Source: Office of United States Attorneys
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braulio Villa-Chairez, also known as “Raul,” 31, a Mexican national living illegally in the United States, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in March 2024 until in or around about October 2024, Villa-Chairez conspired with other individuals to distribute methamphetamine. As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez admitted that he assisted the conspiracy by shipping methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere.
In July 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped two separate packages containing a total of 1.97 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” from Houston, Texas, to a customer in West Virginia after receiving instructions from a co-conspirator. On or about July 18, 2024, Villa-Chairez picked up a package containing $4,800 sent by the customer, notified a co-conspirator that he had obtained the package, and re-shipped it to Washington state.
In August 2024, Villa-Chairez shipped a package containing approximately 963.8 grams of methamphetamine to Alabama. In October 2024, Villa-Chairez assisted a co-conspirator who was delivering approximately 5.905 kilograms of methamphetamine “ice” and approximately 4.402 kilograms of methamphetamine by vehicle to West Virginia by providing him with directions to a hotel and a casino in Kanawha County.
As part of his guilty plea, Villa-Chairez also admitted that he has lived illegally in the United States under the name “Jose Jesus Villa-Chairez” and has been convicted of two federal felony offenses under that name.
Villa-Chairez is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Villa-Chairez and he will be transferred to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings upon the completion of any sentence.
Villa-Chairez and two other Mexican nationals living illegally in the United States were indicted by a federal grand jury as the result of a joint investigation by federal and local law enforcement into a conspiracy that was responsible for delivering large quantities of methamphetamine to West Virginia and elsewhere from Houston. Co-defendant Silvester Barcenas, 23, pleaded guilty on March 4, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine and is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20, 2025. Co-defendant German Francisco Diaz, also known as “Trulio,” 41, remains a fugitive. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Israel Chaires-Villa, 23, a Mexican national, pleaded guilty on February 13, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute a quantity of methamphetamine as a result of the joint investigation and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 4, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-176.
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