POSTED: September 24, 2010 8:01 p.m.  

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/section/6/article/38345/

Although an investigation is still pending, one defendant in a local money laundering case has been granted bond, while the other defendant will remain in custody.

On Friday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan S. Cole set a $50,000 bond for Diana Peralta-Trujillo, while requiring Quirino Garcia-Cosino remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.

According to court documents, the co-defendants laundered what they believed to be $150,000 in drug cartel funds through Garcia-Cosino's business, Community Auto Center on Atlanta Highway in Gainesville.

Due to 22-year-old Peralta-Trujillo's lack of a previous criminal record and extended "community of support," Cole agreed to setting a $50,000 bond for Peralta-Trujillo. As conditions of the bond, Cole stipulated the defendant not have contact with Garcia-Cosino or his business and also submit to electronic monitoring.

Because Garcia-Cosino has a previous criminal record, family ties to Mexico and financial means to flee the country, bond was denied for the 30-year-old Dacula resident. In addition to a misdemeanor conviction in 1999, Garcia-Cosino has an open felony case pending in Gwinnett County.

"I think there's nothing about (Garcia-Cosino's) prior behavior that suggests that he would comply (with conditions of bond)," Cole said during bond hearings. "I think his prior conviction is evidence of a lack of respect for others and the fact that he is on bond (for the Gwinnett case) is pretty significant."

Between May 24 and Sept. 10, Garcia-Cosino and Peralta-Trujillo allegedly accepted money from a person they believed to be a representative of the fictional Juarez Cartel in Mexico, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. During that time frame, the co-defendants allegedly accepted large sums of cash from the cartel representative and obtained cashier's checks for the cash, minus a commission, according to the U.S. Attorney's office.

The duo was told the cashiers checks would be funneled back to the cartel in Mexico, said Michael V. Herskowitz, assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, who presented the case against Peralta-Trujillo and Garcia-Cosino.

At the preliminary hearing, the prosecution discussed photographic evidence of Peralta-Trujillo meeting with the cartel's agent to allegedly exchange cash and cashier's checks. Also discussed was recorded telephone conversations between Garcia-Cosino and a man he allegedly believed was the leader of the Mexican cartel.

The defendants have been detained since their arrests on Sept. 10.