4 Arrested In Contra Costa County Drug Bust Appear In Federal Court
OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- Four men who were arrested in Contra Costa County on drug charges on Tuesday made an initial appearance before a federal magistrate in Oakland on Wednesday and are due to return to court on Thursday.
The four defendants are Oscar Gaxioloa-Vicencio, 41, of Oakley; Rafael Verduzco-Perez, 38, of Antioch; Jesus Campus-Zaragoza, 36, of Concord; and Jorge Gonzalez-Herrera, 47, of Pittsburg.
They are charged in a federal grand jury indictment with conspiring to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, or both. The indictment was issued under seal on Oct. 3 and unsealed Wednesday after their appearance before U.S. Magistrate Donna Ryu.
The defendants' Thursday morning court appearance will be for the appointment of defense attorneys and the scheduling of future detention hearings. The men are being held in custody for the time being.
A fifth defendant, Moises Soltero-Pelayo, was also named in the indictment on charges of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records, Soltero-Pelayo was previously charged in a Sept. 19 federal criminal complaint with possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with the intent to distribute them. The complaint was superseded by the Oct. 3 indictment that also named the other four defendants.
Soltero Pelayo has previously appeared in federal court, been assigned a lawyer and waived his right to a detention hearing. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the federal charges on Oct. 29.
In an affidavit included with the complaint against Soltero-Pelayo, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agent Matthew Madden said the Soltero-Pelayo was stopped in Brentwood by a Contra Costa County sheriff's deputy on Sept. 10 on suspicion of speeding.
He had a Mexican identity card but did not have a driver's license, Madden said in the document.
The deputy received Soltero-Pelayo's permission to search his 2006 Jeep Cherokee and discovered 52 individually wrapped plastic baggies containing methamphetamine in a partially opened panel underneath the steering wheel, the affidavit said.
FBI spokesman Peter Lee said Tuesday that the four suspects were arrested after the FBI served six search warrants at homes in Oakley, Antioch, Pittsburg and Concord.
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