A nearly nine-month investigation led to the arrest of a pair of Mission women accused of smuggling controlled substances between the U.S. and Mexico, records show.
In an unsealed indictment, government prosecutors allege Aldercy Medina, and Sonia Villarreal, were involved in the illegal smuggling of more than 100 grams of a banned controlled substance, court records show.
Medina, 40, along with Villarreal, 43, were arrested last week as part of an investigation that led to an indictment on alleged charges of smuggling the banned substance between January 2020 and September 2020, records show.
The indictment, which came down in early February, briefly details the pair’s role in the movement of fentanyl, a schedule II controlled substance, between the dates of Jan. 19, 2020, and Sept. 14, 2020.
“(Villarreal and Medina), did knowingly, and intentionally conspire and agree together and with other persons known and unknown to the Grand Jurors, to import into the United States of America from the United Mexican States a controlled substance,” the record states.
The pair faces two conspiracy charges, one import of a controlled substance charge, and one possession of a controlled substance charge, the document stated.
On Wednesday, after they were formally indicted by a federal grand jury earlier this month, the two made their initial appearance before a federal magistrate, records show.
Both women are scheduled to appear for a detention hearing where the court could release the two on a bond, or, if the government objects, could remain in federal custody.
If convicted of the smuggling charges, the pair could serve between five and 10 years in prison.
