49-year-old Bobby Maldonado, a former Texas State Trooper and deputy, plead guilty to money laundering on May 12, according to reports by the Associated Press (AP). More specifically, he admitted to delivering drug proceeds from interior U.S. cities to the Texas-Mexican border.
The AP reported that if found guilty, Maldonado could spend up to 20 years behind bars.
He was initially arrested after being pulled over for a traffic violation. After a dog alerted cops, more than $1 million was discovered in the trunk of Maldonado’s car.
At the time of his 2012 arrest, Maldonado was apparently running for constable in Hidalgo County, Texas.
His scheme allegedly began in the 1990’s and continued for over 12 years, according to the AP.
Maldonado would regularly purchase one-way tickets to cities across the U.S., pick up drug money, rent a car, then drive the cash back to the Texas-Mexican border. Apparently he received three percent of the funds that he transported.
The former deputy reportedly laundered his money by investing it in various assets held under other names.
Ironically, during the years that Maldonado was a deputy in Hidalgo County, he worked under Lupe Trevino.
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