One charged with transporting 8 lbs. cocaine from California sentenced to 65 months
Jorge Arreola (left) and Noemi Cervantes (right) / Olmsted County Adult Detention Center
(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: A California man received a 65-month sentence for transporting cocaine across multiple state lines.
Jorge Arreola, 46, previously pleaded guilty to 1st-degree drug sale. He was sentenced to 65 months at the St. Cloud correctional facility Wednesday, May 10.
Co-defendent Noemi Cervantes, 35, was also arrested in January on identical charges. Olmsted County dropped all charged against Cervantes on May 11, after Arreola claimed to be the only actor in the drug transport and sale, according to court documents.
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(ABC 6 News) – UPDATE: A California man pleaded guilty to 1st-degree drug sale in Olmsted County Court Tuesday after being arrested on suspicion of transporting cocaine across multiple state lines.
Jorge Arreola, 46, and Noemi Cervantes, 35, of Colton, CA were arrested in January and charged with transporting cocaine across state borders, 1st-degree drug sales, and 1st-degree drug possession.
The pair allegedly had more than 8 pounds of cocaine in a false dash compartment, which was discovered after a traffic stop on I-90.
Arreola pleaded guilty to 1st-degree drug sales April 25, in exchange for a presumptive sentence of 65 months in prison, the dismissal of the other two charges, and a guarantee that he would not face federal charges.
His sentencing is scheduled for May 10.
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(ABC 6 News) – A husband and wife from California appeared in Olmsted County Court Wednesday on charges of transporting cocaine across state borders, as well as 1st-degree drug possession and drug sale.
Jorge Arreola, 45, and Noemi Cervantes, 35, of Colton, CA were arrested at around 4 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, after a trooper with the Minnesota State Patrol noticed their car had no front license plate and nearly opaque windows, according to court documents. The car, which was pulled over on I-90 in Olmsted County, was also filled with air fresheners, which the trooper found suspicious.
According to court documents, Arreola told the trooper he was traveling from California to Georgia.
The trooper asked for permission to search the vehicle, received it, and allegedly found a metal straw with cocaine residue on it near the driver’s seat.
Arreola was arrested and the car was towed to another location to complete a search, as the outdoor temperature was below zero Tuesday morning.
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According to court documents, law enforcement located a false dash compartment containing more than 8 pounds of presumptive cocaine.
Cervantes was also arrested and said Arreola was her husband, and that the two of them had driven from California.