Sheriff's employees in smuggling case get high bond

by JJ Hensley
May. 25, 2011
The Arizona Republic

Four of the 11 people arrested Tuesday in a Maricopa County Sheriff's operation were denied bond because of their immigration status.

Another five suspects apprehended in the operation, including the sheriff's deputy suspected of smuggling humans and working with drug traffickers, had bonds set at $1 million or more during their initial court appearances Tuesday.

The Sheriff's Office arrested Deputy Alfredo Navarrette and two sheriff's detention officers, Sylvia Najera and Marcella Hernandez, at the culmination of yearlong probe into an alleged heroin trafficking and human-smuggling ring.

The accused leader of the ring, identified by authorities as Francisco Arce Torres, was denied bond along with three other defendants under an Arizona law that does not allow judges to set bonds for suspected illegal immigrants.

Hernandez, who is suspected of money laundering and conspiring to commit drug crimes, was given a $2 million bond, with investigators noting in court paperwork that Hernandez expressed a desire to move to Mexico with Torres.

Sheriff Joe Arpaio said at a press conference Tuesday that Hernandez is eight months' pregnant with the child of another suspect, Francisco "Lorenzo" Arce-Torres, who is described in court records as a member of the Sinaloa drug cartel and the leader of the Phoenix-based drug-trafficking organization at the heart of the probe.

Navarrette, a 10-year veteran of the Sheriff's Office and a former member of the Sheriff Joe Arpaio's human-smuggling unit, was given a $1 million bond. He is accused of taking part in the conspiracy, which included smuggling undocumented immigrants from Arizona to other states.

Najera, the other sheriff's employee arrested Tuesday, was granted a $36,000 bond. She is accused of money laundering and other crimes related to the drug-trafficking organization.

Hugo Mejia, the owner of a Phoenix construction company who is accused of setting up a corporation with Najera for the purpose of laundering money, was given a $200,000 in his initial court appearance.

The Sheriff's Office said the investigation into the drug-trafficking and human-smuggling operation is ongoing and more sheriff's employees were being interviewed to determine what they knew of the trafficking ring.

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