News - Local News

POSTED: Thursday, Jul. 02, 2009

Bellingham drug smuggling case to be prosecuted federally

Four people arrested in a recent Northwest Regional Drug Task Force investigation that netted two kilograms of cocaine will be prosecuted in federal court to lengthen their prison sentences if they're convicted.

Drug task force agents arrested Jose Perales-Venegas, Juan Perales-Venegas, Javier Perales-Venegas and Nereyda Perales in Bellingham in April after an undercover detective allegedly negotiated the sale of the cocaine, worth $55,000, from the group, according to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Each faces a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison if convicted, Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Redkey said.

Jose, Juan and Javier Perales-Venegas also face a deadly weapons enhancement that will add a minimum of five years to their potential sentences because Juan and Javier were armed with a .38-caliber revolver during the drug deal, Redkey said. Jose Perales-Venegas owned the gun, according to the complaint.

The defendants were initially charged in Whatcom County Superior Court. On June 23, the complaint filed in U.S. District Court was unsealed.

Redkey said his office took notice of the case because of the gun and the amount of cocaine involved, and to get the defendants longer sentences if they're convicted.

"It was a significant amount of cocaine," Redkey said. "We are always interested in cases when defendants use a firearm or carry a firearm. We wanted to support the drug task force up there in Bellingham."

If convicted in Whatcom County Superior Court, the defendants would have faced a standard sentence of a year to two years in state prison, according to state sentencing guidelines.

Drug Task Force Commander Rick Sucee said the case was on the higher end of the task force's recent investigations.

"We are always pleased when any of our cases are picked up federally," Sucee said. "These are the cases we focus on. It's not just street dealers - we try to go as high up the chain as possible."

According to the complaint:

The task force's investigation began in early February, when the undercover detective arranged to meet Jose Perales-Venegas at a grocery store parking lot in Bellingham to negotiate a cocaine deal.

The detective purchased two ounces of cocaine the next week, but they discussed doing a larger deal of multiple kilograms.

They repeated the transaction Feb. 18 and negotiated the price of a kilogram of the drug.

On April 17, Jose's wife, Nereyda Perales-Venegas, met with the detective at a marina in Bellingham and sold him two kilograms for $55,000. Jose's brothers, Juan and Javier Perales-Venegas, drove to the meeting in another car to provide cover.

Once the sale was complete, nearby agents jumped out of hiding and arrested them. The loaded .38-caliber revolver was found under a floor mat in the front passenger seat of Juan and Javier Perales-Venegas' car.

Jose Perales-Venegas was arrested at the restaurant where he worked and admitted that he placed the gun under the mat to "protect his wife in case someone wanted to rip her off." He said his brothers knew where he hid the gun.

Jose, Nereyda and Javier are in the U.S. illegally.