Gang member sent back to prison for drug trafficking related-conviction following multiagency investigation involving HSI Corpus Christi

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A gang member with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison Jan. 24 for drug trafficking-related charges following a multiagency investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Corpus Christi; Drug Enforcement Administration Houston; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Houston; FBI Houston and the Corpus Christi Police Department.

Phil Cuellar III, a 36-year-old resident of Corpus Christi and documented gang member, was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to 168 months in federal prison to be followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines. Cuellar was further sentenced to an additional 20 months in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release for a previous felon in possession of a firearm conviction. Ten months of the sentence for violating his supervised release are to be served concurrently with his other sentence and 10 months will be served consecutively for a total of 178 months in federal prison. Cuellar pleaded guilty to the charges on Aug. 7, 2023.

The investigation began after Cuellar attempted to sell narcotics using social media. On May 24, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on his residence. During the search, authorities found 389 grams of meth, over 27 grams of heroin, cocaine, marijuana and THC cartridges, almost $20,000, and a loaded firearm that had been reported stolen.

During the hearing, the court heard additional evidence regarding Cuellar’s extensive criminal history including two prior felony drug possession convictions involving intent to deliver, evading arrest in a vehicle, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and his membership in one of the most dangerous criminal street gangs in Texas, Tango Blast.

Cuellar will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara J. De Pena and Brittany Jensen prosecuted the case.

For more news and information on HSI’s efforts to aggressively investigate drug trafficking and transnational gangs in Southeast Texas follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @HSIHouston.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’ largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement