On September 7, an unsealed two-count federal grand jury indictment charged nine Texas men with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to carry out money-laundering crimes. The accused individuals ranged in age from 28 to 46 years old.
The men allegedly distributed a large amount of cocaine beginning in January 2015. They were accused of distributing a large amount of the drug in San Antonio’s East Side. Several law enforcement agencies were investigating the case, including the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, San Antonio Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration.
All nine men remained in custody while their detention hearings were pending. It was expected that the hearings would take place later in the month in the U.S. Magistrate Court in San Antonio. If the men are convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, they could be sentenced to federal prison for anywhere between 10 years and life. The money laundering conspiracy charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison.
Since the state of Texas takes drug crimes and other associated charges extremely seriously, those who are accused of possessing, selling or conspiring to distribute or transport drugs could face serious consequences. Depending on the situation surrounding the allegations, an accused person could potentially face years or even life in prison. As such, a criminal law attorney may open an independent investigation into the allegations. During the investigation, a lawyer may investigate whether the accused’s rights were violated while building a strong possible defense. In some cases, an attorney may challenge some or all of the evidence that the prosecution brings against his or her client.
Source: KSAT, “9 arrested on charges of distributing cocaine, money laundering“, David Ibanez, September 7, 2018
