A federal jury has found a Manor man guilty on multiple criminal charges, delivering a verdict of four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering against him.
The individual, identified as Saint Jovite Youngblood, also known by the alias Kota Youngblood, aged 52, was involved in a deceitful scheme that played out between April 2021 and July 2023. During this period, according to court documents and the evidence presented at the trial, Youngblood exploited the fears of his victims by falsely claiming that members of a Mexican drug cartel were plotting violence against them. He misrepresented himself as a former member of the U.S. Army’s elite Delta Force special operations unit, offering protection services to his victims in return for monetary payments.
Additionally, Youngblood enticed his victims, who he referred to as “investors,” by promising that their funds would yield substantial returns. Contrary to his promises, it was revealed at trial that he used a significant portion of the collected money to fund personal extravagances, including gambling sprees in Las Vegas casinos.
Youngblood’s actions culminated in his arrest on July 31, 2023. He is currently awaiting sentencing by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman. Given the severity of his crimes, Youngblood faces a potential maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count and up to 10 years for the money laundering charge.
The case was prominently announced by U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas, highlighting the gravity of the offenses. The investigation, led by the FBI, was a concerted effort to bring Youngblood to justice. The prosecution was carried out by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel D. Guess and Matt Harding, who worked diligently to ensure that the fraudulent activities were thoroughly exposed and penalized.