CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two Corpus Christi residents have been ordered to prison for their involvement in a drug conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Jesus Sustaita III, 26, pleaded guilty Nov. 23, 2021, while his sister – Anna Sustaita, 24, entered her plea Oct. 20, 2021.
Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales sentenced each to serve 135 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony about multiple shootings in which the siblings had previously been involved. The court also heard about other investigations in which they were believed to be selling narcotics over the past several years.
The investigation began back in July 2021 when authorities learned that Alec Garcia, a known felon, was in possession of firearms based on multiple social media posts. Further investigation revealed he and the Sustaitas were selling narcotics out of their residence.
Authorities executed a search warrant at a residence in Corpus Christi in August 2021. The home was located across the street from a local elementary school. At that time, law enforcement found over 50 grams of meth; nearly two kilograms of pills that had the appearance of candy and contained fentanyl, alprazolam and meth; LSD; approximately two kilograms of marijuana as well as numerous THC products, nine firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, body armor and U.S. currency. All of the firearms were unsecured, eight of which were loaded.
At the time of the search, an 8-year-old was living in the home.
Garcia, 30, Corpus Christi, pleaded guilty to his involvement in the conspiracy last month and is set to be sentenced later this year.
Jesus and Anna Sustaita will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Gang Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.