A CRIMINAL IN DISGUISE

Former Houston Lawman Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering, Awaits Life Sentence

 

By John Becker

 

Hoodline 

February 28, 2024

 

 

 

 

A former Houston-area law enforcement officer has been found guilty on federal drug trafficking and money laundering charges, officials said. Mohammed "Alex" Ahmed Kassem, a 49-year-old from Houston and ex-investigator with the Waller County District Attorney's Office, was convicted after an eight-hour jury deliberation and a four-day trial, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

 

Escorting sham heroin and drug money across state lines, Kassem exploited his law enforcement role, driving in his official police vehicle from Louisiana to Houston and then San Antonio. Kassem, who was paid a total of $31,000 during the transactions, was caught with the money hidden in his bulletproof vest and the narcotics cleverly disguised in an evidence bag. As per the U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani's office, the jury was presented with damning audio and video evidence as well as the text messages coordinating the crimes and Kassem's subsequent cash deposits.

 

In an unusual move, Kassem took the witness stand, claiming he was operating under authority and had implicit approval from his former employers to carry out these undercover operations. However, testimony from the Waller County District Attorney's Office directly contradicted his defense. U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said, "When Alex Kassem wore his Waller County peace officer credentials...he breached the most sacred of trusts—the trust a community places in its law enforcement."

FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams weighed in on the betrayal, saying, "Alex Kassem was a criminal in disguise." Operating with the pretense of his trusted role, Kassem engaged in trafficking with a peace officer's facade. Set for sentencing on June 13 by U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal, Kassem is facing a potential life sentence for the heroin charge, plus up to 20 years for money laundering, with possible fines reaching $10 million.

Following his conviction, Kassem, who had been out on bond, was remanded into custody where he will stay until his sentencing. The FBI with support from the DEA spearheaded the investigation that led to this conviction, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Heather Winter prosecuting the case.