More than 10 kilograms of powder cocaine allegedly were discovered in a hidden compartment during a traffic stop in August along Interstate 30 in Titus County, Texas.
Manuel Hernandez, 60, and Myrna Guadalupe Corrujedo, 34, were arrested Aug. 9 after Cpl. Charles Cannon of the Texas Department of Public Safety stopped a 2010 Mercury Marquis sedan with Michigan plates for speeding. Corrujedo was driving, and Hernandez, who is the registered owner of the Marquis, was the passenger.
Cannon became suspicious that the pair might be involved in drug trafficking, according to a criminal complaint filed in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas. Cannon noticed Hernandez and Corrujedo were in possession of religious paraphernalia commonly possessed by drug traffickers and found evidence the two had made multiple trips between Michigan and Texas along the I-30 corridor. Cannon further alleged that the pair were untruthful about their criminal history and that they provided an "implausible story" when asked why they were traveling.
While searching the car, Cannon observed paint that didn't match in an area behind the backrest of the rear bench seat and recent tooling on bolts that affix the seatbelt anchors to the Mercury's floor. At the DPS office in Mount Pleasant, a law enforcement drug dog reportedly alerted to the rear driver's door seam.
With the help of several DPS officers and the Mount Pleasant Fire Department, Cannon was able to remove two pieces of the car, revealing a non-factory compartment that had been concealed in the space between the Mercury's fuel cell and rear wall. Twelve bundles wrapped in cellophane and axle grease were discovered. The bundles weighed just over 10 kilograms and allegedly contained powder cocaine.
Hernandez and Corrujedo made initial court appearances Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven. Craven appointed Texarkana lawyer Craig Henry to represent Corrujedo and Longview, Texas, lawyer Charles Van Cleef to represent Hernandez. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Ross filed a motion seeking the continued detention of Hernandez and Corrujedo, citing the nature of the offense and concern that the defendants might flee the jurisdiction.
The defendants are being held in the Titus County jail.
If convicted, Hernandez and Corrujedo face a minimum of 10 years to life in federal prison and the possibility of a fine up to $10 million. If either defendant has a prior felony conviction for a drug offense, the minimum punishment increases to 20 years and the possible maximum fine increases to $20 million.