Former Bexar County Jail nurse accused in smuggling plot arrested, officials say Maricela Leija allegedly helped a detention officer get a cellphone to an inmate
SAN ANTONIO – A former nurse accused in a smuggling plot is behind bars at the Bexar County Jail, officials say.
Maricela Leija was led away in handcuffs on Wednesday. The search for her began after a grand jury returned an indictment against her, a detention officer, and an inmate.
Investigators say Leija used to work at the Bexar County Jail as a nurse and helped detention Officer Thomas Lucero get a cellphone to inmate Gabriel Moreno in 2018.
Moreno is already serving a 20-year prison sentence for a different conviction and will now face new charges.
If convicted, the defendants face between two to 20 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $10,000.
RELATED: Former jail nurse, detention officer helped inmate conduct criminal activity inside Bexar County Jail, indictments allege
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