Patricia Lykos,
District Attorney
Harris County, Texas
May 26, 2009
Public Information Office
Donna Hawkins
George Flynn
713)755-3320
DEA and DA Charge Attorney and Husband with Money Laundering
Houston, TX -- The Harris County District Attorney’s Office and U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency have arrested and charged a Houston lawyer and her husband with felony money laundering of more than $100,000, District Attorney Patricia Lykos announced Tuesday.
Lawyer Grace D. Kopacz, 39, and her husband, William Harigan Rambo III, 38, were taken into custody last week. He remains in jail without bond. The arrests followed a lengthy narcotics investigation into the couple.
Rambo and Kopacz are accused of agreeing to launder money for an individual in return for keeping 15 percent of the funds as their fee. The second degree felony charge carries a punishment upon conviction of up to 20 years in prison.
Rambo was also charged with the delivery of between four and 400 grams of the controlled substance known as Ecstasy. This first-degree felony charge carries a sentence of up to life in prison. Authorities charged Kopacz with insurance fraud for staging the theft of a car, then reporting it as stolen and filing a claim with an insurer.
Assistant District Attorney Caroline Dozier credited the DEA and its agents as being instrumental in the investigation and arrests. She cited the work of Special Agents Tony Scott, Jeff Hartsoc and J.L. Oxford.
The defendants have appearances pending on their charges in the 208th District Court.
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Last Updated: 5/26/2009