Mother, son arrested for money laundering in Liberty County

LIBERTY COUNTY – A mother and son have been arrested in Liberty County on money laundering charges.

Deputies stopped a 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt near Highway 59 on Thursday for several traffic violations.

Officials said inside the car were Perla Veronica Vite, 42, and her 19-year-old son, Damian Galan, both of Springfield, Ohio.

Deputies interviewed the mother and son separately about what they were doing in Texas. Deputies said the two gave completely different stories.  

Deputies searched the car with a recently purchased Contraband Detection Device. The device located two hidden compartments in the car that had  $132,000 in cash, which was wrapped in several bundles.

Both Vite and Galan were arrested and placed in the Liberty County Jail. Bond was set at $200,000 each.

The sheriff's office said the $18,000 Contraband Detection Device was purchased by money recovered from previous illegal drug operations that was  awarded to Liberty County by the courts.