FORMER CITY PARKS WORKER SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR COCAINE CONSPIRACY

(HOUSTON) – A former city parks worker convicted of conspiracy and attempt to possess with intent to distribute cocaine has been sentenced to 327 months in federal prison without parole, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. Jaime Arturo Zamora, 40, of Houston, was sentenced today by United States District Judge David Hittner. 

Zamora pleaded guilty Feb. 16, 2010. At that time, Zamora admitted that for seven years beginning in 2002, he and others received and distributed more than 150 kilograms of cocaine that he received from the Monterrey, Mexico, organization with whom he worked. He also acknowledged he transferred and transported more than $3 million in U.S. currency from the Houston area to Mexico as payment for the cocaine he sold. Judge Hittner has ordered Zamora forfeit an equal amount to the United States.

Zamora was arrested July 16, 2009, while attempting to take delivery of six kilograms of cocaine. Although Zamora had previously been employed by the city as a parks worker, at the time of his arrest on the federal drug charges Zamora was on bond for state capital murder charges which are still pending in the 185th Criminal District Court. Following Zamora’s federal drug arrest, the state bond was revoked. He has been in federal custody without bond since then.

The conviction is the result of an investigation conducted by the Houston Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Martha Minnis with assistance of Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Haden.

 

 

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