FBI SHARES SEIZED ASSET MONEY WITH COUNTY

Jimmy Apodaca, chief deputy with the El Paso County Sheriff's Office,
center, received a check from Special Agent in Charge Manuel Mora of
the El Paso Division of the FBI, left, and federal prosecutor Margaret
Leachman on Monday at the FBI offices. (Victor Calzada / El Paso Times)

The chief of El Paso's FBI office presented a $1.4 million check to
the El Paso County Sheriff's Office on Monday for its contributions to
a multi-agency drug investigation that spanned four years and targeted
Mexican drug cartels.

FBI Special Agent in Charge Manuel Mora said the money was given to
the Sheriff's Office as part of a federal law that allows law
enforcement agencies that assist the FBI to receive a percentage of
seized assets.

"It's an honor to be able to work with federal agencies the way we
do," Chief Deputy Jimmy Apodaca said after being presented with the
check.

Apodaca said the money will be used to help the Sheriff's Office
purchase equipment and to continue investigating drug trafficking and
other crimes.

Sheriff investigators assisted the FBI with Operation Baja Kings, a
four-year investigation targeting the organizations of Ignacio Coronel
Villareal, Joaquin Guzman Loera and Mario Ismael Zambada Garcia. All
three men are wanted by the U.S. on drug-trafficking charges.

though Mora did say the investigation culminated with some rather
"staggering statistics."

The investigation resulted in 66 federal indictments and 25 federal
complaints along with the seizure of 148 pounds of crystal ice
methamphetamine, 865 kilograms of cocaine, 5,500 pounds of marijuana
and $10.5 million in cash.

Margaret Leachman, chief of the El Paso Division of the U.S.
Attorney's Office, said 24 people face charges or have been convicted
through two indictments issued through the U.S. District Court in El
Paso. She said the leaders of the drug cartels have not been caught.

El Paso's DEA office and the Internal Revenue Service also assisted in
the investigations.