A third woman was charged in a money laundering case linked to the Gulf Cartel Miguel Aleman plaza boss. Although he was not charged in this indictment, his wife and sister are part of it.
Alyssa Giselle Vera was arrested June 17 on charges of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Vera was indicted along with two other women, sisters Julia Judith Flores-Salinas and Jessenia Flores-Salinas, on Dec. 28, 2021, though Vera’s name remained redacted until her arrest this month.
According to the criminal complaint initially filed, Vera attempted to smuggle $9,230 from Mexico without declaring it through the Roma port of entry on Oct. 22, 2021. During an interview with law enforcement, she allegedly claimed she was taking the money to Jessenia Flores-Salinas’ Roma residence in the 800 block of Austin Street.
Vera also said she had smuggled about $50,000 before that Oct. 22 incident and that the money were proceeds from human smuggling.
An operation involving Border Patrol and the Starr County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 2 led to the seizure of $809,980 at the house on Austin Street identified by Vera.
While agents and officers watched the residence, they saw Jessenia Flores-Salinas arrive with a young man and greeted by a man resembling Hugo Armando Cortinas-Salinas, a suspected drug smuggler and Gulf Cartel plaza boss in Miguel Aleman. Jessenia’s sister, Julia, allegedly told investigators Jessenia and Hugo were married.
A search was conducted at the residence where money was discovered in shoe boxes and backpacks stored in the master bedroom and closet. More money was found inside two concealed compartments of an entertainment center.
Julia told agents the money belonged to her sister, Jessenia, and that the bulk of the currency was from drug proceeds. Julia also allegedly said she helped Jessenia count the money; video found on her cellphone later showed Julia counting stacks of U.S. currency.
Vera appeared before a U.S. magistrate judge Wednesday and entered a plea of not guilty to both counts.
