Three Arrested and Charged with Conspiracy to Possess Cocaine

In El Paso, three members of one of El Paso’s well known drug trafficking organization were arrested last Friday for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine announced U. S. Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Waldemar Rodriguez, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso Division.

A federal complaint filed yesterday charges Jose Guadalupe Torres-Magana, 55, Patricia Torres, 56 and Alfonso Govea, 32, all from El Paso, with conspiracy to possess approximately 8.2 kilograms of cocaine.

“The arrests of members of the Torres Drug Trafficking Organization have effectively dismantled a large scale smuggling organization responsible for staging and transporting large amounts of cocaine from El Paso to Chicago," said Special Agent in Charge, Waldemar Rodriguez, HSI El Paso. "This case is another example of our cooperation with various law enforcement agencies and the U.S. Attorney's office in charging those who seek to circumvent the laws of the United States.”

All three defendants remain in federal custody, pending a detention hearing on Thursday.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt.  The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case is being investigated by the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.  Assistant United States Attorney Lisa Leontiev is prosecuting this case on behalf of the Government.

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