Federal prosecutors have unsealed an indictment naming four Amarillo residents in an alleged conspiracy to funnel firearms into Mexico for the Sinaloa cartel, and to distribute illegal narcotics supplied by the same organization.
Charges and defendants
The indictment names Loyd Walter Hall, Jesus Quezada-Meza, Omar Velasquez and Catlynn Ann Hall. Court records say the scheme dates to February 2025 and includes both firearms trafficking and a separate allegation that Hall manufactured and distributed fentanyl, cocaine and heroin obtained from the cartel.
- Loyd Walter Hall, 27, is charged with conspiring to provide “
material support or resources
” — in the form of firearms — to a “large foreign terrorist organization, namely, the Sinaloa Cartel
.” - Jesus Quezada-Meza, 30, is accused of assisting Hall by buying firearms and helping move them into Mexico.
- Omar Velasquez is named as a participant in smuggling firearms purchased in Amarillo into Mexico.
- Catlynn Ann Hall, 29, is charged with making false statements on paperwork claiming she was the lawful owner of a gun later moved to Mexico.
How investigators say the operation worked
According to the court documents, some firearms were purchased at the Cash America Pawn store on I-40 East in Amarillo. Prosecutors allege a classic straw purchase arrangement: a person who can legally buy firearms submits purchase paperwork listing themselves as the buyer, but the weapons are actually transferred to others who may be ineligible or who intend to move them across the border.
Authorities say the indictment ties the gun shipments to a broader narcotics scheme in which Hall allegedly manufactured and distributed fentanyl, cocaine and heroin supplied by the cartel. The charges were filed in federal court and unsealed this week.
Arrests, detentions and next steps
Loyd and Catlynn Hall were booked into the Randall County Jail on federal charges earlier this week. Catlynn Hall has been released on bond and is awaiting further court dates. Quezada-Meza was booked into the Randall County Jail as well; the court documents indicate continued detention and forthcoming proceedings.
| Defendant | Age | Allegation (from indictment) |
|---|---|---|
| Loyd Walter Hall | 27 | Conspiracy to provide firearms to the Sinaloa cartel; drug manufacture/distribution |
| Jesus Quezada-Meza | 30 | Assisting straw purchases and smuggling guns into Mexico |
| Omar Velasquez | — | Assisting smuggling firearms into Mexico |
| Catlynn Ann Hall | 29 | False statements on firearm purchase paperwork |
The indictment frames the scheme as both a firearms trafficking operation and a narcotics distribution network tied to an international criminal organization. Federal prosecutors frequently pursue such cases when alleged conduct crosses national borders or involves large-scale narcotics or weapons transfers.
For Amarillo and Randall County, the charges highlight the local role that criminal networks can play in wider cross-border trafficking. Federal authorities will carry the case forward; defendants are entitled to legal process and must be presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
