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Press Release - March 28, 2019
Statement of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy
Regarding Jose Antonio Lopez Bond
"Defendant Jose Antonio Lopez, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with one count of Possession With Intent to Deliver over 1000g of heroin and one count of Possession With Intent to Deliver over 1000g of cocaine.* It is alleged that he had 4.6 kg of heroin and 2 kg of cocaine recovered from his car in Detroit. Both counts carry up to life imprisonment, and the potential for consecutive sentencing.
At his Saturday, March 2, 2019 arraignment on the warrant, he was given a $2,000.00, 10% bond by visiting weekend Judge Vesta Svenson. All weekend warrants are handled via video through the 34th District Court in Romulus for all Wayne County Jurisdictions.
"The judge had everything she needed to make a decision about bond: the fact that he was a resident of another country, investigator's report showing the nature and seriousness of the charges, his prior offenses in order to fashion an appropriate bond, and failed to do so. What amounts to a $200 bond is completely inappropriate and irresponsible in this case. Predictably he failed to appear at his March 12th Probable Cause Conference and is now a fugitive.
For over a year a prosecutor is assigned Monday through Friday for arraignments in 36th District Court in Detroit to argue bond motions. We have never had the resources for a weekend arraignment prosecutor, but I will be asking for this in our next budget. However, in this case, a prosecutor was not needed because in this case the fact that a high bond was needed was a no brainer."
*The charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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