Authorities arrest 17 Houston-area residents on gun and drug charges

Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Seventeen Houston-area residents have been arrested in connection with gun and drug crimes over the last week, the U.S. Justice Department's Houston Violent Crime Initiative said Thursday.

"Of the 17 defendants arrested this week, all have made initial appearances, and detention hearings are set for Sept. 3 and 4 before U.S. Magistrate Judges Christina Bryan and Yvonne Ho, respectively," a release from the Justice Department said. "Three additional defendants were already in custody on related charges and are expected to make initial appearances before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future."

A federal grand jury returned six indictments charging 16 people with crimes related to drug distribution between July 31 and Aug. 22, according to court documents. Two defendants were indicted for illegal possession of a machine gun. One defendant faces a charge of maintaining drug premises, the Justice Department said.

"The charges allege conduct involving over 30 firearms, over 150 grams of methamphetamine and more than 15 kilograms of cocaine, collectively. In connection with the arrests, law enforcement executed search warrants that resulted in the seizure of 10 firearms, $26,000 in cash as well as cocaine and crack cocaine," the release said.

Sixteen of the defendants are facing charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances as well as multiple counts of possessing controlled substances with intent to distribute them. They face a maximum sentence of life in prison if convicted.

"Eight of the defendants are charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and/or possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for the felon in possession of a firearm offense and a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison for the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime offense," the release said.

The indictments are the latest in a series of 23 charging 77 defendants as part of the Criminal Division's Houston Violent Crime Initiative, an initiative that started in September 2022. It is a cooperative effort between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.