Executive director should be held accountable

Joanne Marian Segovia, the executive director of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, has been charged with attempting to illegally import a controlled substance.

Deadly drugs like fentanyl are getting into the United States via the Mexican border. But that isn’t the only way they’re coming here.

Would you believe the executive director of a police officer’s association was guilty of bringing them in, too?

The scenario sounds like something out of a movie, but it’s true. Joanne Marian Segovia, 64, the executive director of the San Jose Police Officers’ Association, has been charged with attempting to illegally import a controlled substance, according to the United States Department of Justice.

She allegedly ordered thousands of opioids to her home and agreed to distribute them in the United States, according to a news report. She’s also accused of using her of- fice and person computers to order the drugs, to include fentanyl, between October 2015 and January of this year.

At least 61 shipments were mailed to her home from places like India, Hong Kong and Hungary, according to the DOJ.

Segovia has been with the SJPOA since 2003. It’s a union that represents San Jose police officers. Law enforcement first learned of the connection to the executive director when they were investigating a network in India that ships drugs to the United States.

“A network operative’s phone was searched, and Homeland Security agents found messages that mentioned ‘J Segovia’ at an address in San Jose, including the words ‘180 pills SOMA 500mg,’ ” the news report said.

According to US Customs and Border Protection records, five shipments were supposed to be delivered to Segovia’s home but got intercepted between July 2019 and January 2023. They contained more than a kilogram of controlled substances like Zolpidem (a sedative used to treat insomnia) and Tramadol, a narcotic used to treat pain, court documents said. The packages were labeled as “shirts tops,” “chocolate and sweets” and “gift makeup,” according to the DOJ.

“Homeland Security said shipments from several foreign countries with such labels often contain illicit drugs,” the news report said.

Segovia, during an interview with Homeland Security agents on Feb. 1 of this year, claimed that she ordered supplements that were “nothing out of the ordinary.” She also refused to show them her CashApp transaction history. Did she honestly think that she was going to be able to hoodwink Homeland Security agents?

Then on March 14, she was interviewed again and blamed the orders on another woman she identified as a family friend and housekeeper. She said the woman suffered from a substance abuse disorder. That move speaks volumes to Segovia’s character. Her level of dishonesty in trying to save herself is astounding.

Later, she gave officers access to her WhatsApp account, where they found messages referring to “orange pills” or “soma.”

No one is above the law and Segovia should be punished just like any other drug smuggler/trafficker would. What’s even more appalling is that she worked for an organization that represents police officers. Maybe she felt that because she was so close to law enforcement, she would never be suspected.

This is a good example of no one being safe from the “long arm of the law,” even if they don’t have to reach very far to catch a criminal.