Francisco Javier Guerra Torres, the owner of Guerra Holdings and a businessman based in Lexington, has pleaded guilty to two serious federal charges: conspiracy to bribe a public official and money laundering. As a result of his guilty plea, Guerra Torres faces potential financial penalties that could reach up to $750,000, along with the possibility of spending 65 years behind bars. He admitted to engaging in bribery to secure government contracts that were crucial for military operations in Afghanistan. Specifically, his plea related to the bribery charge could result in a fine of $250,000 and a maximum prison sentence of five years. The court has set March 18, 2025, as the date for his sentencing.
In a separate plea agreement, Guerra Torres also confessed to money laundering activities involving his check processing business. His illicit dealings took place in 2020 and 2021, during which he worked alongside an undercover federal agent and a confidential informant. Together, they orchestrated the transfer of funds acquired through fraudulent penny stock schemes, with Guerra Torres receiving commissions for facilitating these transactions. Prior to his indictment in August 2021, he had already completed three wire transfers in early 2021.
Guerra Torres was apprehended on September 22, 2021, following a coordinated raid by federal and state authorities on his Lexington-based enterprise. The charges related to money laundering carry severe penalties, with a maximum of 60 years in prison and fines that could amount to $500,000. As of now, a sentencing hearing for the money laundering charges has not yet been scheduled.