A Tijuana man has pleaded guilty to use of a cross-border tunnel that was found under an Otay Mesa warehouse. The case against a 73-year-old Chula Vista woman has been set for motions on Dec. 11.
Gilberto Quezada-Madrid, 26, faces a maximum 20-year sentence when he is sentenced Jan. 9 in U.S. District Court. He remains in the Metropolitan Correctional Center without bail.
Glennys “Gladys” Marie Rodriguez has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy charges that allege she maintained a drug-involved premises when she rented the same warehouse that concealed the underground tunnel.
Rodriguez remains free on $75,000 bond after she was charged in April. She owns a business that provides immigration services and prepares taxes.
The warehouse is located near the border at 10145 Via de la Amistad. A source told authorities they worked with several people including Rodriguez to rent the warehouse, according to court records. Federal agents maintained months of surveillance near the warehouse; Rodriguez was seen there with keys.
Agents discovered a subterranean tunnel March 31 underneath the patch on the floor. Court documents described the tunnel entrance as being approximately 2.5 feet by 2.5 feet leading to a walkway. At the end of the walkway there was a 68-foot vertical shaft that led to a 600-yard tunnel which had lighting, ventilation and a rail system.
