Texas Woman Gets 6 Years in Prison for Selling 7-year-old Son to Pay Off $2,500 Drug Debt

A Corpus Christi woman who tried to pay off a drug debt by selling her 7-year-old son for $2,500 has been sentenced to six years in prison.Esmeralda Barron Garza was sentenced Friday before 105th District Judge Jack Pulcher as part of a plea agreement, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times reported.In addition to her conviction on three counts of selling or purchasing a child, Garza also was convicted of conspiracy to sell or purchase a child and money laundering, according to Nueces County court records.Each count of trying to sell her child drew a six-year prison term, and the additional convictions carry a two-year sentence. Garza will serve all of those sentences concurrently, the judge ruled.She was arrested in June and told authorities she needed to get out of a drug debt, which is why she sold her son and tried to sell two of her daughters, Corpus Christi television station KRIS-TV reported.Garza's daughters are 2 and 3 years old, according to the Caller-Times.It is unclear where Garza's children are now. Child Protective Services would not comment, citing a still-active gag order in the case, KRIS reported.  Continue reading...