Two Texas women were arrested after police launched an undercover operation following a tip that they were violating stay-at-home orders instituted during the coronavirus pandemic.
The town of Laredo apparently is spending valuable police resources in tracking violators in sting operations and enforcing orders against residents like the women who were allegedly offering salon services in their homes.
(Source: KGNS-TV)
Undercover officers from the Laredo Police Department set up appointments with the women in two separate incidents following a tip sent in via the department’s mobile app which apparently encourages anonymous tattling amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to KGNS-TV.
Laredo police who were part of the COVID-19 task force enforcement team arrested Ana Isabel Castro-Garcia for allegedly setting up a manicure appointment with one undercover officer. The 31-year-old was charged with “Violation of Emergency Management Plan C/B,” according to KGNS-TV, and transported to the Webb County Jail where she was held on a $500 bond.
Brenda Stephany Mata was also set up by an undercover officer and allegedly agreed to provide an eyelash service inside her home. The 20-yer-old, who was also taken to the Webb County Jail was charged with the same violation, which carries a punishment of up to 180 days in jail, a $2,000 fine or both, The Laredo Times reported.
“Both of the violators independently solicited customers via social media. On both cases, an undercover officer working on the COVID-19 task force enforcement detail made contact with each solicitor to set up an appointment for a cosmetic, beauty service that is prohibited under the emergency ordinance,” Laredo Police said in a statement.
The arrests came just days after Dallas salon owner Shelley Luther not only refused to close her business, tearing up a cease-and-desist citation she received for reopening her salon against the Texas stay-at-home orders.
“I can’t afford to not stay open, and my stylists can’t afford to stop working anymore,” Luther said. “We’re about to lose everything and haven’t gotten any help, so I had to make a decision.”
The Laredo arrests also followed a controversial decision by Beaumont Mayor Becky Ames who violated her own lockdown rules to get her nails done at a local salon.
A photograph showing Ames at a nail shop getting the beauty service eventually led to an apology after she initially declared she had done nothing wrong.
Another lawmaker violates shutdown: Mayor tries to explain her nail salon visit, gives up and confesses https://t.co/UaNWrDwtWK
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) April 26, 2020
“I should never have entered the salon last Tuesday. I did not intend to take personal privilege while asking others to sacrifice and for that I am truly remorseful,” she wrote in a statement.
Gov. Gregg Abbott announced the beginning of the state’s reopening on Friday as retail businesses were allowed to provide services for pick-up only.
Twitter users slammed the Laredo arrests, calling out the violation of rights, the double standards applied and the obvious misuse of law enforcement resources in setting up covert operations to nab beauticians for offering services in their own homes.
This has turned into something other than flatten the curve.
— i tweet sometimes (@ksanton63) April 26, 2020
@GregAbbott_TX not that you don’t have bigger fish to fry however when in the great state of Texas is it ok for the Mayor of Beaumont TX to just apologize for breaking her own stay at home order in getting her nails done but you can arrest two average citizens in Laredo? WTF?
— Michael Bardecki (@mbardecki) April 27, 2020
Oh come on!
— Detuex (@ddtrn7) April 20, 2020
@cityoflaredo fighting real crime now, finally taking care of rogue beauticians via sting operations? Not a waste of tax payer funds at all. Tattling on fellow Americans trying to survive. Embarrassing! @GovAbbott pardon these women.
— Ron Rigdon (@RonRigdon) April 26, 2020
Release criminals so we can fill them back up with people that need to work. Great undercover work. 😩
— stayin alive (@GREEK__G0D) April 26, 2020
I understand that cops have to do their job, but my question is who is painting the targets?
— Lumberjack902 (@Lumberjack9021) April 27, 2020
It never was
— Mister Barkis (@BarkisMister) April 27, 2020
It never was
— Mister Barkis (@BarkisMister) April 27, 2020
Maybe they should focus on real criminals instead of people trying not to starve and lose everything during this ridiculous shutdown…
— patriot angel (@holly_angel123) April 27, 2020
DONATE TO BIZPAC REVIEW
Please help us! If you are fed up with letting radical big tech execs, phony fact-checkers, tyrannical liberals and a lying mainstream media have unprecedented power over your news please consider making a donation to BPR to help us fight them. Now is the time. Truth has never been more critical!
Frieda@bizpacreview.com
Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
Comment
We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.
