Family Jailed In Money Laundering Case

A Watsonville family is in federal custody in an international money-laundering scheme involving more than $11 million in drug money. Federal agents say Javier Vasquez, his wife Emily and their daughter, Carina, laundered the loot through their chain of small grocery stores. The Vasquez family went before US Magistrate Patricia Trumbull to face 11 counts of money laundering. Javier Vasquez and Antonio Garcia of Watsonville were also charged with trafficking in cocaine and methamphetamine. Carlos Alvarado faces the same charges. He remains at large. Federal investigators say the Vasquez family paid out $11 million more through their chain of La Esperanza Markets than they took in during the two years that ended in June of 2000.