Morning commute traffic on a Houston-area highway turned into the backdrop for a murder-for-hire plot that now has two men staring down possible life in federal prison, authorities say.
Federal officials announced Thursday that Michael Seery and Ricardo Obando Jr. have been convicted in a scheme that prosecutors say relied on surveillance, a supplied firearm, and a vehicle to carry out a highway ambush one year ago. Investigators say the victim, a commuter on the way to work, was shot multiple times but survived.
The FBI’s Houston office posted news of the verdict on its social account Thursday, noting that Seery and Obando now face life in federal prison and thanking the Harris County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety for their help, according to FBI Houston. The bureau credited coordinated work among federal and local agencies with tracking down and arresting the suspects.
How investigators say the ambush unfolded
According to federal prosecutors, the shooting happened on the morning of Feb. 4, 2025, as the victim drove to work, when the attacker opened fire and hit the victim several times, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas. The case went to a federal grand jury, which returned a superseding indictment last July that layered on multiple federal counts tied to the suspected murder-for-hire plot.
Weapons, 3D printing and raids
Court records and local coverage state that Michael Seery, of Katy, supplied both the firearm and the car that were used in the attack and allowed an alleged shooter to use a 3D printer at his home to manufacture gun parts. Searches at his properties in March turned up more than 50 illegal firearms, according to KPRC/Click2Houston. Prosecutors say phone records and surveillance evidence linked the alleged co-conspirators in the months leading up to the ambush.
Charges and penalties
The federal superseding indictment includes counts for conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder for hire, possession and transfer of firearms for use in a felony and using a firearm silencer in furtherance of a crime of violence. Those charges carry potential decades-long sentences and, in some instances, life terms and mandatory minimum penalties, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas. The office says Assistant U.S. Attorney Hunter Brown is handling the federal prosecution.
What’s next
Authorities say all three defendants in the broader case remain in custody on related state and federal charges, with sentencing to be scheduled by the federal court. Investigators add that the FBI and its law enforcement partners plan to continue following leads as the prosecutions move toward final resolution, according to the Houston Chronicle.
