Robert Randall "Randy" Crane (born May 27, 1965) is the Chief United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas.

Personal life and education

Born in Houston, Texas, Crane, a

Mexican-American Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexica ...

, graduated from the University of Texas with his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 1985 and his

Juris Doctor The Juris Doctor (J.D. or JD), also known as Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D., JD, D.Jur., or DJur), is a graduate-entry professional degree in law and one of several Doctor of Law degrees. The J.D. is the standard degree obtained to practice law ...

from the University of Texas School of Law in 1987. He is also a brother of the Sigma Chi fraternity.

Professional career

Crane was a private practice attorney in the State of Texas from 1988 to 2002 at the firm of Atlas and Hall, L.L.P.

Federal judicial service

On the recommendation of Texas United States Senators

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and

Phil Gramm William Philip Gramm (born July 8, 1942) is an American economist and politician who represented Texas in both chambers of Congress. Though he began his political career as a Democrat, Gramm switched to the Republican Party in 1983. Gramm was ...

, Crane was nominated to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas by President George W. Bush on September 21, 2001, to a new seat created by 114 Stat. 2762. Crane was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 18, 2002, on a vote of 91–0 and received his commission on March 19, 2002. He became chief judge on November 29, 2022.

Notable cases

Gulf Cartel

In April 2008, Crane presided over the case of Carlos Landín Martínez, nicknamed "El Puma," a retired Mexican state police commander who was the number two in command for the notorious Gulf Cartel in Mexico. Landín Martínez, was sentenced to life in prison for federal drug trafficking, money laundering and conspiracy charges. In October 2011, Juan Oscar Garza-Alanis and Josue Ruperto Garza, as well as their sister Cantalicia Garza, pleaded guilty to federal drug and money laundering charges. The Garza brothers and sister helped move cocaine from Mexico to the U.S. and the cash revenue from drug sales in the opposite direction for Landín Martínez,.

Sheriff drug smuggling

Crane presided in the case of former Starr County Sheriff Reymundo "Rey" Guerra who was sentenced by the judge on August 26, 2009, for his role in a drug smuggling plot. The judge sentenced the former sheriff to 56 months in prison for leaking confidential information to known drug smugglers. The judge described Guerra's actions as "a stain on the badge."

Panama Unit

Crane presided over a case involving several lawmen, including the son of the Hidalgo County Sheriff and son of the City of Hidalgo Police Chief. Most of the lawmen were part of the now-defunct Panama Unit which was a narcotics task force composed of several sheriff's deputies and officers from the Mission Police Dept. The task force answered directly to Hidalgo Co. Sheriff Lupe Trevino. Also indicted for the Panama Unit's role in stealing drug loads from drug dealers and selling them to an alleged drug trafficker includes the now former head of the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office Crime Stoppers, J.P. Flores. The District Attorney for Hidalgo County, Rene Guerra, has said ""Their credibility went from absolute to zero." As a result, he believes he will have to throw out 50-75 cases from state court that relied heavily on the Panama Unit's testimony. Sheriff Trevino has stated that "personally and professionally," Dec. 12, 2012, the day many of the lawmen were arrested by federal authorities was "my 9/11." Sheriff Trevino and his number two in command, Commander Jose Padilla were subsequently arrested by

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References

External links

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Presidential Nomination: Robert Randall Crane
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crane, Robert Randall 1965 births Living people 21st-century American judges Hispanic and Latino American judges Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas Lawyers from Houston United States district court judges appointed by George W. Bush University of Texas School of Law alumni