Lubbock, Texas — Crystal Ann Alaniz, 32, and Arleen Theres Keithley, 36, pleaded guilty yesterday to their roles in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy after a bra-to-pants drug handoff was caught on dashcam. The women were arrested during a routine traffic stop on April 30, 2016, after Texas DPS troopers pulled over the vehicle Keithley was driving for multiple violations.
Alaniz pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and aiding and abetting. She faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in federal prison, plus a $5 million fine. Keithley, 36, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting, exposing her to a maximum of 20 years behind bars and a $1 million fine.
The in-car video from the trooper’s patrol unit shows Keithley, already handcuffed, maneuvering her hands to her left breast and extracting a plastic bag containing suspected meth from her bra. Using her teeth, she passed the bundle to Alaniz in the back seat, who concealed it in her pants. The brazen act unfolded inside a moving police car, captured in chilling clarity by the dashboard camera.
At the Lubbock County Detention Center, Alaniz initially denied possessing contraband before admitting, “I have stuff on me.” A subsequent search revealed two plastic bags of suspected meth in her pants and two more bags containing smaller, marked bundles consistent with street-level drug sales. Keithley had two additional bundles in her bra, totaling 54.93 grams of confirmed methamphetamine. A digital scale with residue and nearly $2,000 in her purse were also seized. Officers found another $2,500 in small bills on her person.
Co-defendant Jonathan Lovato, 33, of Lubbock, also entered a guilty plea yesterday. Last week, Juan Carlos Lara-Ochoa, 24, and Jose Alberto Cibrian, 41, pleaded guilty to their involvement in the same conspiracy. The coordinated charges point to an organized distribution network operating in the South Plains region.
The case is being investigated by the Lubbock Police Department, Littlefield Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting. Judge D. Gordon Bryant Jr. has ordered presentence investigation reports for all defendants, with sentencing dates to follow. The federal crackdown underscores the ongoing battle against meth trafficking in West Texas.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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