Five members of a Mexican drug cartel were arraigned Friday after authorities investigating alleged narcotics trafficking learned of a plot to assault a fellow dealer who owed nearly $3,000, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Undercover GBI agents overheard, on Feb. 2, defendant Nemias Cintora-Gonzalez, 29, speaking to an alleged drug associate about his plans to take five men to beat up the debtor, according to the U.S. Attorney.
That same day, agents say they observed co-defendant Edgar Cintora-Gonzalez, 25, transfer two large black bags from the trunk of a white Honda Accord traced to one of the five suspects to the a vehicle owned by the wife of another suspect outside a Smyrna apartment.
Later that night, agents executed a search of the residence, where Jorge Armando Reyes, 33, Victor Hugo Morales Avila, 34 and Israel Revera Pachecho, 27 -- all co-defendants in the alleged assault plot -- were arrested along with a 30-year-old Marietta woman, Brenda Perez, the U.S. Attorney said.
The search turned up, among other items:
- Thirteen handguns, several of which were semi-automatic firearms
- Four assault rifles
- Methamphetamine and cocaine
- Counterfeit currency
- Police gear, including a bulletproof vest
The indictment charges the five men with conspiracy and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and possession of counterfeit federal reserve notes. Perez was charged with concealing the illegal activities of the other defendants; the U.S. Attorney said Perez knew her apartment would be used to store drugs and weapons.
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