Laredo residents Romeo Serna Sr., 50, and Romeo Serna Jr., 26, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in distributing cocaine and marijuana in a school zone.
According to the allegations, on March 7, 2013, the Sernas were arrested after a DEA operation set up surveillance on their residence on South Bartlett Avenue in Laredo. An undercover agent arrived at the location to purchase nine ounces of cocaine base (crack cocaine), at which time Serna Sr. allegedly showed the undercover agent the drugs he was planning to sell.
The Sernas were taken into custody and a search warrant was executed at their residence. During the search, agents discovered marijuana located on the kitchen counter, kitchen attic, and in the living room. The residence is located within 1,000 feet of a public middle school.
The case is being investigated by the DEA with assistance from the Laredo Independent School District Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonah Lee is prosecuting the case.
The Sernas made their initial appearances before United States Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga on March 7, 2013, and were remanded to custody pending a detention hearing, set for Friday, March 15, 2013, at 10:00 a.m.
“Selling drugs in or near a school is not only unlawful but could be potentially dangerous to our children as well as our communities,” said DEA Special Agent Javier F. Peña. “DEA and its colleagues will continue to work hard to keep our children and communities safe.”
A criminal complaint is an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.
The exact charges against the Sernas include attempted distribution of cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute marijuana in a school zone.
Related Federal Cases
- Lakeva Shillette Hill, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana and Crack Cocaine, Texas 2013 · Texas
- Shannell Gosine, Cocaine Distribution, New York 2023 · Tennessee
- Shannell Gosine, Cocaine Trafficking, Texas 2023 · Tennessee
- Micol Jauron Sears, Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine, Texas 2014 · Texas
- Shane Dwayne Hadnot, Cocaine Deal, Texas 2013 · Ohio
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Drug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug TraffickingDrug Trafficking