Texans Guilty of Operating Major Drug Trafficking Enterprise

BEAUMONT, Texas – U.S. Damien M. Diggs announced that three Texas men have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas.

Nekia Euron Byrd, 48, of Houston; Rodney Ignacio Castro, 41, of Houston; and Terance Babe Green, 43, of Beaumont, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson.

According to information presented in court, Byrd, Castro, and Green were responsible for trafficking cocaine throughout the Houston area and into various locations throughout East Texas, including Texarkana, Lufkin, and Port Arthur. 

Specifically, Green controlled a cocaine distribution network in Port Arthur, responsible for importing several kilograms of cocaine each month for distribution and conversion to cocaine base. 

Byrd was responsible for owning two residences in Houston, where narcotics distribution in methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, and promethazine occurred. These residences were accountable for the wholesale distribution of narcotics to mid-level dealers throughout Houston and eastern Texas. 

Castro served as a source of supply for cocaine for Byrd’s operation and several other mid-level dealers servicing Houston and eastern Texas. On September. 28, 2021, a search warrant was served at Castro’s residence resulting in the seizure of $1,050,860.00 in U.S. Currency and assorted jewelry worth roughly $250,000.00. Estimates based on seizures and wiretaps indicate Castro was responsible for trafficking over 100 kilograms of cocaine during this conspiracy.

The defendants face from ten years to life in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the court will determine the sentencing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. They will schedule a sentencing hearing after completing a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations threatening the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. You can find additional information about the OCDETF Program at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Anderson.