JIM WELLS COUNTY, Texas — Jim Wells County Sheriff's deputies and DEA agents raided homes in the Rancho Alegre community just outside of Alice, Texas, on Tuesday morning, taking about 20 people into custody on federal charges.
Agents began raiding homes after 6 a.m. On South Gulf Street, several DEA agents raided 2 homes within 2 blocks of each other, removing bags of evidence.
Officials with the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Office say the investigation into the Villegran-Sanchez Drug Trafficking Organization began in June 2025. Tuesday's operation resulted in 19 people being charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Neighbors, all of whom refused to go on camera out of fear of retaliation, said there has been a rise in violence and drug trafficking in the Rancho Alegre community over the past few years. One lifelong resident said he no longer feels his children are safe in the neighborhood.
Jim Wells County Sheriff Joseph Guy Baker said the raids targeted organizations that have long plagued the area.
"Several, uh, drug trafficking organizations that have poisoned our community for generations. And we're now gonna put a stop to that. And that's what we're doing," Baker said.
Rancho Alegre is not the only community in Jim Wells County affected by drug trafficking. Baker said the raids extended to other parts of the county.
"There are operations going on in other parts of, of the county as well. Um, and, and so this also spreads out to Alice, to Orange Grove, to Ben Bolt, to, uh, Premont. We're not done. This is just the beginning," Baker said.
Baker said keeping drugs off the streets is the department's top priority, and Tuesday's raids will not be the last in Jim Wells County.
The investigation into Tuesday's investigation remains ongoing.
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