Ildefonso Ortiz, The Brownsville Herald, Texas
Nov. 26--Bond has been set at $500,000 for a now former Texas Department of Public Safety trooper charged with possession of 26 kilograms of a controlled substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute.
During a Wednesday morning hearing, U.S. Magistrate Felix Recio set bond on 35-year-old Jesus Rafael Larrazolo.
Larrazolo was arrested 10 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Best Buy as he was loading his car with cocaine, Brownsville police said, adding he had just received the cocaine from another man, who fled the scene.
Brownsville police were in the area conducting unrelated surveillance when they observed Larrazolo with suspicious suitcases that carried the cocaine, according to police.
During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney James Lancaster asked the court to refuse bond because of reports that Larrazolo's family was raising money to make bond and fears that he would flee and use a new identity in Mexico.
Larazolo worked with the DPS for four years.
FBI Agent Melanie Davis took the stand and responded to questions from defense attorney Noe Garza.
Davis said that she learned through conversations with the district attorney's office and agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that Larrazolo was a flight risk.
"The DA's office has provided information that the defendant's family has money set up for bond," Davis said. "We have been led to believe that if he were to make bond he would travel into Mexico to get his ID changed."
The FBI agent stated that Larrazolo's family ties in Mexico are powerful and wealthy enough that they would allow him to disappear.
"The DEA told us that his uncle has ties to the federal police in Mexico," Davis said. "We were told that the defendant has bragged to a colleague at the DPS that he has credentials to carry a weapon in Mexico."
Garza called to the stand FBI Agent Damon Flores, and questioned him about the credibility of intelligence reports that Larrazolo is a flight risk. Flores said the information came from secret informants, but he did not speak directly to them. "I was told they were trustworthy," Flores said.
For more information on this story, read Thursday's Brownsville Herald.
To see more of The Brownsville Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.brownsvilleherald.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Brownsville Herald, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Nov. 26--Bond has been set at $500,000 for a now former Texas Department of Public Safety trooper charged with possession of 26 kilograms of a controlled substance (cocaine) with intent to distribute.
During a Wednesday morning hearing, U.S. Magistrate Felix Recio set bond on 35-year-old Jesus Rafael Larrazolo.
Larrazolo was arrested 10 a.m. Saturday in the parking lot of Best Buy as he was loading his car with cocaine, Brownsville police said, adding he had just received the cocaine from another man, who fled the scene.
Brownsville police were in the area conducting unrelated surveillance when they observed Larrazolo with suspicious suitcases that carried the cocaine, according to police.
During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney James Lancaster asked the court to refuse bond because of reports that Larrazolo's family was raising money to make bond and fears that he would flee and use a new identity in Mexico.
Larazolo worked with the DPS for four years.
FBI Agent Melanie Davis took the stand and responded to questions from defense attorney Noe Garza.
Davis said that she learned through conversations with the district attorney's office and agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration that Larrazolo was a flight risk.
"The DA's office has provided information that the defendant's family has money set up for bond," Davis said. "We have been led to believe that if he were to make bond he would travel into Mexico to get his ID changed."
The FBI agent stated that Larrazolo's family ties in Mexico are powerful and wealthy enough that they would allow him to disappear.
"The DEA told us that his uncle has ties to the federal police in Mexico," Davis said. "We were told that the defendant has bragged to a colleague at the DPS that he has credentials to carry a weapon in Mexico."
Garza called to the stand FBI Agent Damon Flores, and questioned him about the credibility of intelligence reports that Larrazolo is a flight risk. Flores said the information came from secret informants, but he did not speak directly to them. "I was told they were trustworthy," Flores said.
For more information on this story, read Thursday's Brownsville Herald.
To see more of The Brownsville Herald, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.brownsvilleherald.com. Copyright (c) 2008, The Brownsville Herald, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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