PCSO traffic stop leads to arrest, more than $200K seized

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On Dec. 9, 2008, a Region 1 Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputy conducted a routine traffic stop on a vehicle on State Route 347, north of Highway 84, in Maricopa.

During the traffic stop, the deputy, recently recognized for self-initiation on traffic stops, conducted a consent search of the vehicle. During the search, the deputy observed several bundles of money hidden behind a seat in the vehicle. The PCSO K-9 Unit was then called to assist.

When the K-9 Unit arrived, the officer initiated his K-9 to perform a sniff of the vehicle, during which the K-9 gave a positive alert to the presence of narcotics where the money had been located.

The two occupants of the vehicle, Edgar Felix-Valencia, 21, of Stanfield, and Ivan Felix, 28, of Maricopa, were placed under arrest and several bundles of money were confiscated from the vehicle. Deputies contacted the Pinal County Narcotics Task Force and investigators responded to assist.

After PCNTF investigators conducted interviews and follow up, Felix-Valencia was booked into Pinal County Adult Detention Center on charges of money laundering, and Felix was released with no criminal charges.

The money, later determined to be $228,569, was seized by the Sheriff’s Office.

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