Update: Veteran Houston Police Officer Noe Juarez Indicted on Federal Charges of Cocaine Distribution

Houston Police Officer Noe Juarez

Houston, Texas

Yesterday, we announced that veteran HPD officer Noe Juarez was arrested after arriving to work. While we knew that a federal warrant was involved, few details were released.

Today, Juarez was indicted on charges of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine hydrochloride, in addition to conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.

A Mexican citizen named Sergio Grimaldo, 32, was also charged.

The Houston Police Department has relieved the 46-year-old Juarez, without pay, pending the outcome of the federal investigation.

If convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, each defendant faces a sentence of 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by a minimum of five years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine.

If convicted of conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, Juarez faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, followed by a maximum of three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.

Juarez became an officer with HPD in 1995, and for most of his career served as a patrolman with the Central Patrol Division. In March, he transferred to he department's motorcycle detail.