Woman faces trial over 11 kilos of cocaine

GULFPORT -- A Houston woman allegedly found traveling through Harrison County with about 11 kilos of cocaine in the seat cushions of a pickup truck has been denied bond pending trial.

Maria Christina Esquivel, 56, told a state trooper she was driving from Houston, Texas, to Charlotte, N.C., on Nov. 24 for a several-day stay but had no luggage, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court. The trooper allegedly found bundles of cocaine in seat cushions in the second row of seats in the white Dodge pickup she was driving.

Esquivel is held for trial on a court calendar that starts Feb. 1.

A state trooper had stopped her for careless driving near mile-marker 32 on Interstate 10, the complaint said. She gave the trooper permission to search the truck after he noted the absence of luggage.

Esquivel was heading east and allegedly had a 10 p.m. bus ticket to leave Houston and reach Mexico the next day. The destination was Monterrey, the capital city of Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

She also had $1,000 in cash and Mexico identification in her maiden name, Magistrate Judge Robert H. Walker said in his detention order.

Court papers show a Homeland Security Investigations agent testified Esquivel denied having family members in the United States and said she has been unemployed for more than a month, but she has several siblings living near where she lives in the Houston area. She was born in Mexico and has been a U.S. citizen since she was 16.

The agent testified Esquivel said she had travelled to Mexico earlier in November to visit her estranged husband's parents.

One of Esquivel's brothers has testified she often travels to Mexico on weekends, the detention order said.

A grand jury indicted her Dec. 8 on one count each of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute and interstate travel in aid of drug racketeering enterprises.

The indictment includes a forfeiture order for property directly or indirectly obtained from illegal drug proceeds.

Esquivel pleaded not guilty Dec. 15.

This story was originally published December 21, 2015 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Woman faces trial over 11 kilos of cocaine ."