14 DAY TRIAL // Lucio Osbaldo Moya, Deputy U.S. marshal, is facing trial for disclosing classified information about the identity of an undercover ICE agent.
Moya allegedly shared info about the officer being undercover to his father, Juan Norberto Moya, who is linked to a drug cartel operating in Texas, American Live Wire writes.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent's ID was photocopied and handed over to Moya. The driver’s license was originally copied by the marshal's father, who allegedly gave it to his son, so that he could help identify the man.
The agent was hired by the cartel to transport entire shipments of drugs. He picked up cargos of marijuana from South Texas and took them to Houston, in a tractor-trailer. Moya's father became suspicious and wanted to find out more about the cartel's new driver.
The Deputy U.S. marshal told the court that he only gave his father the information in order to protect him. At first, he lied about getting the document from him, but confessed during questioning.
He was aware of his involvement with the drug trafficking ring; however, he claims to have wanted to turn him into an asset. If he had succeeded, Moya would have acted as a confidential informant, on the state's payroll.
The Deputy U.S. marshal also alleges that he sent a series of SMSs that would have proven his story, but they were deleted.
“Be very careful and not to be hanging around illegal activity / Dad where did you get this paper / Dad this guy is an agent; you can’t tell anyone what is going on; and you will need to talk to someone here,” the texts read.
Lucio Osbaldo Moya was charged with being an accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice, and is currently jailed on $75,000 (€57,000) bond. Juan Norberto Moya was convicted of Marijuana trafficking, and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.