Two men accused of trafficking heroin, fentanyl and cocaine in the Bowie County area appeared in federal court Friday.
Armando Moya, 46, was first indicted last June for alleged heroin trafficking. A superseding indictment issued in November added accusations of fentanyl trafficking and carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
A second superseding indictment unsealed Friday in the Texarkana Division of the Eastern District of Texas accuses Moya and Allan Chavez, age and mugshot unavailable, of conspiring to traffic more than a kilogram of heroin, more than 400 grams of fentanyl and more than five kilograms of cocaine from on or before November 2017 and continuing until or after June 2018.
The superseding indictment’s second count accuses Moya of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense June 7, 2018.
Both men appeared Friday morning before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven. With the help of his attorney, Jeff Harrelson of Texarkana, Moya pleaded not guilty to both charges listed in the second superseding indictment. Craven released Moya on a $10,000 appearance bond which Moya has been free on since last year.
Minutes from Chavez’s hearing indicate that he was not arraigned because he needs an interpreter and one was not available Friday. Craven set Chavez for arraignment Monday morning. The records also show that Immigrations, Customs and Enforcement has an active detainer for Chavez and therefore the issue of bond in the drug trafficking case doesn’t need to be addressed.
The conspiracy charge in the superseding indictment is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. The government is seeking a $10 million judgment and forfeiture of nearly $200,000 in U.S. currency.
The government is also seeking forfeiture of a Raven Arms semi-automatic pistol seized from Moya at the time of his arrest June 7, 2018.
Moya’s case is scheduled for jury selection April 1 before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder III in Texarkana. Chavez’ case has not been set for trial.
