Illegal in JoCo laundered $1 million+, ran drugs for cartel | Durham facts: crime and school funding
No. 100 — Nov. 24- Nov. 30, 2024
Correction: The headline to this article, which previously read “Illegal in JoCo laundered millions”, has been edited to reflect that the DOJ merely claims that Flores laundered over one million dollars, not that she had laundered multiple millions of dollars for the cartel
DOJ press release omits illegal status of Mexican national pleading guilty to running drugs, laundering money for cartel
Woman Who Laundered Cartel Cash, Trafficked Kilos of Narcotics From 18-Wheelers Pleads Guilty - DOJ Press Release
In a press release last Friday, the local DOJ branch announced that "Oralia Rodriguez Flores, age 40, pled guilty to three federal charges related to her role in trafficking narcotics and money laundering for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG)."
Flores admitted to laundering over $1 million dollars in cash and transporting hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine and methamphetamines through the state, which were delivered to her by drivers of 18-wheeler trucks.
Although the press release and the ensuing articles based on it note that she was living in Clayton, the DOJ failed to include the fact that she entered the country illegally from Mexico as a minor teenager, and was sheltered by her sister living in North Carolina, who was here legally.
I only happened across this information because I was in federal court covering an unrelated case and observed a detention hearing, in which Flores' attorney asked that she be released into the custody of the same sister, who Flores also worked with as a house cleaner in the Clayton/Garner area. (The motion was denied, leaving her in jail).
I wonder how many facts like this go unreported? It doesn't appear to have been included in any of the unsealed court documents available publicly.
ICYMI
I rode Raleigh's most dangerous greenway to show y'all what's happening on the Walnut Creek Trail, where a cyclist was fatally stabbed in 2020 and a woman was randomly punched in the face while jogging past a "homeless encampment" last Sunday, causing multiple facial fractures:
There was trash everywhere at the location of the assault, including clothes, shoes, and miscellaneous disposable garbage.
I don't know whether any particular person I passed on the ride was homeless or conked out on drugs, but there were a whole lot of people who had that look compared to the few joggers or cyclists I encountered.
I would not recommend anyone use this trail for recreational purposes at this time; there's plenty of greenways which have a much safer vibe including the Centennial Bikeway Connector just 200 yards from this trail.
Durham Public Schools: bus driver shortage vs funding
Amid ‘crisis’ school bus driver shortage, Durham drops service to 4 days a week - N&O
Bus services cut down to 4 days a week for students in December ‘rotational’ schedule - CBS17
School bus driver shortage: Durham parents must drive students to school 1 day per week in December - WRAL
Durham Public Schools Approves Rotational Bus Service Plan to Ease Transportation Crisis - INDY
Last Friday, Durham Public Schools announced that due to a driver shortage, the district would temporarily only be able to transport most students to school on four out of the five week days.
Now, since opponents of school choice will take any opportunity blame the recently expanded Opportunity Scholarship program for any school funding related issues, I'd like to take a moment to compare the funding between the district and the scholarship.
The DPS Board of Education's proposed 2024-2025 budget, the district has a budget of approximately $634,571,872 for an estimated 30,717 students, working out to ~$20,659 per student. Of this, $1,503 per pupil is from the federal government, $8,018 per pupil is from the state government, and $6,899 is from the local government. (Capital outlays and some grants are listed separately).
In comparison, the maximum Opportunity Scholarship for the 2024-2025 year is $7,468. This means that the state taxpayers would save at least $550 for any student making the switch from the DPS to a scholarship, and if a Democrat jurisdiction like Durham wanted to spend the same amount on the public school system, they would have more dollars per pupil for the remaining students.
Durham woman stabs man over parking spot in Morrisville Walmart
Cary man hospitalized in Thanksgiving eve stabbing over Morrisville Walmart parking spot - N&O
Man stabbed during argument over parking spot in Morrisville, woman facing assault charge - ABC11
Man stabbed outside Morrisville Walmart over parking space, police say - WRAL
Tikira Norman, 38, of Durham has been charged with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury for stabbing a Cary man repeatedly with a butcher knife at a Morrisville Walmart in a dispute "over a parking spot" Wednesday evening, leaving him in critical condition.
Earlier this month, WRAL Investigates ran a story on the growing trend of Durham residents committing crimes in Wake County, such as three Durham men arrested for a "cowboy-style" shootout at Crabtree Mall, two Durham men charged in relation to a series of home break-ins in Cary, or Wednesday's stabbing.
In response to the investigation, Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams called the story a "despicable angle", citing "implicit bias" and claiming that "Durham's story is ours to tell". The story Williams tells, at least in regards to Durham's high rate of gun violence (the city has topped 200 shootings this year), is that it's an "American problem" that "there are guns everywhere".
Although it may be a more socially accepted talking point for his constituency, the high rate of gun ownership in America is not a predictive factor for why Durham has a crime rate over four times higher than nearby Apex, which has the lowest number of violent and property crimes per 100k population out of NC's largest municipalities in 2023, as reported by the State Bureau of Investigation.
(A close review of the data shows that white and Asian citizens of our state must commit more crimes in the name of equity)
What’s up with Asheville’s high rate?