BONITA : Not-Guilty Plea in Drug Seizure
A Mexican national arrested during a large drug seizure at a Bonita house two weeks ago pleaded not guilty Monday to four felony counts of possessing drugs for sale.
Oscar Echavarria, 49, was ordered held in lieu of $1 million bail by San Diego Municipal Judge Robert P. McDonald.
Loud gasps were heard from the holding tank in arraignment court as Deputy Dist. Atty. Tracey Lazarus told the judge that three-quarters of a pound of heroin was confiscated during the Nov. 12 raid.
The noise coming from the other prisoners in court increased as Lazarus spoke of the other seizures--5 pounds of methamphetamine, 2.7 pounds of cocaine and 3,000 pounds of marijuana.
“You’re talking about a lot of dope,” the judge said.
By some estimates, the total value of the drugs, taken in one of the larger drug busts in county history, totals $5 million.
The prosecutor also reported that Echavarria had $20,000 cash and five different sets of identification when he was arrested.
A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for Dec. 8.
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