Pubdate: Tue, 25 Apr 2006
Source: Monitor, The (McAllen, TX)
Copyright: 2006 The Monitor
Contact:  http://www.themonitor.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1250
Author:  Brittney Booth, Monitor Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Note: MAP archives articles exactly as published, except that our 
editors may redact the names and addresses of accused persons who 
have  not been convicted of a crime, if those named are not otherwise 
public figures or officials.

ACCUSED MEZA FAMILY MEMBERS PLEAD NOT GUILTY

McALLEN -- Accused members of a family run drug-trafficking 
organization appeared before a federal magistrate Monday, pleading 
not guilty to nine felony charges in connection with transporting 
cocaine and marijuana across the Rio Grande.

The men -- [Names redacted], all of Mission -- were arrested 
Wednesday and are charged with a nine-count sealed federal indictment 
alleging they participated in a smuggling ring that ran drugs across 
the river south of Mission.

The brothers appeared with their defense attorneys in front of U.S. 
Magistrate Peter Ormsby as federal prosecutors requested that the men 
be held without bond until their June 6 trial, set in U.S. District 
Judge Randy 's court.

Ormsby granted the government's request to deny bond for Jesus 
Lorenzo Meza, an Edinburg police officer who was taken into custody 
while on duty, and his brother [Name redacted]. [Name redacted], 27, 
of Mission -- one of three non-family members charged in the 
indictment -- will also remain in federal custody until the trial.

Ormsby will continue a detention hearing today for the organization's 
accused leader, [Name redacted], as well as [Name redacted] and [Name 
redacted].

Two other men also charged in the indictment -- [Name redacted], 41 
and [Name redacted], 24, also of Mission -- appeared in front of 
Ormsby as well, but had not obtained an attorney. They are scheduled 
to reappear on Wednesday.

During the detention hearing, Drug Enforcement Agent Special Agent 
Anthony Dominguez, who began investigating the organization in 1996, 
testified the men worked closely with their associates in Mexico to 
transport about 15,000 pounds of marijuana and 500 kilos of cocaine 
since July 1998. Agents conducted surveillance on the group and 
recorded more than 2,000 telephone conversations in the course of 
their investigation.

"This investigation involved a group that was primarily responsible 
for smuggling marijuana and cocaine across the Rio Grande, south of 
Mission," he said.

Those contacts in Mexico could provide them protection if released, he said.

Jesus Meza provided "counter surveillance." alerting his brothers 
when law enforcement approached, Dominguez testified.

The organization used tubes, rafts, floating devices and boats to 
cross the drugs across the river, while some of the men acted as 
lookouts. When needed, the group used "agressive" interference 
tactics to steer law enforcement away from following vehicles 
carrying the drugs, even running them off the road, Dominguez said.

Dominguez also told the court two men came to the Edinburg Police 
Department's municipal jail on Sunday looking for Jesus Meza and his 
brother in a restricted area. Edinburg Police Chief Quirino Munoz 
confirmed that two men had questioned a jailer, but left after they 
were informed Jesus Meza was not at the department.

"They weren't here in a threatening matter," Munoz said.

The indictment returned by a grand jury in November 2005 remains 
sealed by court order. According to a U.S. attorney's press release, 
the men are all charged with conspiring to import drugs into the 
United States and to possess with intent to distribute more than five 
kilograms of cocaine and more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana over 
a seven-year period beginning around July 1998.

If convicted of the conspiracy offenses, the men face 10 years to 
life imprisonment without parole and a $4 million fine.

In the remaining eight counts of the indictment, they are accused of 
possessing with intent to distribute hundreds of kilograms of 
marijuana on eight separate instances from June 2001 through November 
2003. The alleged marijuana loads varied in size from approximately 
271 kilograms in January 2001 to as large as 1,485 kilograms in 
October 2003, the press release states.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman