Mediaboss Marketing

Karina Soto-Garcia(Photo: Submitted by the Waynesboro Police Department)

WAYNESBORO - It was a family affair the night of Sept. 23, 2018, whena Colorado woman and her husband, with their two young children in tow, brought nearly $200,000 worth of methamphetamine into the area.

Their arrests would eventually rip the family apart.

Tipped off by a confidential informant,police tracked the couple's SUV to the Chili's restaurant on Richmond Avenue in Staunton. The SUV made its way to Waynesboro, where it was followed by police and pulled over on West Main Street just inside the city limits.

Reached your article limit?Click here to subscribe to The News Leader.

After a drug dog alert, authorities seized four pounds of meth from a grocery bag in the back of the SUV. Prior to the bust, almost two additional pounds of meth were reportedly delivered by the couple to a man in the Walmart parking lot on Richmond Avenue in Staunton, evidence at Soto-Garcia's trial showed.

In September of 2019, the husband, 32-year-oldJose Edwardo Basurto Munoz, pleaded guilty to two felony drug charges and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

On Friday in Waynesboro Circuit Court, his wife,Karina Soto-Garcia, 30, was also sentenced to 13years in prison on charges oftransporting one ounce or more of a Schedule I or II drug with intent to distribute in Virginia and possessing 100 or more grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

The couple were working ascouriers for a Mexico-based drug ring in Chihuahua that has been under investigation the past few years by the Waynesboro Police Department's Special Operations Division, resulting in numerous convictions and lengthy prison sentences for some suspects.

Soto-Garcia, a former teacher's aide, speaksEnglish and helped her husband arrange the drug delivery, according to Waynesboro Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Will Flory.

More: Girls in Kentucky and Staunton were victims, prosecutor said

At her trial, Soto-Garcia claimedshe was unaware of her husband's ties to the drug trade organization in Mexico. The drug ring smuggles meth across the border to the Four Corners region of the United States (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah). From there, the drugs are shipped to Waynesboro, Flory said.

Circuit Judge Paul Dryer said Soto-Garcia's explanations for the trip to Virginia didn't add up, including one where she said her husband was pursuinga business opportunity to open up a mechanic's shop on the east coast. The judge wondered why the issue couldn't be discussed by phone or through email. Dryer also noted that Soto-Garcia's husband, who testified at her trial, didn't know the name of the man who was offering the supposed business opportunity.

Soto-Garcia was also wired $300 from Virginia to Colorado through the confidential informant after vehicle troubles threatened the drug delivery, evidence showed.

The drugs brought into the area had a street value of more than $180,000, Flory said.

Some of the meth was allegedly delivered toLouis M. Goulet at the Staunton Walmart. Goulet, arrested about a month later in Augusta County,facesa drug distribution charge. Exercising his Fifth Amendment right during Soto-Garcia's trial, Goulet did not testify when called to the stand as a witness.

He is set for trial on Feb. 27.

Others connected to the Mexican-based drug ring that are currently doing prison time include Manuel Lopez Garcia, convicted last year and sentenced to three years in prison; Robin Nicole Forrester, aWaynesboro woman who is currently serving 15 years; Nancy Martinez, a Waynesboro woman sentenced in April to 3 1/2 years; and Manuel Loya Chavez,sentenced to 15 years behind bars in May.

According to John Hill, Soto-Garcia's attorney, the couple's children are in foster care with her family members.

More: Andrew Rowsey proving doubters wrong again in NBA G League

Have questions or a tip? Email Brad Zinn at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on Twitter.

Read or Share this story: https://www.newsleader.com/story/news/local/2020/02/03/woman-headed-prison/4621002002/

Here is the original post:
Woman was caught with pounds of meth in Waynesboro - The News Leader