Former Progreso mayor pleads guilty to ‘investing’ in cocaine loads

Progreso’s former mayor on Tuesday pleaded guilty to “investing in multiple cocaine loads,” court records show.

Gerardo Alanis pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine after reaching a plea deal with federal prosecutors.

His brother, former Progreso school board president Francisco Javier Alanis, pleaded guilty last October to a similar charge.

Gerardo Alanis was arrested in March 2024 while Francisco Javier Alanis was arrested in October 2023.

A plea agreement for the former mayor said he conspired with Jose Rosbel Salas, David Gomez-Ramos, Gregorio Salinas and others to distribute cocaine.

“Gerardo Alanis Martinez furthered the conspiracy by providing a financial interest and picking up the illegal proceeds from the transportation of cocaine to other locations within the United States for further distribution,” the agreement states.

Furthermore, Gerardo Alanis financially invested in multiple cocaine loads, including a load of approximately 30 pounds of cocaine seized by Border Patrol at the Falfurrias checkpoint.

That bust happened on Aug. 8, 2020.

Francisco Javier Alanis also reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors.

Francisco Javier Alanis Martinez

“(Francisco Javier) Alanis provided money or financing to obtain tractor trailers, insurance with the purpose of using said tractor trailers for the transportation of cocaine from Progreso, Texas to other predetermined places within the United States,” his plea agreement stated.

During a court hearing following his arrest, authorities revealed that investigators found “packaging materials for narcotics” at his workspace at the Progreso school district.

“Cooperating individuals stated that the defendant was storing narcotics at the public school where he worked in Progreso, Texas,” court documents stated. “Cooperating individuals stated the defendant was re-packaging narcotics at the public middle school where he worked in Progreso, Texas.”

Francisco Javier Alanis is scheduled for sentencing in April while Gerardo Alanis is set for a June sentencing.

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