Thread: Tx-Formal charges brought against mother, daughters

Formal charges brought against mother, daughters
July 10, 2008 - 10:05PM
By JAZMINE ULLOA,The Brownsville Herald
A mother and three daughters will be arraigned next week on eight counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and importation of the drug from Mexico.

The four women were indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday after they were arrested late last month for allegedly attempting to smuggle more than 37 pounds of cocaine through the B&M International Bridge.

One of the daughters, Laura Trevino, 31, who officials said admitted to organizing the smuggling at the time of her arrest, has been charged on all eight counts, as stated in the indictment.

All four women were named on two of the counts, one for possession with intent to distribute more than two pounds of cocaine and the other for conspiring with others to bring more than two pounds of the substance into the United States from Mexico.

news/" class="autolink">Immigration officials said Laura Trevino was not carrying any cocaine at the time of her arrest. However, she shares the charges with her mother and sisters because she was driving the vehicle and admitted to organizing the smuggling as stated in the court complaint, assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce said.

"That makes her a person that is charged with aiding and abetting the others," he said.

Trevino and her family were stopped June 18 as they drove through the port of entry in a 2006 Mercedes ML350, according to court documents. While Trevino was taken to a holding cell as officials inspected the vehicle, her mother and sisters attempted to run back to Mexico from the immigration waiting area and were stopped by U.S. Customs agents, court documents show.

Court testimony later revealed Trevino's mother, Maria Guadalupe Venegas Vda. Trevino, 59, and sisters, Adriana, 23, and Evelia, 27 were wearing "girdles" with packages of cocaine stashed inside.

Immigration agents estimated the packages of cocaine to be worth approximately $1.16 million in street value, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.

Trevino admitted she would be paid $2,000, which she was going to divide among her sisters and mother, for crossing the narcotics, according to court testimony last month.



Formal Charges

Count 1: Possession with intent to distribute more than two pounds of cocaine

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Adriana Trevino, Maria Guadalupe Venegas Vda. Trevino, Evelia Trevino



Count 2: Possession with intent to distribute approximately 9.35 pounds of cocaine

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Adriana Trevino



Count 3: Possession with intent to distribute approximately 19.47 pounds of cocaine

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Maria Guadalupe Venegas Vda. Trevino



Count 4: Possession with intent to distribute approximately 7.7 pounds of cocaine

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Evelia Trevino



Count 5: Conspiring with others to import more than two pounds of cocaine into the United States from Mexico

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Adriana Trevino, Maria Guadalupe Venegas Vda. Trevino, Evelia Trevino



Count 6: Importation of approximately 9.35 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Mexico

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Adriana Trevino



Count 7: Importation of approximately 19.47 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Mexico

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Maria Guadalupe Venegas Vda. Trevino



Count 8: Importation of approximately 7.7 pounds of cocaine into the United States from Mexico

Who's Charged: Laura Trevino, Evelia Trevino

http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/d ... other.html

My My, what some people will do for a "better life". Lets hope they get serious jail time and are not just deported to try again.