In a startling development, a deportation officer in Texas has been apprehended on charges of money laundering, accused of transporting nearly $700,000 in suspected drug proceeds.
The arrest of Christopher Washington Toral, a 48-year-old resident of Spring, comes after an indictment by a federal grand jury on April 9.
Toral, who worked with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as a deportation officer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew Edison for his initial hearing.
According to the indictment, Toral allegedly transported approximately $700,000 in total on three separate occasions in 2023, believing the funds to be proceeds from drug transactions.
The charges detail that Toral transported $200,000 between Feb. 9 and 28, 2023, from Dallas to Houston. Additionally, in early March 2023, he purportedly traveled from Newark, New Jersey, to Houston with $300,000 in U.S. currency.
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If convicted, Toral could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a potential fine of up to $1 million.
The investigation into Toral’s activities was conducted jointly by the FBI and the DHS Office of Inspector General, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Ferko leading the prosecution.
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