Former Progreso mayor scheduled for trial in July

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS (ValleyCentral) — The former mayor of Progreso, who is accused of participating in a scheme to store drugs at a middle school, may head to trial in July.

During a hearing on Tuesday morning, U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. scheduled Gerardo “Jerry” Alanis, 31, of Progreso for jury selection on July 8. The trial could take about two weeks.

“It could be less,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra Andrade, depending on what happens with the other defendants.

The federal drug trafficking case against Alanis is linked to cases in McAllen and North Carolina, Andrade said, and the government plans to call a significant number of witnesses. Some of the witnesses must be transported from federal prisons to Brownsville.

“That, unfortunately, does take a little bit of time,” Andrade said.

The case against Alanis started in August 2020, when a trucker stopped at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita.

Agents found about 30 pounds of cocaine “in the rear differential of the semi-truck,” Andrade said during a hearing in May 2022.

The trucker, Joe Rosbel Salas Jr., 42, of Progreso, had worked for the Progreso Independent School District. Faced with a minimum of 10 years in federal prison, Salas cooperated with the government.

Prosecutors brought charges against seven other people, including Jerry Alanis and his brother, former Progreso school board President Francisco “Frank” Alanis.

Homeland Security Investigations, which is part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, arrested Frank Alanis in October 2023.

Agents also searched a home owned by their mother, Maria De La Luz Alanis, where they found more than $722,000 stashed in three black safes.

U.S. Border Patrol Agent Pablo Barrera, who testified during a hearing in March, said that Maria De La Luz Alanis told agents the safes belonged to Frank Alanis.

Frank Alanis and his mother both work for the city of Progreso.

After being released from jail, Frank Alanis returned to City Hall. He also remains a member of the school board.

Homeland Security Investigations arrested Jerry Alanis in March.

Informants claimed Jerry Alanis had participated in a scheme to store and package drugs at Dorothy Thompson Middle School in Progreso, Barrera said.

Jerry Alanis, a computer technician, worked in a building on the middle school campus.

“One of the sources stated that he, himself, was inside that IT building repackaging cocaine,” Barrera said.

Agents searched the building in October 2023.

“We did encounter one of the rooms that nobody had a key to. We were able to get the maintenance service from the school to forcefully enter that room, which took them approximately 30 to 45 minutes to get in,” Barrera said. “When the room was open, there was nothing inside. But it did hold value and corroborate the information that the source provided.”

Agents found rolls of vacuum-seal bags in the locked room, Barrera said. Smugglers frequently use the bags to package drugs.

In an interview with federal agents, the informant had described boxes stored in the room.

“We did take pictures of those boxes,” Barrera said. “And, to the ‘T,’ the source was able to identify those exact boxes he was using inside the IT room to repackage narcotics.”

Progreso ISD fired Jerry Alanis after his arrest. He also resigned as mayor.

Jerry Alanis and Frank Alanis are charged with conspiracy to possess more than 5 kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute. They pleaded not guilty.

If convicted at trial, they face a minimum of 10 years in federal prison.