New Details From Senor Bill's Raid,
Police Say Fed Ex Driver Involve
08/20/08by
Steve W Stewart
Over 7 pounds of marijuana, and over $40,000 dollars in cash were
seized by Jasper Police in Tuesday's raid. Photo by Steve W Stewart.
New
details are emerging after Jasper police conducted a drug raid at the
popular roadside barbeque stand, Senor Bill's shortly after 4:00 on
Tuesday afternoon.
Police
now say that they recovered a total of 7.23 pounds of marijuana, along
with $41,100 dollars in cash, and the case may qualify to go federal.
Detective
Mike Poindexter said that in addition to the marijuana and cash, they
also discovered explosive devices. An agent with the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms out of Beaumont responded to assess the
explosives. Captain Gerald Hall said the agent deemed the devices to be
military practice grenades. The agent said that although the grenades
did not contain shrapnel, they were still considered dangerous.
Poindexter
said on Wednesday that this all began when police received a tip that a
driver for Federal Express had been buying marijuana at the business on
a routine basis. Poindexter said Sergeant Garrett Foster observed the
Fed Ex driver
at the business during the noon hour, and conducted a traffic stop on the Fed Ex delivery truck after it left Senor Bills.
say the driver if this Federal Express delivery truck was arrested
after buying marijuana at Senor Bill's. Photo by Steve W Stewart.
According
to a report filed by Foster, he and Officer Keith Billingsley
discovered a bag of marijuana hidden inside the truck, and later found
a sealed Fed Ex package that contained marijuana.
Police
arrested the Fed Ex driver, later identified as 45 year old Gary Neal
Roccaforte of Port Arthur. The report said that Roccaforte cooperated
with police and implicated Senor Bill's as the location where he bought
his marijuana.
Roccaforte was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Ronnie Billingsley on Wednesday
morning. Roccaforte was charged with possession of marijuana, his bond
was set at $10,000 dollars, and he was released from the Jasper County
Jail at about 9:30 Wednesday morning after posting bond.
Meanwhile, the owners of Senor Bill's, whose names have not yet been released
pending formal charges and arraignment, remained in the Jasper City
Jail on Wednesday, awaiting transfer to the Jasper County Jail. Police
say they expect the couple to be moved to the county jail, and possibly
arraigned later Wednesday afternoon.
