Commissioner Sid Miller Blasts Bond for Defendant Accused of Gulf Cartel-Linked Extortion

AUSTIN – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is condemning the reported decision to grant a $1 million bond to a businessman accused of conspiring with the Gulf Cartel to extort travelers crossing through a South Texas port of entry.

According to published reports, Rigoberto Brown, who reportedly uses the name Rigoberto Blanco Cantu in Mexico, surrendered to U.S. authorities at the Anzalduas Port of Entry. Brown had been wanted since 2022 after being charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy to fix prices. The allegations in this case describe a system where travelers were allegedly forced to pay cartel-connected interests simply to move through a port of entry. People who refused allegedly faced kidnapping, torture or worse. If those allegations are proven, this was not some back-room business dispute. This amounts to an alleged criminal predation backed by a violent cartel.

A federal judge reportedly set bond at $1 million, with a $500,000 cash deposit. According to reports, Brown's wife posted the cash less than 48 hours later.

The following statement may be attributed to Commissioner Miller:

“Texans are sick and tired of watching cartel-connected criminals treat our border like their personal cash register while law-abiding Americans are left to deal with the consequences. A defendant accused of conspiring with the Gulf Cartel to extort people crossing through South Texas is granted a $1 million bond, and less than 48 hours later half a million dollars in cash is reportedly on the table. How much is a cartel connection worth in our justice system?

This defendant is entitled to the presumption of innocence, and we can respect the principles of due process while still demanding accountability and questioning whether this decision sends the right message about how seriously America takes cartel-connected crime.

And now a massive cash payment gets someone back on the street in less than two days? Not on my watch.

Meanwhile, law enforcement officers are putting their lives on the line every day to confront these organizations. Texas farmers, ranchers, truck drivers, business owners and families deserve to know that cartel power stops at the border. We should not be creating a revolving door where people accused of helping cartel operations can post enormous sums of cash and walk right back into society.

We cannot normalize cartel-connected crime. We cannot treat cartel extortion as just another cost of doing business and we must not send a message that enough cash can alter the scales of justice.”

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