Texas State Democrat Rep. Poncho Nevárez Faces 10 Years For Cocaine Bust At Airport

From Fox News:

A prominent member of the Texas State Legislature turned himself in Thursday after an arrest warrant was issued accusing him of dropping an envelope containing small plastic bags of cocaine at an Austin airport in September.

Rep. Poncho Nevarez, D-Eagle Pass, was arrested, fingerprinted, photographed and then released Thursday, with bond set at $10,000, according to the Austin American-Statesman.

“I do not have anyone to blame but myself,” he said. “I accept this because it is true and it will help me get better.

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“In a weird way I am grateful. Grief and addiction were consuming me, but oddly enough, I feel better now than I have in a long time, and I mean that,” Nevarez said. He added that he would seek treatment.

The Democrat chairs the Homeland Security and Public Safety Committee in the Texas House, which is in recess until January 2021.

According to police, Nevarez dropped the envelope after a flight to Austin in September on a plane owned by his law firm. The envelope remained on the ground as Nevarez drove away. It was later picked up by airport workers, who found baggies of white powder inside and alerted police.

Here's more, from the Texas Tribune:

State Rep. Poncho Nevárez, an Eagle Pass Democrat and House committee chairman, turned himself in to authorities to be booked on felony drug possession charges Thursday evening and was released after posting his bond of $10,000, according to both the lawmaker and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

"I did," Nevárez said in a text message Friday to The Texas Tribune. "Last night in Maverick County."

A statement from DPS said the investigation involving Nevárez "remains active and no further information is available at this time."

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Nevárez arrived for booking hours after authorities issued a warrant for his arrest. That arrest warrant cited surveillance footage of the lawmaker in September dropping an envelope with cocaine as he was leaving the Austin airport.

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Before the warrant was issued, Nevárez, chairman of the Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee, confirmed to the Tribune in a statement that the “news is true” — and that the events detailed prompted his recent announcement to not seek reelection.

"I do not have anyone to blame but myself," Nevárez said. Nevárez also mentioned he plans to seek treatment.

The lawmaker faces a charge of third-degree felony possession of a controlled substance. That carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison.