Opinion ID: 418131
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: February-June 1977: the MONKEY

Text: 27 The smugglers decided to move the operation from Georgia to Texas. Hawkins met with Foster and Carlos Gerdes 37 several times to plan the new operation; Foster flew to these meetings aboard Cauble Enterprises' private plane. 28 On February 26, 1977, Foster, Gerdes, Cauble, and Ms. Fern Lynch flew from Denton to Houston; Cauble and Ms. Lynch deplaned in Houston and Cauble told the pilot to continue to Orange. On March 2, 1977, Foster flew to Thomasville to meet Hawkins and Gerdes. Gerdes gave Foster $250,000 cash for setting up the Texas operation. 38 On March 4, Foster repaid his $31,000 debt to Cauble Enterprises. 29 From March through May Cauble Enterprises loaned Foster $18,000. Cauble Enterprises also paid for Foster's travel to Houston on May 11-13, 1977. The proceeds of a loan made on May 11 were used to reimburse Hawkins for building a privacy fence at Sneed's Shipyard in Orange, Texas, where the MONKEY was to arrive. 30 The MONKEY arrived in Orange on May 31, 1977. Foster had arranged for trucks and drivers 39 to haul the load to the L.R. Ranch near Meridian, Texas. The L.R. Ranch is owned by Cauble Enterprises. Foster paid the ranch foreman to take a vacation and the smugglers used the ranch for approximately two weeks in distributing the marijuana. 40 31 Hawkins decided to move to Texas because smuggling was becoming more difficult in Florida and Georgia. He agreed to buy the Cherokee Ranch from Cauble Enterprises and paid Cauble $100,000 down, in cash, which Cauble agreed not to report on his income tax return. 41 Hawkins also testified that he met Foster, Cauble, and Ms. Lynch in Cauble's bedroom three weeks after the MONKEY arrived and paid Foster $250,000 in Cauble's presence; Foster then gave Cauble the money. 42