The following information was provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Western District of Texas.
Two California residents made their initial appearances in federal court in Del Rio on drug-related charges, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and Xanax resulting in death, U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons announced.
According to an indictment filed April 22, Bertha Alisia Romo, 30, of Colton, California, and Rhemi Raymond Hernandez, 25, of Fontana, California, allegedly possessed and distributed at least 50 grams of Dihydrohydroxycodeinone, commonly known as oxycodone, and at least one kilogram of Alprazolam, commonly known as Xanax.
Federal prosecutors allege the distribution of those substances resulted in the death of a purchaser.
The indictment alleges the conspiracy began in February 2023 and continued through the date of the indictment.
During the same period, Romo and Hernandez also allegedly conspired to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
According to federal authorities, the pair was arrested in California on April 30 and initially appeared before a magistrate judge in the Central District of California before being transferred to the Western District of Texas.
Romo and Hernandez are each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone resulting in death, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Xanax resulting in death, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.
If convicted, both defendants face penalties of up to life in prison. Any sentence would be determined by a federal district court judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
