EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) arrested three convicted felons in El Paso last Friday during a gang-related operation targeting members of the LA EMPRESA cartel and PAISA prison gang.
Arrests and Seizures
Authorities executed two search and arrest warrants at an apartment complex in the Lower Valley, leading to the arrests of:
Arturo Ramirez Manzano, 27 (aka “Tadeo”)
Mario Ivan Ramirez, 21
Corina Hernandez, 30
All three, who were under federal probation, were found in possession of firearms and nearly one kilogram of cocaine, DPS officials reported.
Charges
The suspects face multiple charges, including:
Unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon (third-degree felony)
Manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance (first-degree felony)
Additionally, Mario Ivan Ramirez was charged with deadly conduct – discharge of a firearm for his involvement in a recent shooting incident.
Gang Ties and Criminal Activities
DPS identified Mario Ivan Ramirez as a PAISA prison gang member and key coordinator for a human smuggling network led by LA EMPRESA, which operates in Ciudad Juárez and the El Paso border area. The organization is involved in human smuggling, drug trafficking, and illegal firearms possession.
Law Enforcement Response
The operation was conducted with assistance from:
Texas Highway Patrol Troopers
U.S. Border Patrol Alien Smuggling Unit
United States Border Patrol
Ongoing Investigation
All three suspects were booked into the El Paso County Jail, and the case remains under investigation. Video footage of the arrests circulated on social media, showing the intense law enforcement response.
