SAN ANTONIO -- Nineteen out of twenty Texas Syndicate gang members indicted for racketeering in 2011 reached a plea deal in federal court Thursday.
Federal prosecutors say those 19 members either pleaded guilty or agreed to plea guilty to racketeering stemming from a series of shootings and murders. Back in December of 2011, the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency and other local agencies arrested the gang members on charges of murder, attempted murder, conspiracy, and drug trafficking. Investigators say the raid hit the Texas Syndicate operation extremely hard.
Since then, federal investigators and prosecutors have also connected some of the gang members to the March 2011 murder of Troy Lambirth. Investigators say Lambirth was an innocent bystander simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Lambirth was shot and killed as he drove along Loop 410 at Exchange Parkway.
Prosecutors say some of the gang members were also involved in the July, 2011 shooting ambush of 32-year-old Priscilla Vidaurri, her husband Henry Vidaurri, and their 9-year old son. The young mother was killed. Her husband was wounded but managed to save their son by pushing him out of the way.
Sentencing in the case is set to begin on March 22nd.
