to alleged assault, driving while intoxicated, and drug possession, highlights ongoing cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration authorities. At the same time, newly announced federal prosecutions across Texas detail large-scale human smuggling and narcotics trafficking cases that prosecutors say are linked to transnational criminal organizations.
Sixteen ICE Holds Logged In Denton County As Assault, DUI Cases Lead Weekly Tally
Law enforcement in Denton County recorded 16 individuals with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holds between April 2 and April 9, 2026, with the most recent arrests involving assault and intoxication-related charges.
Lerma Bacasiari, Jose M
Lerma Bacasiari, Jose M
Lerma Bacasiari was booked on April 9, 2026, by the Little Elm Police Department.
He faces a charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
Cerrato-Albarez, Ifrael
Cerrato-Albarez, Ifrael
Cerrato-Albarez was booked on April 8, 2026, by the Frisco Police Department.
He faces charges of driving while intoxicated with an open alcohol container and possession of a controlled substance between one and four grams.
Fuentes, Wilmer R
Fuentes, Wilmer R
Fuentes was booked on April 8, 2026, by the Denton County Sheriff’s Office.
He is charged with assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
The remaining individuals booked during the reporting period include:
- Lerma Bacasiari, Jose M (April 9, 2026)
- Cerrato-Albarez, Ifrael (April 8, 2026)
- Fuentes, Wilmer R (April 8, 2026)
- Palma Mesita, Hermenegildo (April 7, 2026)
- Salanic Garcia, Edwin J (April 7, 2026)
- Barrera Garcia, Erlin (April 6, 2026)
- Guerrero Castillo, Roberto (April 6, 2026)
- Lopez-Basquez, Jose (April 6, 2026)
- Murillo Batres, Osvaldo (April 5, 2026)
- Noriega Cruz, Mauricio (April 5, 2026)
- Cerrato Rodriguez, Osman N (April 4, 2026)
- Lumbreras-Lopez, Jaime (April 4, 2026)
- Ramirez Ascencio, Inocencio (April 4, 2026)
- Avila-Marquez, Henry (April 3, 2026)
- Cruz-Garcia, Javier (April 3, 2026)
- Silva-Nunez, Francisco J (April 3, 2026)
County booking data reviewed by DX indicates that the majority of these cases involved allegations of driving while intoxicated, marijuana possession, or assault-related offenses.
An ICE hold, also known as an immigration detainer, is a request from federal immigration authorities asking local law enforcement agencies to notify ICE before releasing an individual and to hold that person for up to 48 hours beyond their scheduled release.
According to ICE’s website, detainers are typically issued when there is probable cause to believe the individual is removable under federal immigration law and may pose a public safety or national security concern.
The Dallas Express reached out to the Denton County Sheriff’s Office for comment on the recent bookings, but did not receive a response by publication deadline.
A recent case in North Texas highlighted other county-level enforcement activity. Authorities in Parker County arrested Ernesto Rocha Ramirez on felony charges tied to an alleged cockfighting operation involving hundreds of birds, some of which investigators said showed signs of abuse, according to a prior report by DX.
Federal Prosecutions Highlight Large-Scale Smuggling, Drug Trafficking Cases
Separate federal enforcement actions across Texas this week underscore broader efforts targeting transnational criminal activity tied to immigration violations.
In Laredo, a 27-year-old Mexican national was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for her role in what prosecutors described in a press release as a cartel-linked human smuggling operation. Authorities in the Southern District of Texas alleged Giovana Lozano Hernandez acted as a financial coordinator for a network connected to Cartel del Noreste that smuggled more than 1,900 individuals into the United States. The case was closed in the federal PACER system on April 8, 2026, and is no longer available for public review.
In another case, federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas announced that Pedro Alvarado-Montiel, a 42-year-old Mexican national, received a 262-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to import methamphetamine. Authorities alleged the investigation uncovered heroin and other narcotics, along with firearms and drug trafficking materials, during searches tied to the case.
Court documents also describe a co-defendant who was previously caught attempting to transport methamphetamine and heroin concealed inside a car battery at a port of entry.
Federal officials said these cases are part of a broader initiative aimed at dismantling cartel-linked operations and transnational criminal organizations.
Texas Takedown Weekly is a recurring series from The Dallas Express tracking immigration enforcement and related criminal cases across the state. To read the previous edition, click here: Texas Takedown Weekly: Dallas Truck Assault On Deputy Marshal & Border Patrol Drug Bust.
