Thread: Man convicted on fed drug, weapons charges

http://airwolf.lmtonline.com/news/pagea3.pdf

Man convicted on fed drug, weapons charges
By CLAY REDDICK
LAREDO MORNING TIMES

A leader of the Hermandad de Pistoleros Latinos prison gang was convicted on federal drug and weapons charges last week.
After about 90 minutes of deliberation Thursday, a jury found Alberto Rodriguez Jr., also known as Copi, guilty on two counts of conspiracy to distribute large amounts of cocaine and two counts of illegal possession
of a firearm by a felon.
According to prosecutors, Rodriguez,who resides in the 400block of Baffin Bay, is a leader of the Hermanos Pistoleros Latinos gang, formed in Texas prisons to engage in drug and gun trafficking and other illegal activities inside and outside of prison walls. The gang operates in San Antonio,
Houston, Laredo and other cities. Prosecutors said Laredo is one of the gang’s main bases of operation outside the prison system.
Prosecutors accused Rodriguez and other gang members of distributing cocaine in the Laredo area, and presented evidence that the gang and associates hid drugs in local homes and businesses. From Laredo, the gang transported drugs to Dallas or Houston in addition to doling out
street-level coke doses locally, prosecutors said.
Rodriguez was originally indicted along with 11 others as the result of a drug task force investigation, prosecutors said, led by the FBI, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking task force and the ATF. The investigation began
in May 2003. The investigation was also assisted by members of the DPS, Laredo Police Department and Webb County Sheriff’s Department.
All 12 defendants in the case have sentencing hearings scheduled
in January 2007. Because he has prior felony convictions, Rodriguez faces
sentences ranging from 20 years minimum to life in prison and a possible $8 million fine on the drug charges. For the weapons charges, the maximum sentence allowed is 10 years in prison and a
$250,000 fine.
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If they are illegals, send them all back and make sure they leave and don't come back.