A man who helped Mexican drug cartels launder their profits by buying race horses at auction will be cooling his heels in prison, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
Manuel Villarreal got 12 years when he was sentenced in federal court in Sna Antonio. His wife Jovanna, who was also in on the scheme, received time served.
Villarreal's lawyer, Carlos Garcia, says his client got 'caught up in the wrong crowd.'
"He could bid at the auctions for them, and they would give him a fee for picking race horses," Garcia said.
A third person involved int he scene, Dennis Winn, received probation because his willingness to testify against the other parties.
"The overall conspiracy found people they could use and utilize in order to better their own position," Garcia said.
Laundering drug proceeds by buying race horses is not unusual. Several years ago, federal prosecutors broke up a major ring that bought and sold champion race horses on behalf of the Los Zetas drug cartel.
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