Hollister
– Bail for the San Juan Bautista grandmother arrested Friday
during an undercover drug sting was reduced from $100,000 to
$15,000 Tuesday afternoon when the septuagenarian made her first
court appearance.
Hollister – Bail for the San Juan Bautista grandmother arrested Friday during an undercover drug sting was reduced from $100,000 to $15,000 Tuesday afternoon when the septuagenarian made her first court appearance.
However, Aminta Soliz, 75, had not posted bail by Tuesday evening and was still being held in the San Benito County Jail.
She appeared Tuesday afternoon in San Benito County Superior Court before Judge Alan Hedegard for an arraignment on felony charges of selling methamphetamine and cocaine, conspiracy, and maintaining a place to sell drugs.
Defense attorney Greg LaForge waived a formal reading of the charges, so Soliz did not enter a plea.
LaForge also requested Soliz be released from jail without bail for “health reasons.” He further argued that Soliz was a lifelong resident of San Benito County and that the $100,000 bail was too high.
Deputy district attorney Stephen Wagner opposed the request for release. He argued that despite the defendant’s age, Soliz had two prior felony drug convictions.
In 1999, Soliz was convicted of drug charges and operating a home for selling drugs. She served four years in prison for that conviction, Wagner said.
Hedegard ordered Soliz’s bail set at $15,000.
Wagner said he respected the judge’s decision, but was disappointed that Soliz’s bail was reduced.
“Although age is typically a factor in bail reduction, I think the facts in this case will show that Aminta Soliz was behind most of the criminal acts.”
LaForge said he thought the decision was fair, but declined to comment further on the case before seeing police reports and other evidence.
Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team agents arrested Aminta Soliz and her son Carlos Soliz, 47, during a pre-dawn raid at their home at 207 Fifth St. in San Juan Bautista following a monthlong undercover sting operation.
UNET agents set up a sting operation at the home after the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office received several complaints about possible drug dealing at the Soliz residence.
UNET agents told the Free Lance they used an informant to buy drugs from the mother and son. Later, an undercover agent also purchased several grams of both methamphetamine and cocaine.
UNET Cmdr. Mark Colla said agents found “several” methamphetamine smoking pipes in the home Friday, but their search did not turn up any drugs.
Carlos Soliz was out on bail at the time of his arrest Friday. He is also facing drug possession charges from a Nov. 23, 2006, arrest.
Carlos Soliz also appeared in court Tuesday, and Hedegard reduced his bail from $100,000 to $25,000. He also remained in jail as of press time on Tuesday.
Both mother and son will be back in court for a further arraignment hearing Feb. 22.
If convicted of a single count of selling drugs, Carlos and Aminta Soliz could face up to four years in state prison.
Brett Rowland can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 332 or br******@fr***********.com.
