Monica Velasco manhunt continues

The search continues for the former Thomas Manor Elementary School teacher wanted by the U.S. marshals.

According to a federal grand jury indictment, Monica Velasco has ties to the Velasco Criminal Enterprise.

The VCE was allegedly run by Velasco’s brothers. They were arrested in September.

The VCE has allegedly been conducting criminal activity since 2008 and has resources in Mexico,Texas, Nevada and North and South Carolina.

“Given her ties to drug trafficking and cartels in Mexico, I would consider her extremely dangerous,” said Scott Williams, deputy U.S. marshal.

Williams says Velasco is facing serious charges.

“Ms. Velasco is facing eight counts,” Williams said.

Those counts include money laundering, conspiracy to kidnap in a foreign country and conspiring to posses a controlled substance with an in intent to distribute 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana . That equals to more than 2,000 pounds.

Velasco lived in a nice neighborhood in El Paso’s West Side.

Neighbors say the former teacher lived with her sister and her sisters young children.
They say she loved to spend spend time at the gym but they also told ABC-7 they’ve seen people moving guns from the garage into cars at one point.

“She was living a double life. We don’t know what she’s capable of. She was obviously a teacher living an ordinary life but on the other side she had this dark side,” Williams said.

After her brothers were arrested U.S. Marshals tell ABC-7 she abruptly quit her job and went into hiding.

In stark contrast to her former $400,000 home she picked a small house in El Paso’s Lower Valley.

“When we attempted to apprehend her she had just fled prior to us arriving,” Williams said.

Williams said sources have told them Velasco fears crossing over into Mexico to hide.

The agency has 10 to 15 U.S. Marshals dedicated to finding Velasco day and night.

“No matter how long it takes we are working to track her down,” Williams said.

If you have any information as to Velasco’s whereabouts you can call the U.S. Marshal’s office at 915-534-6779.