Woman accused of picking up kilos of cocaine in Ann Arbor to transport to Chicago
A California woman is accused of picking up 12 kilograms of suspected cocaine and $2 million cash at an Ann Arbor hotel last week, intending to transport it to Chicago, federal court documents say.
Margarita Vallejo of La Habra was charged Tuesday in a federal criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 5 kilograms of cocaine.
It's unclear where she is being held and when she will make an initial appearance in federal court in Detroit. Gina Balaya, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit, could not immediately be reached for comment this afternoon.
Cocaine is shown in this Drug Enforcement Administration photo.
According to an affidavit by DEA Special Agent Edward Donovan, Vallejo was driving a rental car that was pulled over on Friday by a Michigan State Police trooper on I-94 in Calhoun County. It’s unclear why the 2010 Toyota Avalon was stopped.
According to the affidavit, the trooper asked to search it, and Vallejo consented.
Inside the car, the affidavit says, the trooper found a suitcase containing about 12 kilograms of suspected cocaine.
In addition, the trooper found two other suitcases containing an estimated $2 million in cash, the affidavit says. The money was separated into 44 heat-sealed bags, the affidavit says.
Vallejo admitted taking a flight to Chicago, where she rented a car from Hertz and drove to Ann Arbor, the affidavit says. She said the purpose of the trip was to "pick up money and transport the money to Chicago," the affidavit says.
A man agreed to pay her between $6,000 and $7,000 to transport the money, the affidavit says. According to the affidavit, she has made "at least three similar trips," in the past couple months.
On Friday, a man arrived at her hotel in Ann Arbor and "placed the suitcases into the trunk of the Toyota and closed the trunk," the affidavit says. It did not specify what hotel.
Shortly after the suitcases arrived, the affidavit says, Vallejo left for Chicago, anticipating a phone call three to four hours later.
The caller was expected to tell her where to go in Chicago, where to stop and what to do with the suitcases, the affidavit says.
Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and e-mail at leehiggins@annarbor.com.
Comments
TreeTownGal
Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 5:11 p.m.
Could the A2 News find out the name of the hotel in Ann Arbor?
snapshot
Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 3:08 p.m.
Hmmmm.....How about you rent a car and a rental agent hides cocaine in it in some complicated attempt to make a clean getaway.....you get stopped and they find cocaine......you still sticking to your story?
Hmm
Thu, Oct 28, 2010 : 8:35 a.m.
If are caught transporting cocaine, whether knowingly or unknowingly, you will get arrested. And it's kilos too? Forget about it, possession is 9/10 of the law and you are going to have a hard time beating that one. Also driving around with $2 million dollars in undeclared cash is not a crime per se, but the DEA and the IRS would definitely be paying you a visit if you have that much scratch just sitting in suitcases in your car.
snapshot
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 11:14 p.m.
So it sounds like this gal thought she was transporting money only. Would that be illegal? If you were helping a friend move and they loaded a bunch of coke in a box that ended up in your vehicle, should you go to prison if it's found by law enforcement? Just asking.
stunhsif
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 9:16 p.m.
Hey, Give that 2 million to Mary Sue Coleman and the U of M. She is looking for more money from the government. Perhaps they can use it to figure out why people like to use drugs and get high! Suggest giving the cash to their Social Sciences department.
jameslucas
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 8:16 p.m.
This is destroying our country, this has got to stop. I thought we decided to give up on the metric system.
Joe Hood
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 6:05 p.m.
@Malorie Sorry, I was playing on medical marijuana. There can be a need for medical marijuana but suddenly there are over 32,000 legal Michigan recipients of this "medicine" (as there are robo signers of prescriptions). And though those under the influence of THC are not typically violent, the resultant work ethic borders on California surfer dude like.
M.
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 5:42 p.m.
Joe Hood - What new law? I hope you aren't referring to medical marijuana. Cocaine has been used legally for medicinal purposes for centuries (yes, HERE).
treetowncartel
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 4:33 p.m.
They don't need probable cause to ask to search, and if they ask they probably don't have it. that is when you say no and may I please go on my merry way. Although, 4th Amendment rights are slowly fading away.
DonBee
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 4:23 p.m.
@Chase Ingersoll - The one question I can answer is the only reward the State Police Officer will receive will be an "Atta Boy" and maybe a letter. There is no cash reward or monetary reward given to State Police Officers for any arrest, or other activity while they are a sworn officer. Beyond that I cannot answer any of your questions.
Basic Bob
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 3:48 p.m.
Per the US DEA, "From January through June 2007, the wholesale (involving amounts of one kilogram or more) price per pure gram of cocaine increased 11 per cent, from $20.85 to $23.04." If the suspected cocaine turns out to be pure cocaine, that's $280,000. From the same web page, the street price after it has been repackaged for retail sale and cut (59% pure) is $2 million. Coincidentally(?), they found that much cash in the Toyota.
loves_fall
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 3:15 p.m.
There's a show on National Geographic about this, but usually has to do with people being arrested in other countries. Now we get to see how our legal system stacks up!
InsideTheHall
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 3 p.m.
US citizen or illegal?????
treetowncartel
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:58 p.m.
Well, she is a woman driver, that might explain the traffic stop. Hopefully, the feds have some major security detail on her and her immediate family. With the way the Cartels operate I can only imagine her family memebers will be paid a visit very soon. there is no insurance on these type of deliveries. I just saw something today where a whole police force in a town in northern Mexico resiggned after their new headquaters were shot up. I The war on drugs by this country has been against the wrong enemy.
David Briegel
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:51 p.m.
And, of course they didn't let her finish her trip to catck the real culprits. Our heroes got a mule! Or did they just want the money? TopCat, High speed public transportation. Now that would be civilized.
Top Cat
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:29 p.m.
Now if we had high speed trains between AA and Chicago and if she had taken one of those trains, this story would have been much less interesting.
Ed Verhamme
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:26 p.m.
Maybe she was texting and driving? That would be a politicians dream!
Chase Ingersoll
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:21 p.m.
Perhaps she should have taken the train or MegaBus. Instead she rented an Avalon and got MegaBusted. Sorry, who can resist a good pun.
Chase Ingersoll
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:19 p.m.
1. It would be interesting to know the "probable cause" that tipped the trooper to ask to search. 2. The 2 million will be forfeit. How much will the various Calhoun County law enforcement entities receive or does it all go to the state police? Does the trooper receive an award/reward? 3. Can you link to the state police report and to the complaint / affidavit? 4. What's the price of a kilo? 5. Why would the money be in "heat sealed bags"?
Joe Hood
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:11 p.m.
With Michigan's new law, perhaps she believed it was "medical cocaine."
SemperFi
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 2:11 p.m.
Do you think that this pull-over was happenstance? Methinks there is more to the story. Good work DEA & MSP.
Ricebrnr
Wed, Oct 27, 2010 : 1:55 p.m.
Who did she think she was "The Transporter"? Wonder if she thinks its as exciting as in the movies now?