Where can you go to get a lousy hot dog served by big time drug dealers? Well, according to the Orlando Sentinel, Hot Dog City used to be the place. Now, however, the owners and those connected to them have been arrested and face a number of charges from drug trafficking to money laundering.
Neighboring business stated that the hot dogs at Hot Dog City were nothing spectacular and few customers were seen coming and going. However, both Hot Dog City and Kathy’s Secretarial Service in Winter Garden brought in millions of dollars.
The reason for their booming business? Both businesses were fronts for the Westside gang to wash money, or make illegal drug money seem legitimate.
A length 11 month investigation revealed this “home grown” gang had hit the big time, raking in millions of dollars in cash through the marijuana and cocaine trade. The investigation has led to 16 arrests as well as numerous cars and large amounts of cash being confiscated.
The leader of the gang, 27 year old Daniel Perez, faces charges of running the gang, racketeering, conspiracy to traffic cocaine, and money laundering. The others mostly face conspiracy trafficking charges as well.
In this case, the drugs seem to have originated in Mexico where the gang members had family and connections. Serious drug charges like this can have serious repercussions.
The humor of bad hot dogs fronting for good cocaine is likely not a laughable matter for the gang members now that they are behind bars. Their charges are serious and could result in lengthy prison terms.
Offenses like trafficking and distributing are the most severe drug charges there are. They are, for the most part, high level felonies that often end in several years in prison.
If you are facing any sort of drug charges you should be concerned about the potential sentence you face. Having an aggressive and experienced attorney could mean a big difference when you go before the judge. You must be confident that you have chosen the best person for the job, the job of looking out for your rights.
Call me today to discuss the charges against you. I can let you know what kind of penalties you may be looking at and explore your alternatives to fight the charges.