Businessman held on pot, bribery charges
By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 01/18/2008 12:00:00 AM MST


ICE agents led Juarez businessman Saulo Reyes Gamboa to the U.S. Courthouse on Thursday. (Ruben R. Ramirez / El Paso Times)

A prominent Juárez businessman who was that city's public safety director was arrested in Downtown El Paso during a alleged scheme to smuggle marijuana by bribing a U.S. federal officer, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said.
As public safety director, Saulo Reyes Gamboa was a civilian who oversaw Juárez municipal police between January and October last year during the administration of ex-Mayor Héctor MurguÃ*a.

Reyes, 36, was arrested Wednesday night in a parking lot in Central El Paso after allegedly paying an undercover agent posing as a corrupt federal officer who helped smuggle drugs across an international bridge, said ICE spokeswoman Leticia Zamarripa.

After Reyes's arrest, a load of 985 pounds of marijuana that had crossed the border earlier in the day was found by ICE agents in the garage of a home in the 12100 block of Sun Bridge Place near Horizon City, Zamarripa said. Karina Tarango, 27, of the Sun Bridge address, is accused of storing the load for Reyes.

Reyes and Tarango face a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison if convicted of marijuana possession and conspiracy charges.

Reyes stood out while in shackles and a blue jail jumpsuit during a short initial appearance Thursday before a federal magistrate judge. Reyes, who is being held without bond, was given a public defender and is scheduled to return to court Wednesday for arraignment.

The entrepreneur owns Grupo Chihuahua, which has several businesses in Juárez, including chains of Silver Streak hamburger, Subway sandwich and KinSui Japanese restaurants, a distributorship of manufacturing and commercial equipment and a radio station, Epicentro.
"People in the United States trust a Mexican businessman more than a Mexican career policeman," Reyes told the El Paso Times last month in an interview about his Silver Streak restaurants.

Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.

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