$20+ Million ‘Black Market Peso Exchange’ Scheme Sends Several To Prison

Jun 26, 2013 · Sourced to the U.S. Department of Justice

This case reached the sentenced stage in the Department of Justice's public record. Everything below reflects only what the government itself announced, and links to the original release.

Morales sentenced to 188 months in prison; Foster received 121 months; Smith received 30 months; Combs received 24 months; Whitehurst to be sentenced on August 26.

District

Southern Texas

Announced

Jun 26, 2013

Status

Sentenced

Defendants

Enrique Morales — age 43 · Houston and Guadalajara, Mexico · sentenced
Willie Whitehurst — age 45 · Houston · pleaded guilty
Fulton Smith — age 41 · Houston · sentenced
Anthony Foster — age 47 · Houston · sentenced
Sarah Combs — age 49 · Dickinson · sentenced

Charges

Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Enrique Morales· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 188 months in prison
Conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
Enrique Morales· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 188 months in prison
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Willie Whitehurst· pleaded guilty, scheduled to be sentenced on August 26
Conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
Willie Whitehurst· pleaded guilty, scheduled to be sentenced on August 26
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Fulton Smith· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 30 months in prison
Conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
Fulton Smith· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 30 months in prison
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Anthony Foster· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 121 months in prison
Conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
Anthony Foster· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 121 months in prison
Conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business
Sarah Combs· pleaded guilty, sentenced to 24 months in prison

Investigating agencies

Drug Enforcement AdministrationInternal Revenue Service – Criminal InvestigationUnited States Attorney's Office, Southern District of TexasUnited States Department of Justice, Criminal DivisionUnited States Bureau of Prisons

Case details

Prosecuting office: Southern District of Texas
Judge: Lee H. Rosenthal, U.S. District Judge

Black Market Peso Exchange SchemeDrug Trafficking ProceedsFederal Prosecution And SentencingInternational Cooperation And Cross-Border CrimeMoney LaunderingUnlicensed Money Transmitting Business

Primary source

Every fact above is drawn from the Department of Justice's own announcement — a public-domain government record.

Read the original DOJ release →

This is a research and reference page compiled from public DOJ announcements, not legal advice. Details reflect the government's statements as of its release date and may not capture later developments such as appeals, dismissals, or overturned convictions. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.