On Monday, December 15, 2025, at approximately 5 a.m., members of the Austin County Regional Special Response Team (SRT) executed search and arrest warrants at a motel room in the 2200 block of State Highway 71 in Columbus, Texas. The operation was the result of an ongoing narcotics investigation led by the Westside Narcotics Task Force (HIDTA).
According to authorities, the investigation began after multiple tips and complaints were received alleging narcotics activity at the location. Investigators conducted follow-up work to corroborate the information before seeking warrants, which were approved and served during the early-morning operation. During the execution of the warrants, Michael Lee Aguilar, 44, was taken into custody without incident. Aguilar was charged with Manufacture and/or Delivery of a Controlled Substance. He was transported to the Colorado County Jail, where he was booked on the charge.
Under Texas law, the offense of manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance carries penalties that vary depending on the type and quantity of the substance involved. Charges may range from a state jail felony to a first-degree felony. Potential penalties can include confinement in a state jail or prison for a term ranging from several months up to life, along with fines that may reach $10,000 or more, as outlined in the Texas Controlled Substances Act.
The Westside Narcotics Task Force operates across four counties and is comprised of investigators from multiple local, county and federal agencies. Participating agencies include the Austin County Sheriff’s Office, Bellville Police Department, Sealy Police Department, Hempstead Police Department, Waller County Sheriff’s Office, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The task force focuses on disrupting narcotics trafficking and related criminal activity throughout the region.
As with all criminal cases, the charge is an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
