U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Texas
Johnny Sutton, U.S. Attorney

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 31, 2008

DEL RIO RESIDENT INDICTED AND ARRESTED ON CONSPIRACY CHARGES

United States Attorney Johnny Sutton announced that Jorge Alberto Leija was indicted by a federal grand jury in Del Rio, Texas, on October 29, 2008, and was arrested on October 30, 2008 on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and making false statements in order to obtain a passport. He made his initial appearance this morning before United States Magistrate Judge Dennis Green and his detention hearing has been scheduled for November 5, 2008.

The indictment against Leija alleges that beginning in January 2001 and continuing through October 2006, the defendant conspired to possess with the intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine. It further alleges, that he made false statements in an application for a passport using the name, date of birth, and social security number of a person known to him to be someone other than whom the passport was purportedly being obtained for.

Leija faces up to life in federal prison. This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration and Office of the Inspector General-Customs and Border Protection and is being prosecuted for the government by Assistant United States Attorney Joe Sepeda.

An indictment a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted through due process of law.