Fourteen Indicted in Large-Scale Oil Theft Conspiracy in Permian Basin
Fourteen individuals from Texas and New Mexico have been federally indicted in a large-scale oil theft conspiracy operating in the Permian Basin region.
According to the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, a federal grand jury returned the indictment on April 8, 2026, charging the defendants with conspiracy to transport stolen property in interstate commerce. Several also face additional charges including interstate transportation of stolen property and receipt, possession, or sale of stolen property.
The alleged scheme involved stealing crude oil from producers in Eastern New Mexico, storing it on U.S. government-leased land, and selling it below market value. The Permian Basin, which spans over 86,000 square miles across southeastern New Mexico and West Texas, represents the largest oil-producing region in the United States.
Defendants include Texans Randell Wayne Reid (41) and James Darrell Reid (65) of Electra, owners of Reidco Enterprises, along with Christopher Frederick Harris (22) of Seminole. New Mexico defendants from Lovington range in age from 25 to 68 and include Louis George Edgett, Brenden Floyd Strickland, Sixto Herrera-Estebane, Gyardo Gonzalez, Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja, Diana Marquez Rojo, Jose Luis Rojo, Jose Mario Rivas-Mendoza, Miguel A. Soto, Tavares Montrail Cole, and Danny Dale Brown Jr.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to five years for the conspiracy charge and up to ten years for each count related to transportation or handling of stolen property.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Texas Department of Public Safety, and sheriff's offices from Lea and Eddy Counties in New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey is prosecuting the case.
Sources indicate this represents one of the larger oil theft prosecutions in recent years targeting the Permian Basin infrastructure.
Sources: MyTexasDaily.com, KOAT.com, NoticiasETX.com
