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| Marijuana operation had been in place for months |
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10/2/2015
By Tom Marshall
Senior Advocate writer
A local marijuana distribution network that was sending pounds of pot through the U.S. mail had reportedly been in place for at least seven months, a detective testified last Thursday during a preliminary hearing for one of the defendants charged in the case.
Following his arrest, Abel Rios Espinosa, 42, allegedly told authorities about the shipments coming into multiple locations in Montgomery County.
The shipments were intercepted Sept. 11 based on a tip from authorities in McAllen, Texas, Det./Sgt. Ralph Charles of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office testified.
U.S. Postal inspectors had reportedly discovered the marijuana and contacted a detective with the Lexington Metro Police Dept. who also serves on a Drug Enforcement Administration task force.
That detective then contacted the MCSO.
Local authorities made controlled deliveries of the marijuana to three addresses within the county, Charles testified.
They subsequently searched three residences—two with search warrants, the other with consent—and found that the deliveries each included boxes with two individual packages each containing three pounds of pressed marijuana, according to the detective’s testimony.
The occupant at one of the residences had reportedly received an earlier box containing six pounds of marijuana, which was also seized, Charles testified.
Authorities recovered 24 pounds in all at the Montgomery County addresses.
Authorities then conducted surveillance as the packages were allegedly delivered to Espinosa, Charles testified.
He testified that Espinosa was then arrested and agreed to cooperate. Espinosa led authorities to an address in Winchester, where they made a controlled delivery and arrested another man, Cedrick Tate, 27.
Another pound of marijuana was reportedly seized at that residence, Charles testified.
Espinosa and Tate are both charged with trafficking in marijuana, more than five pounds. Espinosa is lodged in the Montgomery County Regional Jail on a $15,000 cash bond. Tate was released after posting bond at the Clark County Detention Center.
At last week’s hearing, Espinosa’s attorney, public defender Clay McGuffin, asked District Judge Don Blair to consider lowering his client’s bond.
The attorney said Espinosa loves living in the U.S. and has no desire to return to Mexico. He also cited Espinosa’s cooperation in the case.
County Attorney Kevin Cockrell countered that the offense is a serious crime and bond is appropriate where it stands.
Blair said he finds Espinosa a serious flight risk because of his status as a reported illegal alien to this country. He left the bond amount the same.
Espinosa has a holder on him from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service should he be released from jail. He faces possible deportation through that holder.
Blair also found probable cause to forward the case to the Oct. 13 grand jury. The grand jury will consider a possible indictment formally charging Espinosa.
Charles said others are expected to be charged in indictments from that grand jury. He said Espinosa was arrested and not the others because Espinosa is considered a more serious flight risk.
Charles also acknowledged that there has been some confusion over Espinosa’s last name. It was initially reported as Rios, but the court system has opted to list his last name as Espinosa and his middle name as Rios, he said.
Tate is scheduled to appear for arraignment Oct. 12 in Clark County District Court.
The MCSO is being assisted in the investigation by the Office of Probation and Parole, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and the Kentucky State Police Drug Enforcement Special Investigations Unit.
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