Girlfriend of Ex-DEA Agent in Drug Money Case Arrested

The girlfriend of a fugitive former Drug Enforcement Administration agent charged in a cocaine corruption case was arrested in Alhambra on Thanksgiving Day and arraigned Friday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles on charges of lying to a grand jury investigating the case.

Maria Angie Zuniga, 33, was accused in a criminal complaint of committing perjury when she told a grand jury in January that she was unaware that ex-Agent Darnell Garcia, 41, of Rancho Palos Verdes had bank accounts outside the United States.

In fact, the government charged, Zuniga had traveled to Zurich, Switzerland, on Dec. 14, 1985, with Garcia and another former DEA agent, John Jackson, 39, who is also accused of laundering money through Swiss banks.

Federal agents are investigating the possibility that Garcia, Jackson and former Agent William Countryman collected hundreds of thousands of dollars through drug-trafficking with major dealers and then laundered more than $600,000 through overseas banks, while living a life of luxury, including expensive cars and homes.

Supporting Affidavit

IRS Special Agent John Anderson swore in a supporting affidavit that Zuniga had purchased 11 cashier’s checks totaling nearly $100,000 payable to Societe de Banque Swisse, Schweizerischer Bankverein and Garcia.

Anderson said a friend of Zuniga quoted her as saying that Garcia “was a millionaire” and had bank accounts in Switzerland. The friend, a legal secretary, said she saw Zuniga and Garcia in line at a bank about three times a week.

The IRS agent said that from reviewing the cashier’s checks, “I know that they were all endorsed by the Swiss Bank Corp. where I believe Garcia has an account.”

When she appeared before the grand jury on Jan. 6, Anderson said, Zuniga answered “no” to a question of whether Garcia had ever told her that he had any bank accounts outside of the United States.

Zuniga, wearing a blue jacket with “County Jail” stenciled on the back, was arraigned Friday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Joseph Reichmann, who remanded her to custody until she can post $25,000 bond. About half a dozen of her relatives attended the hearing.

The dark-haired defendant left the courtroom with tears in her eyes.

Talking to reporters outside the courtroom Assistant U.S. Atty. Joyce Karlin issued a challenge to the fugitive Garcia. She noted that the ex-agent is a national karate champion, who considers himself to be strong and tough.

“If he’s so innocent, why doesn’t he come back and fight it?” Karlin asked. “He looks awfully guilty running around here.”

Anderson said federal officials “have reason to believe” that Garcia is still in Southern California.

“We know she (Zuniga) traveled with him in the past,” he said. “We know she speaks Spanish and he doesn’t. And, we know that he was planning to flee to Spain.”

Anderson noted that Garcia owns a Red Ford Bronco II four-wheel-drive truck, license number 2FVS140.

Garcia was declared a fugitive Tuesday when the U.S. attorney’s office issued a criminal complaint against Garcia, Jackson of Claremont and Countryman, 45, of Walnut. Countryman was released on bail, but Jackson was remanded to custody without bail.

Los Angeles U.S. Atty. Robert C. Bonner said the investigation is the “most significant corruption case involving DEA agents in Southern California.”