Former Starr County Deputy Sheriff Pleads Guilty To Drug Trafficking
LAREDO, Texas - Amy Reyes, 32, a former deputy with the Starr County Sheriff’s (SCSO), and her bother Bobby Lee Reyes, 36, both of Rio Grande City, have entered guilty pleas to possession with intent to distribute 34 kilograms of marijuana, announced Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Joseph M. Arabit, Houston Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
On Nov. 10, 2014 Amy Reyes and her brother were arrested at the Border (BP) Checkpoint located on Highway-16 in Hebbronville. Bobby Lee Reyes was driving a 2010 Chevy Malibu vehicle, while his sister rode as a passenger in the front seat.
Upon primary inspection, a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics within the vehicle. Agents then conducted an x-ray examination, during which time agents discovered 12 bundles of marijuana, weighing 34.9 kilograms, underneath the vehicle’s floor carpet.
Both defendants admitted trafficking marijuana to Houston and expected to receive financial compensation for their involvement. Amy Reyes was employed as a deputy with SCSO, but has since been terminated.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will set sentencing in the near future. At that time, the siblings will face up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. They were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The charges are the result of an investigation by BP and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sanjeev Bhasker is prosecuting the case.
