A Texas Mexican Mafia member received three consecutive life sentences in federal prison for racketeering and assaulting a federal prison guard, the FBI announced.

Javier "Javi" Guerrero, 24, was awaiting sentencing in the racketeering case in October 2011, when he assaulted a corrections officer at the GEO Correctional Facility in Val Verde County.

In July 2011, a federal jury found Guerrero guilty of several Racketeer Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) charges. The charges centered around various federal racketeering offenses committed in Uvalde, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, and the surrounding area including the murder of Christopher Mendez on Dec. 6, 2006, near Concan, Texas, and Jose Damian Garza in Hondo, Texas, on July 19, 2008.

Guerrero is the last of 12 defendants convicted in this conspiracy to be sentenced. Prison terms handed down range from seven years' incarceration to life in federal prison. All 12 defendants conspired to conduct the affairs of the Texas Mexican Mafia through a pattern of racketeering activity, which included murder, solicitation of murder, drug trafficking, and extortion. The defendants collected a 10 percent drug tax (known as "the dime") from drug distributors. Collection was enforced by robbery, serious bodily injury, or other acts of violence, including death.

On Oct. 25, 2011, while in custody awaiting sentencing on the federal racketeering-based charges, Guerrero assaulted a corrections officer by striking the officer in the face with his fists and his knees. As a result, the guard suffered cuts to the nose as well as facial bruising and lacerations. On April 24, 2012, Guerrero pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting a federal officer.