New details reveal the couple arrested Friday outside a Target in Mission may have used their 2-year-old child as a tactic to evade detection during a drug deal.
Nilda Flores and her husband, Guadalupe Armando Flores, sat in jail over the weekend after the two led law enforcement on a high-speed chase with their child and drugs in their gray Chevrolet truck, according to the criminal complaint.
Drug Enforcement Administration agents were tipped off about a possible drug sale involving 3 kilograms of cocaine Friday. After setting up surveillance, agents observed the people from three trucks interact, including the gray truck driven by Nilda Flores.
After the transaction, the gray truck loitered in a nearby park before driving away.
The agents, who were in an unmarked unit, asked a Hidalgo County sheriff’s deputy to conduct a traffic stop on Flores’ truck based on their belief that there were drugs in the vehicle.
The deputy turned on their lights and siren, but instead of stopping, Flores drove onto a main road speeding, “weaving through traffic, ignoring red lights, driving off road, and showing reckless disregard for the safety of others,” according to the criminal complaint.
Officers noticed a black cooler was thrown out of the truck as it drove away, but they were able to recover it. About 3 kilograms of cocaine were found inside.
Flores’ truck came to a stop outside the Target when it was surrounded by law enforcement vehicles. A video circulated on social media showed the moment when the husband was handcuffed on the ground and his wife was arrested against the truck. Their 2-year-old child who was in the backseat was also taken and placed in the custody of relatives.
Guadalupe Flores, the husband, gave a full confession of his involvement, the complaint stated.
Nilda Flores’ involvement was deduced from her presence in the vehicle and role during the pursuit. According to the complaint, the use of children in a drug transaction is a common strategy used to avoid suspicion from law enforcement. A similar incident was reported at the port of entry in Hidalgo last week when a man drove into the country with a girl and nearly 20 pounds of cocaine in his vehicle.
The drugs were seized and the two were charged with possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute the narcotics.
A detention hearing is pending; however, Guadalupe Flores is a citizen of Mexico which will likely impact his ability to be set free on bond.
