The “Breaking Bad” grandma accused of running an international drug ring out of her California home is living life “as if nothing has happened,” and doesn’t even have an ankle monitor, pictures taken by The Post show.
Joanne Segovia, 64, has been out on bail since charged with allegedly leading a double life dealing drugs, including deadly fentanyl, while working as the executive director for the San Jose Police Officers’ Association in March.
Despite facing up to 20 years in prison, Segovia can be seen smiling and cheering at a park where she watched her grandson’s Little League game over the weekend.
Segovia and her husband, Dom, still live in the same quiet gated community in San Jose which federal prosecutors claim was the base of her drug shipping operation, while she awaits the case going to trial.
According to federal investigators, Segovia — who was often referred to as the “grandma of the Police Officers Association”— used her home computer and her computer at the police union office to pay for shipments of controlled substances, including the sedative Zolpidem, painkillers Tapentadol and Tramadol and heavier substances.
According to the 13-page complaint, the 64-year-old allegedly received at least 61 packages at her San Jose home from various countries — including China, Canada and India — between October 2015 and January 2023.
The packages delivered at her San Jose home were marked as food supplements, wedding party favors, chocolates and other items to hide the drugs, investigators said.
Under her release agreement, she is not required to wear a GPS ankle monitor, federal authorities told The Post. However, since Segovia’s March 13 arrest she was released on bond under certain conditions, which include attending a substance abuse treatment program, agreeing not to use drugs and submitting to drug testing.
She also cannot drink heavily, must not communicate with witnesses related to the case and had to surrender all of her travel documents.
The judge, however, did approve a request and allowed Segovia to travel to Reno, Nevada for two days for a family reunion and a baby shower, according to court documents obtained by The Post.
“She’s out here living her life as if nothing has happened,” a source told The Post. “It’s just incredible because nothing is being said about what she did. She comes and goes whenever, and I tell you, it does seem very strange.”
In the complaint, investigators also said Segovia in 2021 “was told by a supplier to send a package to a woman in North Carolina. Segovia then sent this supplier a photograph of a shipment made using the UPS account of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association.”
Segovia allegedly continued to order the drugs even after she was interviewed by federal agents in February 2023.
At least one shipment made by Segovia led to an overdose, a source close to the case previously told The Post.
As part of her initial release agreement, Segovia was required to maintain or seek employment, but her attorneys asked the court to modify that condition because she cannot find employment given the publicity the case has garnered, according to her attorneys.
“Mrs. Segovia is 64-years old and had been working at the same employer for approximately 20 years at the time of her initial appearance,” wrote her attorney William Edelman in a court affidavit.
“Mrs. Segovia’s case has been subject to extensive press coverage, including numerous media inquiries to her employer and press releases by her employer. Shortly after she made her initial appearance, her employment ended.”
While Segovia might not be deemed a flight risk, her position within the police union could significantly affect her sentencing if she is found guilty.
According to Lou Shapiro, a federal criminal defense attorney and legal analyst, people who hold positions of power are held to a higher standard.
“Someone who is in a position of trust, when they abuse that trust, can face stricter sentencing consequences.
“It’s actually mentioned in the federal sentencing guidelines that someone in a position of trust can be given more time than someone who isn’t because of the sentencing guidelines.”
Segovia has pleaded not guilty. She claims the mastermind was actually her housekeeper — a “family friend” who allegedly suffers from a substance abuse disorder, according to a Homeland Security Investigations report.
The judge granted Segovia’s request and now the granny is using her early retirement to enjoy time with her family as she no doubt prepares for her trial.
Segovia’s preliminary hearing is scheduled to move forward on Aug. 28.
The Link LonkAugust 01, 2023 at 05:26AM
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Grandma Joanne Segovia accused of running fentanyl ring is all smiles at Little League game despite potential 20-year sentence - New York Post
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