In a heightened charge against drug-related violence in Texas, two Dallas men are facing severe federal charges after one of them allegedly fired upon an undercover federal agent. Andres Saucedo, Jr., and Angel Flores are accused of methamphetamine trafficking and assaulting a federal agent with a deadly weapon, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas. This serious altercation underscores the ever-present danger lurking in the efforts to quell the relentless onslaught of the illegal drug trade.
According to a criminal complaint filed last Tuesday, the two men were embroiled in drug activities tied to a Mexico-based operation and have been selling large quantities of methamphetamine and heroin in Dallas. In a plan to intercept thirty to forty kilograms of methamphetamine slated for robbery, the agents found themselves in the crosshairs. Saucedo, to neutralize the federal surveillance, fired at an agent who was a member of the FBI Task Force and the Dallas Police Department, fortunately missing the target.
The charges for Saucedo include not only the distribution of methamphetamine but also the aggressive and violent act of resisting a federal agent. Flores, apprehended earlier on May 21, faces related criminal charges. "We are fighting drug trafficking on multiple dangerous fronts, as demonstrated by this case," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson, emphasizing the peril and the imperative of prosecuting such crimes, per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"This incident serves as a stark reminder of the danger agents and task force officers face every day," FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock told the U.S. Attorney's Office, acknowledging the risks inherent in law enforcement's battle against such deeply entrenched criminal networks. The Drug Enforcement Administration echoed this sentiment, stressing zero tolerance for violence against agents with DEA Dallas Field Division head Eduardo A. Chávez saying, "We will use every tool available to investigate and prosecute those who feel violent acts against our agents are held accountable."
