A Texas state lawmaker was charged with a third-degree felony after he dropped an envelope filled with cocaine at the airport in Austin in October.
Authorities signed a warrant to arrest Democratic Texas state Rep. Poncho Nevarez, 47, after security camera footage revealed he dropped a sealed envelope that contained four small baggies filled with nearly two grams of cocaine while getting out of a black SUV that had driven him to the airport. The letter inside the envelope was written on Nevarez’s official letterhead.
The affidavit describing the situation included a warrant for Nevarez’s DNA. Special Agent Otto Cabrera said, “It is reasonable to believe that [Nevárez], using his own letterhead envelope, licked and sealed the envelope that contained the cocaine in order to keep it concealed.”
The lawmaker was charged with third-degree felony possession, which carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Nevarez apologized in a statement, saying, “I do not have anyone to blame but myself. I accept this because it is true, and it will help me get better.”
He added, “Grief and addiction were consuming me, but oddly enough, I feel better now than I have in a long time, and I mean that. I have many relationships to repair starting at home, and I intend to seek treatment. I apologize to each and every person that feels I have let them down. I look forward to a future with my family and friends, to being healthy and finally, home.”
Chris Turner, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus, said he supports Nevarez’s decision to not run for reelection, saying, “By not seeking reelection, he will be better able to focus his attention on his family and his health, which is where it should be.”
Nevarez turned himself in on Thursday night after his warrant was announced.
Prior to this scandal, Nevarez was the chairman of the House Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee. He announced his retirement last week before the charges were officially filed.
