Five charged in assault of Paisas gang members

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A six-month investigation by the FBI has led to the indictment of five men on charges stemming from an assault on newly arrived inmates at a federal processing center in Laredo, Texas.

A federal grand jury on Tuesday charged Ruben Salazar, Jose Regalado Solis, Javier Contreras, Ronaldo Otoniel Pena and Jesus Guadalupe Ortega with a count each of conspiracy, aiding and abetting, assault with an improvised stabbing implement and assault with a dangerous weapon.

The five allegedly welcomed eight self-professed members of the Paisas gang to the Rio Grande Detention Center last August by punching, kicking and stabbing them. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas states four of the victims were taken to a hospital unconscious, with stab wounds, and liver lacerations. The other four suffered bleeding and bruises.

The facility is run by a private contractor housing detainees for the U.S. Marshals Service.

The complaint alleges an intake corrections officer on Aug. 19 walked nine men to the H1 block of the facility and “almost immediately” closed the door behind them.

An inmate later identified as Ortega faced the group and asked them to which gang they belonged. Eight allegedly claimed to be members of the Paisas Mexican prison gang while the ninth man said he did not belong to any gang.

The complaint alleges Ortega told the ninth man to stay where he was and ordered the eight Paisas to move to the back of the building near the showers. Several inmates hurried to put their shoes on and moved shirtless toward the new arrivals, showing off tattoos. A brutal assault with an improvised stabbing tool, fists and kicks followed with some of the Paisas being stomped on after falling to the floor, the complaint alleges.

Court documents don’t disclose if the alleged assailants belonged to a rival gang.

A U.S. Magistrate judge in Laredo has called material witnesses to a hearing on May 20 and has set arraignment for the accused on May 23. The charges carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.

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