S.A. stripper arrested after FBI raid

She’s accused of trafficking $1.3M in cocaine from Mexico

A 24-year-old San Antonio stripper accused of distributing 105 kilograms of cocaine — worth an estimated $1.3 million — has been arrested after the FBI raided her apartment steps from the upscale La Cantera shopping center.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John

A. Fedock said the conspiracy involves cartel operatives.

Federal agents found more than 2 kilograms of cocaine and $45,000 in cash in Gisselle Cabrera Rodriguez’s apartment on Via La Cantera on Feb. 6, court records said.

In a traffic stop the same day, law officers also found more than 1 kilogram of cocaine in a Mercedes SUV driven by Rodriguez,

according to the testimony Monday of New Braunfels police officer Kyle Williams, who is assigned to an FBI task force.

The total seized was about 3.75 kilos, but Rodriguez told agents she regularly had been getting 5 to 10 kilos of cocaine from a source in Mexico for the past five to six months amounting to about 105 kilos, according to Williams.

She was selling each kilo for $13,000, Williams said.

Fedock asked Williams if Rodriguez had any legitimate source of income.

“She provided two sources (of income), being an adult dancer and as the owner/operator of a trucking company,” Williams replied.

A criminal complaint affidavit filed against Rodriguez said she worked at various adult clubs in San Antonio, Austin and Houston.

Agents found the trucking company, the San Antoniobased VIP Transport LLC, was listed in U.S. Department of Transportation records as “not authorized” to operate because it had provided no evidence it had the $300,000 in required insurance coverage, according to Williams.

Rodriguez is charged, for the moment, with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, and conspiracy

to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, each carrying a punishment of five to 40 years in prison.

Pretrial services officers recommended Rodriguez be released on bond, an argument echoed by her lawyer, Johnny Cisneros.

Fedock, however, asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth “Betsy” Chestney to keep Rodriguez

behind bars, arguing that she is a potential flight risk because most of her family is in Mexico and she has no other apparent ties to San Antonio.

But Cisneros said one of Rodriguez’s aunts, who lives in San Antonio, has agreed to act as a custodian if Rodriguez is granted bond.

“This is a very big cocaine trafficking case,” Chestney said, adding that she will wait until pretrial services officers have a chance to interview and check the aunt’s background before determining whether to grant bail.

She ordered Rodriguez held without bond but allowed Cisneros to submit information to pretrial services about her aunt.

“She provided two sources (of income), being an adult dancer and as the owner/operator of a trucking company.”

New Braunfels police officer Kyle Williams, who is assigned to an FBI task force