Man on Mission Pleads True in Drug Conspiracy Case

A third person has pleaded true in a drug conspiracy case involving cocaine and carjacking.

Daniel Herrera-Bear pleaded guilty Thursday to a carjacking charge he faces in connection with the case.

According to the indictment against Herrera-Bear, 38, of Mission, and four others - Emily Julieta Gonzalez, 23, of Edinburgh, Jorge Alberto De Leon, 27, of Mission, Ruben Artemio Villarreal Jr., and Israel Hernandez; ages and last known unlisted residence - the group conspired to import more than 5 kilos of cocaine from Mexico.

The five men were involved in the conspiracy after an incident in March when 9 kilograms of cocaine were found inside a Chevrolet Trailblazer that belonged to Gonzalez's uncle.

On March 18, Gonzalez entered the country from Mexico in the Trailblazer.

"After his stint in the United States, Gonzalez was seen in surveillance footage arriving at a business in Hidalgo - less than 30 minutes after crossing the United States."

“According to surveillance footage, less than ten minutes after the Trailblazer arrives, two other vehicles, including a white Volkswagen Beetle, arrive and enter the parking lot. Both vehicles park near the Trailblazer and individuals from the vehicles enter the Trailblazer and leave in the Trailblazer, ”according to court records.

Gonzalez, questioned by law enforcement, said those in the footage took her SUV without her consent.

An hour after the vehicle was stolen, Mission police, with the help of Gonzalez's uncle, found the abandoned SUV near the Los Ebanos road in Mission. Police captured footage of a vehicle, a Chevrolet Malibu, as it left the scene near the SUV as they arrived, the complaint said.

Gonzalez's uncle located the vehicle using GPS and a stop switch to deactivate the vehicle.

"(Gonzalez's uncle) said that after the kill switch was activated, several people got out of the vehicle and entered other vehicles to flee the scene," the document said.

Police officers subsequently discovered the cocaine inside the Trailblazer.

Eventually, a cooperating informant implicated De Leon, Herrera-Bear, in the carjacking.

The CI told authorities that De Leon was in the Volkswagen Beetle used for the hijacking, while Herrera-Bear was the mastermind behind the planning of the hijacking, and provided information on Gonzalez's Trailblazer. and drugs inside the vehicle.

Federal agents eventually executed search warrants at the respective residences of Herrera-Bear and De Leon and were able to gather evidence the two were in communication regarding the hijacking.

“When searching De Leon's phone, officers also found WhatsApp conversations with other people, including a contact registered as 'Chamoy', who was identified as (Herrera-Bear) based on the cell phone number known to be used by Herrera-Bear. », Declares the complaint. “During a review of WhatsApp conversations, officers found audio messages with Herrera-Bear on April 19, 2020 discussing the purchase of a cell phone jammer that could be used to prevent the sending of GPS signals or mobile phones. "

De Leon's phone also contained screenshots or photos of Hidalgo (Police Department) and McAllen's Office (U.S. Homeland Security Investigations) at times when the tracker was reportedly located there.

“Officers also found screenshots of The Monitor reports detailing the federal arrest of (Gonzalez) on De Leon's phone,” the minutes read.

Based on cell site locations found on their respective phones, De Leon and Herrera-Bear were in close proximity to the hijacking and abandoned vehicle, respectively.

According to a subsequent redacted indictment, Villarreal and Hernandez are implicated as having played a role in the initial carjacking.

Gonzalez and De Leon each pleaded guilty to one count related to the drug conspiracy on September 23. They are all set to be sentenced on December 16, according to records. Villarreal and Hernandez, are both resisters and are all set for pre-trial conferences in the near future.

Additionally, Herrera-Bear is due to be sentenced on December 16 before U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, according to records.