Jun 17, 2008 7:53 pm US/Pacific
High School Coach Arrested For Cocaine Trafficking
CERES (CBS13) ―
A high school football coach has been arrested and charged with supplying cocaine to local drug dealers. Undercover agents say Armando Perez was trafficking drugs even while the Central Valley's High School football season was in full swing.
"In at least one of the transactions he indicated he couldn't participate until later, because he was coaching a game and wouldn't be free until 8 o'clock," said Larry Brown, First Assistant US Attorney.
Drug agents didn't often meet face-to-face with Perez, because they allege he was the supplier behind the scenes who kept street-level cocaine dealers in business.
"Whatever he had going on the side, believe me nobody in the family knew," said Tomas, Armando's younger brother.
Tomas was stunned to learn that prosecutors are accusing Perez of using his family's car dealership to seal deals with undercover agents. "It's breathtaking," he said.
The news was equally surprising to the top school officials in Ceres, who didn't know about the arrest until we told them.
"Based upon what I'm seeing and hearing now we're probably not going to be very pleased with him working with our kids," said Walt Hanline, the superintendent of Ceres Unified.
Three other men have been arrested along with the coach, and two of them are Perez's relatives. All are facing federal drug trafficking charges.
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