Nation Safe From First-Time-Offender Drug Queen-Pin Granny For Rest Of Her Natural Life

Hey Drug War, what's new? Lock up any first-time-offender grannies who had no idea they were participating in a drug-mule operation between Messico and Tejas? You did? Awesome. For how long? Forever? Well it is ABOUT TIME! Good job, Drug War! And also, super-good-job, jury! We will no longer be under siege from the insidious threat that is Elisa Castillo not being behind bars for the rest of her natural life! Great life sentence, everyone involved! Well, everyone except for the actual drug kingpins who get non-life sentences or witness protection instead!

But did Elisa Castillo, who never touched a single drug, really not know she was helping run a drug operation?

At the urging of her boyfriend, Martin Ovalle, [Elisa] Castillo became partners with a smooth-talking Mexican resident who said he wanted to set up a Houston-based bus company.

But the buses were light on passengers and shuttled thousands of pounds of cocaine into the United States and millions of dollars back to Mexico. Her lawyers argued she was naive.

Castillo claims she didn't know about the drug operation, but agents said she should have known something was wrong when quantities of money and drugs were repeatedly found on the coaches.

"After hearing all the evidence as presented from both the government and defense in this case, the jury found her guilty … ," said Kenneth Magidson, chief prosecutor here.

Well, "should have known" should definitely be enough proof to hand someone a life sentence. Get over yourself, Grandma! And please enjoy having already served a longer sentence than Ken Lay ever saw. Mazel. [ HoustonChronicle ]