Timeline: Drugs and Politics in Progreso

In Progreso, drugs and politics frequently go hand-in-hand. At least four members of the school board and two mayors were convicted on drug trafficking charges during the past four decades.

Nov. 21, 1989

Progreso school board Trustee Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr. is sentenced to five years and 11 months in federal prison for smuggling marijuana.

Aug. 4, 2004

Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr. is hired by the Progreso Independent School District. He becomes the director of Maintenance and Transportation.

Dec. 14, 2004

Francisco “Frank” Alanis is hired by the city of Progreso.

The job, city secretary, pays $5.50 per hour. 

July 11, 2007

Progreso school board Trustee Raul Garcia is indicted on federal drug trafficking charges.

Aug. 1, 2007

Raul Garcia pleads guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge.

As part of his plea, Garcia confessed to creating a bogus trucking company. Trucks registered to Garcia’s company transported cocaine from Texas to Florida.

Sept. 20, 2007

The school board accepts Raul Garcia’s resignation. Trustees appoint Michael R. Vela, one of Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr.'s sons, to fill the vacant position.

March 19, 2008

Raul Garcia is sentenced to eight years and five months in prison.

May 27, 2011

Gerardo “Jerry” Alanis graduates from Progreso High School.

Aug. 10, 2011

Jerry Alanis is hired by the Progreso Independent School District.

Aug. 28, 2013

The FBI arrests Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr. on public corruption charges.

After being released from jail, Vela resigns from his job at Progreso ISD.

April 5, 2014

Progreso school board Trustee Felix Hernandez Jr. is caught transporting about 1,250 pounds of marijuana through Hidalgo County.

April 9, 2014

Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr. pleads guilty to conspiracy and bribery charges.

April 10, 2014

Arturo Aleman joins the Progreso City Council.

Aleman replaced Juan J. Ramos Jr., who resigned to run for school board.

Aug. 11, 2014

Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr. is sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison.

Aug. 19, 2014

After winning a special election, Arturo Aleman is sworn in as mayor of Progreso.

Aleman replaces Mayor Omar L. Vela — another of Jose Guadalupe Vela Jr.'s sons — who resigned after pleading guilty to public corruption charges.

Voters also elect Jerry Alanis to fill a vacant seat on the City Council.

Dec. 14, 2015

Three masked men break into Frank Alanis’ house. Frank and his wife fight them off.

Why the men broke into Frank’s house remains unclear.

During an interview with the Texas Rangers, Frank denied that any of his family members work in the drug business.

Jan. 28, 2016

Felix Hernandez Jr. is placed on community supervision and fined $5,000.

May 18, 2016

Frank Alanis joins the Progreso school board.

Minutes after the swearing-in ceremony, trustees unanimously vote to make Frank the board president.

Nov. 23, 2017

Jerry Alanis is sworn in as mayor of Progreso.

He replaces Arturo Aleman, who decided not to run for re-election.

March 25, 2019

Progreso ISD bus driver Joe Rosbel Salas Jr. is fired.

June 13, 2020

Border Patrol stops a truck at the Sarita checkpoint. During a search, agents find nearly 54 pounds of cocaine.

The driver, Ruben Toscano Jr., is arrested. 

Aug. 8, 2020

Border Patrol stops another truck at the Sarita checkpoint. During a search, agents find about 30 pounds of cocaine.

The driver, Joe Rosbel Salas Jr., is released.

March 2, 2021

Joe Rosbel Salas Jr. is indicted on federal drug trafficking charges.

Jan. 26, 2023

U.S. Customs and Border Protection calls the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office after Frank and Jerry attempt to drive across the Progreso bridge while intoxicated.

The Sheriff’s Office issues warnings to Frank and Jerry. They're released to Progreso police Chief Cesar Solis.

July 19, 2023

After cooperating with the government, Ruben Toscano Jr. is sentenced to three years and nine months in federal prison.

Oct. 13, 2023

Homeland Security Investigations arrests Frank Alanis on federal drug trafficking charges.

The indictment against Frank links him to cocaine seized from Ruben Toscano Jr. and Joe Rosbel Salas Jr. in 2020.

Oct. 24, 2023

During his detention hearing, Frank Alanis is ordered to avoid “all contact” with Progreso school board Trustee Juan J. Ramos Jr., Progreso police Chief Cesar Solis and his brother, Progreso Mayor Jerry Alanis.

Nov. 30, 2023

After cooperating with the government, Joe Rosbel Salas Jr. is sentenced to three years and 11 months in prison.

March 18, 2024

Jerry Alanis is arrested on federal drug trafficking charges.

April 4, 2024

Jerry Alanis resigns as mayor of Progreso.

In an unsigned, undated letter submitted from his wife’s email account, Jerry doesn’t explain why he decided to resign.

May 6, 2024

Frank Alanis resigns from the Progreso school board.

“Throughout the years, my only role has always been to give the very best of my abilities for the best interest of the students,” Frank writes in his resignation letter. “I find my way in a position to move on apart from the School District.”

The resignation letter doesn’t mention the federal drug trafficking charges against him.

Sept. 24, 2024

Former Progreso Mayor Arturo Aleman pleads guilty to a federal drug trafficking charge.

As part of his plea, Aleman admits to working with Frank Alanis, Jerry Alanis, Joe Rosbel Salas Jr. and Ruben Toscano Jr.

Oct. 1, 2024

Frank Alanis pleads guilty to possession of 5 kilograms — about 11 pounds — or more of cocaine with intent to distribute.

As part of his plea, Frank Alanis admits to “financially backing” a drug trafficking organization.

Dec. 12, 2024

Frank Alanis is fired by the city of Progreso.

“Your recent guilty plea to drug charges is in direct violation of the standards of conduct expected of a public official in our city,” Interim City Manager Pedro “Pete” Treviño writes in Frank’s termination memo.

March 11, 2025

Arturo Aleman is sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison.

“I am sorry. I am not asking you to forgive me,” Aleman told the judge, adding that he simply wanted a fair sentence. “Even though I did this to myself.”

May 3, 2025

Frank Alanis is charged with assaulting his wife.

Frank smelled like alcohol, according to the criminal complaint against him, and refused to cooperate with the police.

July 8, 2025

Frank Alanis is sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison.

Dressed in an orange jail uniform, Frank apologized to his family and the community. He told U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. that he was “hanging out with the wrong people.”