Thread: CA-Mexican police commander involved in drug activity

Prosecutors say Mexican police commander involved in drug activity
By Brian Day, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 08/29/2008 10:50:24 PM PDT



WEST COVINA - A prosecutor argued Friday that four people, including a Mexican police commander and an officer, were involved in drug trafficking when they were found in a bedroom with more than $630,000 in cash at a West Covina home.
Carlos Cepano Filippini, the 34-year-old commander of Mexico's federal police in Mexicali; Victor Manuel Juarez, a 36-year-old officer in the agency; Julisa Lopez, 35; and Hector Manuel Lopez, 33, were led handcuffed into a Los Angeles County Superior Court courtroom for a preliminary hearing.

The four were arrested July 30 at the home of Julisa and Hector Lopez, who are brother and sister, with more than $600,000 in bundled bills in a suitcase, officials said.

The suspects are charged with one count each of possessing money as part of narcotics trafficking.

Deputy District Attorney Oscar Plascencia called as a witness a Los Angeles Police Department narcotics detective to go over the details of the stakeout and events that led to the arrest, trying to show a connection between the suitcase full of cash and the defendants.

Attorney Mike Proctor, who is representing Filippini, said prosecutors are presenting a weak case against the defendants.

"There is no evidence that has been produced by the DA's office indicating drug trafficking," he said.

"(Filipinni's) presence in the U.S. that day was complete happenstance," Proctor said, adding that his client had come to the United States only

two days before the arrest to flee violence against police in Mexico.
Proctor said Filippini had sought refuge in the United States - at the suggestion of Mexican officials - after a series of killings of Mexican police officials in recent months.

Two officers were shot to death in Filippini's car shortly before the move, which Proctor said was likely an assassination attempt on his client.

In addition to the suitcase full of money, LAPD Detective Gerard Kennelli testified that more than $21,000 dollars were found in two "male purses" along with identification belonging to Filippini and Hector Lopez.

An additional $10,000 in cash was found in the drawer of a nightstand, Kennelli said.

"That money is not related in any way to the suitcase money," Proctor said. He added that there were legitimate reasons for that type of money to be in the home, but declined to give further details.

"We've not reached a point in this country where to have $20,000 in cash is a crime," he said.

All the cash was found in one bedroom of the home, located in the 2900 block of North Monte Verde Drive, the detective said. All four defendants were seen emerging from that bedroom when police arrived.

Some of the cash in the suitcase was kept in heat-sealed envelopes and marked with denominations of $7,500 and $15,000, Kennelli said. The rest was bundled with rubber bands.

A money-counting machine, heat-sealable envelopes and rubber bands were also seized from the home, Kennelli testified.

Investigators were watching the home prior to the search and arrests, Kennelli said, and followed the defendants as they drove around town hours before the raid.

The detective said an investigator followed Julisa Lopez into an area Office Depot store where she bought two 1-pound bags of rubber bands and other supplies, which he said are often used by drug traffickers to package funds. Those items were later confiscated as evidence.

Julisa Lopez's defense attorney, Mark Werksman, said many of the items put forth as evidence of wrongdoing by prosecutors was actually nothing more than school supplies for her three young children, whom Filippini fathered.

He said that along with rubber bands and labels, Julisa Lopez also purchased girls' book covers, pencils, paper and other supplies any mother with school-age children would buy.

Kennelli also testified that pieces of paper with numbers and names written on them - which he said was likely a list of money owed and due from drug transactions - were found in Julisa Lopez's purse.

Werksman flatly denied the allegation.

brian.day@sgvn.com


http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_10340891?source=rss_viewed

First, I don't blame the loyalty of the Mexican cops as they can get some better bucks dealing drugs, much better than just drawing a paycheck and the possibility of getting shot.
Second, does anyone know of a good, cheap place to buy a money counting machines, as I am facing a crisis of not having any more room in my room for rubber-banded bills.

Originally Posted by vortex

First, I don't blame the loyalty of the Mexican cops as they can get some better bucks dealing drugs, much better than just drawing a paycheck and the possibility of getting shot.
Second, does anyone know of a good, cheap place to buy a money counting machines, as I am facing a crisis of not having any more room in my room for rubber-banded bills.

Gee, who would have thought the Mexican Police were dealing drugs???

ALL OF US HERE!!! THAT'S WHO!!

And our government wants to give mexico 1.5 billion dollars of our tax dollars to these corrupt &^%$ to fight their war on drugs!

Absolute insanity!!