Opinion ID: 1035557
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Galaviz

Text: Galaviz is Salas’s mother. From 2002 through 2008, Galaviz reported less than $18,000 in income, but received $509,665 in wire transfers and cash deposits into the seven different bank accounts that she controlled. This evidence demonstrates that Galaviz experienced sudden wealth in the form of property valued at more than $10,000.
Galaviz received multiple wire transfers from individuals residing in Mexico, who the trial record implies are drug traffickers. Notably, BBVA Compass Bank Account No. 1782 received $245,995 in international wire transfers from three such individuals: Hilario Martinez-Garcia, Jesus GarzaRodriguez, and Hector Vicente Becerra. $32,000 of those transferred funds arrived from Mexico shortly after Galaviz opened the account. The account also received $38,000 in cash deposits. Similarly, IBC Account No. 0654 received two international wire transfers, totaling $27,970, from Alejandro Lara-Davila, another individual in Mexico who the trial record implies is a trafficker. On the day that Galaviz opened it, Wells Fargo Account No. 1432 received a $50,000 wire transfer from Lara-Davila. Galaviz used the $50,000 to buy a CD on April 25, 2007. When the CD matured, Galaviz wired $52,500 from the account to Salas. The account also received $43,500 in cash deposits. 7 All three ML Appellants waived any challenges to whether the transactions underlying their convictions were “financial transactions.” 9 Case: 11-41376 Document: 00512323905 Page: 10 Date Filed: 07/29/2013 Nos. 11-41376 c/w 11-41392 In light of this evidence, a reasonable jury could infer that Galaviz knew that her sudden wealth came or derived from Salas’s drug trafficking, an unlawful activity.
Funds Derived from Salas’s Trafficking In April 2007, Galaviz wired $52,130.51 to Magana who, in turn, wired $58,692 back to Galaviz in July 2008. On January 17, 2008, Galaviz wired $33,000 to herself, from a Wells Fargo account she controlled to BBVA Compass Account No. 1782. Later that year, on June 25, 2008, Galaviz opened BBVA Compass Account No. 6826 with a $136,147.60 transfer from Account No. 1782. These transfers served no apparent purpose other than the intentional obscurement of the initial sources of the transferred funds. In light of Galaviz’s knowledge that she had obtained property in excess of $10,000, and that the property was derived from Salas’s drug trafficking, Galaviz’s intentional obscurement of the above-described funds could permit a reasonable jury to infer that Galaviz implicitly agreed to launder the source of the property for Salas.
Based on the above evidence, it was reasonable for the jury to conclude that Galaviz conspired to launder Salas’s drug trafficking proceeds in violation, inter alia, of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h).
On January 17, 2008, Galaviz wired $33,000 from Wells Fargo Account No. 1432 to BBVA Compass Account No. 1782. On or about January 23, 2008, Galaviz used those funds to purchase a $30,000 cashier’s check from Laredo National Bank. Galaviz used the cashier’s check to make the down payment on a house she purchased from Salas in Laredo’s Patron Loop neighborhood. As part of the transaction, Galaviz financed $120,000, and falsely referred to Salas 10 Case: 11-41376 Document: 00512323905 Page: 11 Date Filed: 07/29/2013 Nos. 11-41376 c/w 11-41392 as “Daniel Obregon” in the attendant documentation. Through December 2009, Galaviz made payments on the house approximating $29,000 from two BBVA Compass accounts. At that time, after less than two years had passed, Galaviz sold the house for a $140,071 profit. For the reasons stated above, Galaviz knew that the $30,000 cashier’s check was funded with drug trafficking proceeds. Accordingly, with respect to Count 13, it was reasonable for the jury to conclude that Galaviz laundered Salas’s trafficking proceeds in violation, inter alia, of 18 U.S.C. § 1957(a). On April 16, 2008, Galaviz drew a check for $48,304.31 on BBVA Compass Account No. 1782. The following day, Galaviz used the funds to purchase a lot with Salas in Laredo’s Deer Ridge neighborhood. The settlement sheet and other closing documents listed Galaviz as the “buyer,” even though Salas contributed more than two-thirds of the purchase funds. For the reasons stated above, Galaviz knew that the $48,304.31 check drew on drug trafficking proceeds. Accordingly, with respect to Count 14, it was reasonable for the jury to conclude that Galaviz laundered Salas’s trafficking proceeds in violation, inter alia, of 18 U.S.C. § 1957(a).