The lead singer of a popular Tejano music band and his son have been indicted on money-laundering charges.
Authorities allege that between February 2004 and July 2006, Adalberto Gallegos Jr., 51, the frontman for the award- winning band The Latin Breed, received $270,100 from the sale of marijuana.
He deposited the money in a Bank of America account in Tampa, Fla., and later withdrew the funds in Tucson, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a press release.
His son, Adalberto Gallegos III, is also accused of handling $61,800 from drug sales in the same manner, depositing the funds in a Tampa account and then withdrawing them in Tucson. Although the two men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson, neither is in custody.
What prompted the investigation into the singer and his son, both of Tucson, is unclear, as the indictment is sealed.
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Ramona Sanchez, spokeswoman for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, which partnered on the investigation with the Internal Revenue Service, said the indictment probably would be unsealed today. Until then, she said her agency would refrain from commenting on the case. The IRS also declined to comment.
For Joe Chapa, manager and promoter for The Latin Breed, the news of an indictment was a surprise.
The Latin Breed has been around since 1969, and the band has received numerous awards, Chapa said. The Latin Breed is known for its eclectic blend of jazz, R&B and big-band sound.
"It's the original Tejano band that started the Tejano movement," Chapa said.
The band was inducted in 2003 into the Tejano Roots Music Hall of Fame.
The group is scheduled to play at the Tucson Expo Center on New Year's Eve, and it's unclear whether the indictment will change those plans.
"I know that we are scheduled to play," Chapa said. "As far as I know, we will be there."
The band's Web site, www. tejanonotes.com, states that the elder Gallegos sang the national anthem when the Arizona Cardinals played the Pittsburgh Steelers in September.
A conviction for money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and/or a $500,000 fine.
