Stacy Nunez-Barajas back in jail after violating parole
Mike Cruz and Joe Nelson, Staff Writers
Posted: 11/22/2008 10:17:55 PM PST
A San Manuel tribal member who was sentenced to probation almost three weeks ago in a murder conspiracy case was back in jail Friday night after being arrested at the tribe's casino and could face at least a decade in state prison.
Casino security reportedly contacted sheriff's deputies after a disturbance developed involving Stacy Nunez-Barajas, who was sentenced earlier this month in San Bernardino Superior Court for her role in a murder conspiracy that was discovered by police and federal drug agents who were investigating the Mexican Mafia's drug trade in San Bernardino.
Nunez-Barajas, 26, was arrested about 9 p.m. on suspicion of trespassing at San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino and booked into West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.
She was being held without bail.
Authorities said the arrest could constitute a violation of her probation. One of the terms was to violate no law.
Further details of the arrest were not immediately available, said sheriff's spokeswoman Cindy Beavers.
"As soon as the reports come in, we'll know the full extent of the alleged violation of probation," said Deputy District Attorney Douglas Poston, who was reached by telephone Saturday.
If Nunez-Barajas is found to have violated her probation, she could face "a lengthy prison sentence," he said.
Poston said he would be filing a court petition on Monday.
Albert Perez Jr., a lawyer for Nunez-Barajas, could not be reached for comment Saturday. Tribal spokesman Jacob Coin said he was unaware of the arrest.
Nunez-Barajas was sentenced Nov. 6 to a year of electronic monitoring and five years of supervised probation for attempted murder, transportation of drugs and possession of drugs in jail, according to court records.
Judge Michael Dest warned her she faced at least 10 years in prison if she violated her probation.
Seven other defendants have been sentenced in the case, including the defendant's brother, Erik Barajas, 36, and Salvador and Alfred Hernandez, 43 and 39 respectively, who authorities say are high-ranking members of the Mexican Mafia.
News of Nunez-Barajas' arrest didn't come as a surprise to Highland attorney Frank Peterson, who represents Leonard Epps, the target of the murder conspiracy, in a civil lawsuit against the Barajases for $50 million.
"She's going (to prison) this time, and she's going to have to stay," said Peterson. "She should get what's coming to her - to learn a lesson, hopefully."
He said her arrest won't affect the lawsuit nor will it mean, in his opinion, that Epps is any safer from a Mexican Mafia vendetta.
"If anything, they want more now than ever to get him," Peterson said.
He said he couldn't understand how two people raking in more than $100,000 a month each in stipends from the tribe, courtesy of casino profits, could have wound up in such a situation.
"They had everything in the world, an incredible and very secure future, and they blow it with the drugs and power from playing with gangs and other people's lives," Peterson said.
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