ICE - U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
02/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/03/2026 10:00
ICE investigation leads to 7-year sentence for Midland felon
MIDLAND, Texas - A Midland man was sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in the Western District of Texas following an investigation by ICE's Homeland Security Investigations El Paso.
Manuel Trevino Padilla, 43, a United States citizen and documented Tango Blast gang member, was arrested on Aug. 19, 2025, during a joint narcotics enforcement operation led by HSI Midland and the Midland County Sheriff's Office. Officers executed a state narcotics search warrant at Padilla's residence, where Padilla attempted to flee but was quickly detained. The search resulted in the discovery of two loaded firearms: A semiautomatic handgun and a revolver.
"Taking repeat offenders and illegal firearms off our streets is essential to keeping Midland safe," said HSI El Paso acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho. "This case shows what's possible when law enforcement agencies work together to disrupt criminal activity at its source."
Padilla was charged in a one-count federal indictment on Aug. 27, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Oct. 16. On Jan. 20, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge David Counts sentenced Padilla to 87 months in custody of the Bureau of Prisons followed by three years of supervised release.
Padilla has prior felony convictions in Texas for possession of a controlled substance, and in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, totaling 197 months of confinement.
The investigation was conducted by HSI Midland, the Texas Department of Public Safety's Criminal Investigative Division and the Midland County Sheriff's Office, with assistance from the Homeland Security Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas.
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