U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas issued the following announcement on March 20.
A 45-year-old Mexia, Texas man has been indicted for possession of cocaine with intent to distribute in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown today.
Cedric Ellis was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 18, 2020. Ellis appeared in federal court today in Texarkana and will be held in custody until the resolution of this case.
According to the indictment and other court documents, on Feb.21, 2020, Ellis was driving east on Interstate 30 through Titus County when a Trooper with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol Division stopped him for following too closely. After the trooper’s interactions with Ellis and his passengers—an adult female and a minor—raised his suspicion, the trooper deployed his canine partner, who alerted to the presence of a controlled substance. Inside the vehicle, the trooper found 14 kilogram-sized bundles of cocaine. Ellis took responsibility for the cocaine and was arrested.
If convicted, Springer faces a minimum of ten years and up to life in federal prison, a fine of up to $10 million, and forfeiture of $420,000.00 in U.S. currency.
This case is being investigated by the Tyler Resident Office of the Dallas Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Highway Patrol and Criminal Investigation Divisions in Mt. Pleasant. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan R. Hornok.
An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Original source can be found here.
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