Opinion ID: 758679
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Elisa Grajales Murga

Text: 37 Elisa Grajales Murga assisted her ex-husband, Ariel Ochoa, in the cocaine distributing operation. Jose Antonio Ortiz testified that in March of 1989 Murga paid him $500 per kilogram to sell cocaine for her. He sold 1 or 2 kilograms, which he received from Murga 's maid, Mercedes Alonzo, at Murga 's house at 12806 Maxfield and for which he paid Alonzo. In late May of 1989 Ortiz negotiated a second delivery that was to occur in June of 1989. 38 On June 13, 1989, surveillance officers observed Ernesto Torres emerge from room # 113 at a Manor House Motel with Murga carrying a large hard-sided suitcase, which Torres placed in the trunk of his car. Torres and Murga drove to her house at 12806 Maxfield, where police observed them carrying packages into the house. Police continued to follow Torres. Later that afternoon Torres met several unidentified Latin males, one of whom handed Torres a package from the trunk of his car. 39 On June 14, 1989, around 11:00 a.m., Murga met Carlos Guillermo Rodriguez and Torres at the Cafe Miami Restaurant. Murga then left the restaurant and returned to the Maxfield house. Around noon police observed a Latin male, later identified as Victor Rodriguez, carry a box from the Maxfield house and place it in the trunk of his car. Victor Rodriguez was later stopped by the police on an outstanding warrant, and 10 kilograms of cocaine were seized from his car. The cocaine was labeled Oro and Peria. 40 The same day that she delivered cocaine to Victor Rodriguez, Murga called Ortiz three times at the restaurant to tell him that his cocaine was ready. Ortiz drove to Murga 's house around 1:00 p.m. and spoke with Mercedes Alonzo, who told him that Murga had left him a package in a boat in Murga 's garage. Ortiz and Alonzo loaded a large corrugated box from the boat into the trunk of Ortiz's car. Police later stopped Ortiz and seized 20 kilograms of cocaine from the box in his car. 41 The police then went to Murga 's house and searched it with her consent. The police seized 10 kilograms of cocaine from the boat in the garage. The cocaine was packaged with the same Oro and Peria markings as the 30 kilograms previously seized from Rodriguez and Ortiz. Police also seized a bag containing 2.9 grams of cocaine from Murga 's purse and a triple-beam scale from her house. 42 Olivia Alastre, a confidential informant working for the FBI, testified that in January of 1991 Murga was attempting to reestablish her contacts in the drug trafficking business. Murga first tried unsuccessfully to obtain cocaine from Fabio Zuniga, a friend of Ochoa's. Ochoa finally agreed to give her 30-40 kilograms. In April of 1991 Murga asked Alastre's assistance in renting an apartment to store the cocaine. She introduced Alastre to Don Jose, whom Murga told Alastre she had employed to assist her in distributing the cocaine to reduce her personal involvement. Murga 's address book, which she inadvertently left in Alastre's car, was photocopied by federal agents before it was returned. The book contained names and telephone numbers of other documented drug traffickers.