A California grandmother accused of masterminding a global drug ring out of her home has been allowed to take multiple vacations and could be in the process of hammering out a deal with the feds, the New York Post reports.
In theory, 64-year-old Joanne Segovia faces 20 years in prison if convicted of drug trafficking.
However, Segovia’s case has postponed repeatedly, which experts say could signal that she is cooperating with authorities.
Attorney Lou Shapiro, who defends people accused of crimes in federal court but is not involved in the Segovia case, told the Post that the delays could mean she is sharing information with investigators.
“In federal cases, the only way a defendant could significantly reduce their sentence is by cooperating. This means having multiple meetings with prosecutors to discuss who you were in cooperation with,” Shapiro told the Post. “It could then take months to set up undercover stings, so in federal cases, that could be an average one to two years.”
The Post noted that it is possible there are other explanations for the delays in the case. Authorities have not provided any information publicly about the reason for the postponements.
In March, federal prosecutors charged Segovia with attempting to illegally import a controlled substance into the United States, alleging that between October 2015 and January 2023, she accepted at least 61 shipments from ports around the world at her home in a gated neighborhood of San Jose.
The shipments are said to have contained thousands of pills of controlled substances, including the synthetic opioids Tramadol and Tapentadol, according to the Department of Justice.
Segovia’s day job was as executive director of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, where she was known as the “grandma of the POA.” Prosecutors allege that she used her work computer at times to order valeryl fentanyl pills and other drugs, labeling them as “chocolate and sweets,” “gift makeup” and “wedding party favors,” according to court records.
The complaint accuses Segovia of also using encrypted WhatsApp messages to coordinate the drug shipments.
Segovia has denied the allegations and has pleaded not guilty. She has said that a family friend who worked for her as a housekeeper was responsible for the shipments.
Since the charges were filed, Segovia has been out on bail and has reportedly told others that the charges will be dropped, according to the Post.
The grandmother, who is not required to wear a monitoring device, has been observed maintaining what appears to be a normal life, including attending her grandson’s baseball games and running errands.
A judge also has allowed her to go on multiple vacations. The court allowed her to take a family vacation to San Diego in September and travel to Reno, Nevada, in June for a family gathering.
“She goes on vacations! She comes in and out as she pleases. They don’t seem to be very worried about her,” a source told the Post.
[Feature Photo: San Jose Police Officers’ Association]
