Latest Legal News from the Criminal Courts in Houston, Texas

March 29, 2007

MEXICAN STATE POLICE OFFICER FOUND GUILTY OF SMUGGLING COCAINE INTO THE UNITED STATES

(LAREDO, TX)– A Laredo federal jury has convicted Ricardo Gonzalez-Camacho, 37, a state police officer from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, guilty of conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute and importation into the United States of more than 50 pounds of cocaine, United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle announced today. The jury’s verdict convicting Gonzales of all counts in the indictment was returned on March 28, 2007 after approximately two hour of deliberation.

During trial the United States presented the testimony of various agents which proved that mid-morning on Sunday, September 10, 2006, Ricardo Gonzalez-Camacho (Gonzalez) arrived at a vehicular primary inspection lane of International Bridge No. 1 in Laredo, Texas driving a 1994 white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Gonzalez told the Customs and Border Protection officer on duty that he purpose in entering the country was to shop in downtown Laredo. Noticing that Gonzalez had a permit in his shirt pocket allowing him to travel more than 25 miles of the border, the CBP officer asked about the need for the permit. Gonzalez told the CBP officer he was a Agente Ministerial, a Mexican state police officer, driving a friend’s vehicle but reiterated he had plans to shop in Laredo only. The CBP officer referred him for further inspection to the secondary area of the port-of-entry. At secondary inspection, Customs and Border Protection officers inspected the pickup truck and discovered 25 bundles of vacuum-sealed packages inside the gas tank. The bundles contained approximately 55 pounds of cocaine. Gonzalez was found to possess several identification cards verifying that he was a Mexican state police officer affiliated with the Attorney General’s Office.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, notified of the discovery of the contraband, continued the investigation and interviewed Gonzalez. During his interview, Gonzalez told an ICE agent he had purchased the pick up truck a week before and his only purpose in traveling from Monterrey, Mexico to Laredo was to shop. However, Gonzales was unable to verify his recent purchase of the truck and toll receipts found in the truck by ICE agents showed inconsistencies with Gonzalez’s story regarding his travel itinerary. Thereafter, Gonzalez admitted he had accepted an offer to transport drugs into the United States in exchange for $2,000 claiming he was experiencing financial difficulties.

At trial, Gonzalez testified and denied he had confessed to transporting drugs. Instead, he claimed he had told the ICE agent that he had traveled to Laredo to pick up currency and transport it back to Monterrey, Mexico. Gonzalez also denied knowledge of the toll receipts found inside the pickup truck, and disputed the ICE Agent’s account of his travel times.

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