Post by WaTcHeR on Feb 14, 2007 15:21:20 GMT -5
Four persons, including a Harris County Precinct 6 Reserve Deputy, were arrested Friday for their alleged involvement in the distribution of cocaine from Texas to Alabama and New York and the laundering of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug proceeds.
The deputy, Crescencio Gonzalez, Jr., 37, of Houston, was taken into custody along with Ricardo Gonzalez Rodriguez, 37, of Rivera, Texas, Jose Guadalupe Romero, 37, of Houston, and Nancy Hernandez, 32, of Birmingham, Ala. They are all in federal custody charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine beginning in January 2006.
Gonzalez, Rodriguez and Romero are also charged with conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the sales of the contraband amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote the drug trafficking activity beginning in March 2006.
The seven-count indictment was returned under seal as to these defendants on February 1. Although the indictment is unsealed as to the charges against these defendants who are in custody, the indictment remains sealed per order of the court.
In addition to the conspiracy counts noted above, Gonzalez and Rodriguez are also charged in two substantive counts of laundering $200,000 in alleged drug proceeds on two occasions in April, 2006. Romero is also accused of possessing with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine in or about August 2006.
Harris County Precinct 6 cooperated with the Texas Rangers in the arrest of Gonzalez.
"Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, however, for all of us in law enforcement this is a major setback to the oath that we took and a betrayal of the trust that the community has given us," Constable Victor Trevino said. "I can assure that all efforts will continue for us in law enforcement to ensure that others disregarding their oath will be brought to justice."
Gonzalez and Romero are expected to appear before a United States Magistrate Judge in Houston today. Rodriguez, who was arrested in Rivera and Hernandez, who was arrested in Alabama, will appear before the U. S. Magistrate judge nearest the place of their arrest and are subject to transfer and removal to the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas to face the pending charges.
The conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and substantive drug charges each carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years imprisonment up to a maximum of life upon conviction and a $4-million fine. The money laundering conspiracy and the substantive money laundering counts each carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the amount of the financial transaction or $500,000.
www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2335937&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1
The deputy, Crescencio Gonzalez, Jr., 37, of Houston, was taken into custody along with Ricardo Gonzalez Rodriguez, 37, of Rivera, Texas, Jose Guadalupe Romero, 37, of Houston, and Nancy Hernandez, 32, of Birmingham, Ala. They are all in federal custody charged with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine beginning in January 2006.
Gonzalez, Rodriguez and Romero are also charged with conspiracy to launder the proceeds of the sales of the contraband amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote the drug trafficking activity beginning in March 2006.
The seven-count indictment was returned under seal as to these defendants on February 1. Although the indictment is unsealed as to the charges against these defendants who are in custody, the indictment remains sealed per order of the court.
In addition to the conspiracy counts noted above, Gonzalez and Rodriguez are also charged in two substantive counts of laundering $200,000 in alleged drug proceeds on two occasions in April, 2006. Romero is also accused of possessing with intent to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine in or about August 2006.
Harris County Precinct 6 cooperated with the Texas Rangers in the arrest of Gonzalez.
"Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, however, for all of us in law enforcement this is a major setback to the oath that we took and a betrayal of the trust that the community has given us," Constable Victor Trevino said. "I can assure that all efforts will continue for us in law enforcement to ensure that others disregarding their oath will be brought to justice."
Gonzalez and Romero are expected to appear before a United States Magistrate Judge in Houston today. Rodriguez, who was arrested in Rivera and Hernandez, who was arrested in Alabama, will appear before the U. S. Magistrate judge nearest the place of their arrest and are subject to transfer and removal to the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas to face the pending charges.
The conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and substantive drug charges each carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years imprisonment up to a maximum of life upon conviction and a $4-million fine. The money laundering conspiracy and the substantive money laundering counts each carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years imprisonment and a fine of up to twice the amount of the financial transaction or $500,000.
www.myfoxhouston.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=2335937&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1