South Texas Drug Suppliers Sentenced
MOBILE, Ala. - Jesus Silva, 56, and his wife Alma Silva, 54, both of Brownsville, Texas, were sentenced in federal court Thursday, January 18, 2012, on charges involving the interstate distribution of marijuana and money laundering. The Silvas were indicted in April of 2010, and entered guilty pleas to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 220 pounds of marijuana and to conducting a financial transaction involving the proceeds of drug sales. United States District Court Judge William H. Steele imposed sentences in the cases.
The prosecutor filed motions in both cases for reduced sentences resulting from the Silvas cooperation against their principal distributor, Larry Davis, 42, of Granite City, Illinois. Davis was arrested at his residence in May of 2010, and was brought to Mobile to face the charges. Davis, too, pled guilty to the marijuana distribution conspiracy charge and his case is set for sentencing in March of 2012.
Alma Silva was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment on the drug and money laundering counts, with the sentences to run concurrently. She was ordered to undergo substance abuse treatment while in custody, and when she is released, she will remain under supervision for four years. She was ordered to pay $200 in special assessments.
Jesus Silva, who had two prior convictions for marijuana offenses (one in federal court in Texas and the other in state court there), was sentenced to 48 months imprisonment on the drug and money laundering counts, with the sentences to run concurrently. He was ordered to undergo substance abuse treatment while in custody, and when he is released from imprisonment, he will be delivered to the custody of the Department of Homeland Security for deportation. If he is not deported, Judge Steele ordered that he would then undergo 8 years of supervision following his release from custody. Jesus was also ordered to pay $200 in special assessments.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security. It was prosecuted by Gloria A. Bedwell in the United States Attorney’s Office.
