Oregon Woman Faces Prison After Laundering $4.2 Million in Drug Money to Mexico
A Guatemalan national living unlawfully in the U.S. yesterday pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder drug trafficking proceeds involving more than $4.2 million.
Brenda Lili Barrera Orantes (40), the owner and operator of a money service business, La Popular, with branches in five Oregon locations, and one in Vancouver, Washington, admitted to laundering the proceeds through her stores.
Barrera Orantes Sent More Than $4.2 Million to Mexico
According to court documents, Barrera Orantes sent more than $4.2 million in wire transfers to locations in Mexico from La Popular stores in Beaverton, Canby, Hillsboro, Odell, and Woodburn, Oregon, and from Vancouver, Washington. The transfers took place between August 1, 2024, and November 1, 2024.
Barrera Orantes charged 10% commission for the service and admitted that she used false sender information when sending the funds. Orantes also admitted that she structured the wire transfers into smaller amounts and used various La Popular stores to conceal the drug proceeds.
Search Warrant Uncovered a Large Amount of Cash, Jewelry, and High-end Clothing
The FBI arrested Barrera Orantes on April 16, 2025, when they executed a search warrant of her home in Beaverton and her cash service stores in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Vancouver. During the search, agents seized $316,542 in cash, jewelry, and high-end clothing.
On May 13, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 23-count indictment charging Barrera Orantes with money laundering and conspiracy, failure to file a currency transaction report, and failure to file a suspicious activity report, on May 13, 2025.
Yesterday, Barrera Orantes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She also agreed to forfeit her Beaverton residence and all the seized property involved in her money laundering offense.
Barrera Orantes faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2026, before a U.S. District Court Judge.