Valdivia of and 10 others were named in a 33-count federal indictment, which includes allegations of money laundering, drug distribution, and conspiracy charges. Valdivia and seven others, including his wife Rhonda Valdivia, were arrested in May during a raid on the Valdivias' home. Their arrests and subsequent charges stemmed from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Those accused have since been released from jail, except Samuel Valdivia, Travis Philpot, both of Sallisaw, and Onesimo Garza of Texas, along with Jose Partida, who has not been apprehended. Philpot was initially released, but was later put back in jail after contacting a witness in the case, a violation of the rules of his pre-trial release.
According to a motion filed Monday, Samuel Valdivia's attorney, Mark Green of Muskogee, is asking that an order denying a motion for Valdivia's release pending trial be revoked because it fails to comply with various requirements. Prosecutors asked that Valdivia continue to be held in jail because there was a risk Valdivia would not appear in court. Green argued in his motion that Valdivia is a long-time resident of the area, has no prior criminal record, and Valdivia has known about the investigation since January.
According to court minutes Tuesday, a hearing was set at 10 a.m. Friday to consider Green's motion.
A superseding indictment was filed Wednesday in federal court, but only minor changes were made, including a date and a correction in the spelling of one of the defendant's names. New arraignment dates have been set as a formality to the new filing.
