In El Paso today, federal authorities filed a criminal complaint against 27-year-old Gregory Keith Robinson, and 26-year-old Jaquan Bray for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Kyle W. Williamson, El Paso Division, and U.S. Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Matthew J. Hudak, Big Bend Sector.

The criminal complaint charges the defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.  According to the federal criminal complaint, on Monday evening, the defendants approached the Sierra Blanca Checkpoint Station, where a U.S. Border Patrol canine unit alerted on their vehicle.  Agents asked the driver (Bray) to park the vehicle in the secondary inspection area for further investigation.  A subsequent inspection of the vehicle by agents revealed the presence of approximately 157 pounds of marijuana inside several large duffle bags in the rear cargo area.

The complaint affidavit further states that Robinson rented the vehicle in Los Angeles on Sunday and had arranged for a third individual in the vehicle, an Uber driver he had met in 2018, to drive him and Bray to Louisiana.  When the trio reached El Paso, Robinson instructed Bray to begin driving.  According to the complaint, when they approached secondary inspection at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint, Robinson asked the third individual to claim the marijuana and that Robinson said he would pay the third individual to do so.  The third individual refused and told Robinson he/she would not have driven him had he/she known there were drugs in the vehicle.

Upon conviction, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison.  

The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Border Patrol are investigating this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Williams is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

#####

The year 2020 marks the 150th anniversary of the Department of Justice.  Learn more about the history of our agency at www.Justice.gov/Celebrating150Years.