Plea deal on interstate drug transport charges

ROCHESTER, Minn. – A California couple accused of having four two-pound bundles of cocaine in their car offered a plea del ti the court. Jorge Arreola, 45, of Colton, Californoria, said he would plead guilty to felony drug sales if other charges we dropped and his prison time were limited to 5-1/2 years. Sentencing was scheduled for May. Arreola and Noemi Cervantes, 35, alsoo f Colton, were arrested on Interstate 90 near Rochester on January 31. Charges against her remain active. They were stopped by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper about 3:45 a.m. The trooper suspected drugs as he walked up to the the vehicle and noticed nearly opaque tinted windows and smelled air-fresheners, which often are used conceal narcotic vapors. Arreola, gave evasive and nonsensical answers to questions, like they were in the fifth day of a trip from California to Georgia. Via Minnesota? Cervantes told the state trooper she knew nothing about the drugs. Court documents, however, quote an audio recording with Arreola telling Cervantes to tell the trooper she knew nothing. During the stop Arreola consented to a search. The trooper reported finding a metal straw with cocaine residue neat to driver’s seat Also there was a false dash compartment with four bundles of cocaine, the troper said. Arreola and Crrvabtes were charged with importing drugs across state borders, first-degree drugs sales, and first-degree drug possession.