Two Texas oil company executives were found guilty and sentenced for their part in a smuggling oil illegally from the Mexico to the U.S. Former Trammo Petroleum president Donald Schroeder and oil and gas broker Jonathan Dappen face up to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen goods after acquiring condensate stolen from Pemex pipelines and routed to Continental Fuels. As was mentioned in a previous blog, the real danger here is the source of this illicit petroleum. Mexican gangs are illegally tapping into Mexican oil lines and selling the fuel on the black market. Which means Schroeder and Dappen are guilty of funding drug cartels, even if it's just a small chunk. Which is pretty despicable when you think about it. But it doesn't end there.

Prosecutor James McAlister said he did not ask for jail time for either of the men because they were not selling something dangerous, such as drugs or guns. McAlister said Schroeder's cooperation helped in the prosecution of other defendants in the case. Three other Texas oil executives and brokers arrested in the probe are scheduled for sentencing in October and November.
It's always funny how criminals will rat each other out for reduced sentences, then blubber about how sorry they were they broke the law. Being sorry doesn't just mean feeling bad about being caught... there's usually some sort of penance to be paid here. Now, I'm happy that we've found some American criminals to throw the book at here. But I certainly hope Mexico is capable of cleaning up it's own country's messes when it comes to stolen petroleum. God knows they can't do without the lost revenues.