Oilfield Robber Gets 35 Years for Stealing Gang Trucks

SAN ANGELO, TX -- A San Angelo man was sentenced to 35 years in prison Thursday for engaging in organized criminal activity after rejecting a plea deal.  

26-year-old Carlos Alfredo Zuniga was one of seven people arrested in connection with an oilfield heist in 2016.  As we reported back in 2016, The Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division, United States Customs and Border Protection, Del Rio Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers have made four arrests in connection with an aggravated robbery of the David Rogers Construction Company located at 11005 South U. S. Hwy 67 in Tom Green County, according to the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office.

Tom Green County Deputies responded to a call in reference to the aggravated robbery Saturday, Mar. 19, 2016 at approximately 6:00 a.m.  The victim, who was staying in a travel trailer located on the property, awoke to find two male subjects in ski masks brandishing weapons entering the trailer. The victim was restrained with duct tape and robbed of personal property.  Four oil-field type “gang trucks” containing welder, tools and other assorted items were taken from the business during the robbery.

Court records show Zuniga’s co-defendants are Elizabeth Ramirez Estrada, Judge Martinez Modesto, Omar Salas, Charles Walker, marcus McVae, Nayara Rodriguez and Pablo Rodriguez.

Early Sunday morning, Mar. 20, 2016 Omar Solis, 32, attempted to cross the U. S. / Mexico border in one of the stolen trucks in Del Rio.  He was arrested by U. S. Customs and Border Protection for Theft over $20,000.00, a Third Degree Felony, and was remanded to the custody of the Del Rio Police Department.

Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office CID Investigators traveled to Del Rio, and, with the assistance of the Del Rio Police Department, recovered the additional three stolen vehicles and identify persons of interest connected with the robbery.

Zuniga was found guilty by 391st District Judge Brad Goodwin Thursday afternoon and sentenced to 35 years in prison.