|
Only have a minute? Listen instead
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A federal grand jury has indicted a Brownsville man who was caught with nearly $500,000 in cash during a traffic stop in Kleberg County earlier this month.
Oscar Francisco Ramos Gonzales is charged with a single count of money laundering after being found with $459,935, according to the indictment.
The Kleberg County Attorney Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force pulled Ramos Gonzales’ 2013 Kenworth tractor-trailer over for a traffic violation on June 6, according to a criminal complaint.
In a June 7 Facebook post, the Kleberg County Attorney Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force said that while speaking with the man, authorities believed that he might be involved “in some type of criminal activity.”
“A consent search of the truck resulted in the discovery of three … packages of bulk currency concealed in the bed area,” the complaint stated.
A K-9 then alerted to the trailer.
“Ramos Gonzales admitted there was more bulk currency concealed in the trailer,” the complaint stated. “A search of the trailer resulted in the discovery of 13 packages concealed in the front area of the trailer for a total of 16 packages.”
During a post-Miranda interview, the complaint said Ramos Gonzales admitted he knew bulk currency was hidden in the tractor-trailer.
“Ramos Gonzales stated that he was going to get paid for transporting the bulk currency and knew that the bulk currency was proceeds from specified unlawful activities,” the complaint stated.
He is scheduled to appear in Brownsville federal court on July 3 in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ignacio Torteya III for his arraignment.
Ramos Gonzales is being held without bond.
The federal government is seeking the forfeiture of the $495,935.
