Mother of fugitive Boynton Beach cop David Britto expected to be in Miami court Friday

The mother of Boynton Beach police officer-turned-fugitive David Britto is scheduled to appear before a judge Friday in Miami following her arrest in New York as she tried to flee the country for Brazil on Sept. 2.

Janiber Andrade Vieira, 51, of Coral Springs, was extradited from New York today so that she could be present for her scheduled 2 p.m. preliminary hearing, said Annette Castillo, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office.

According to the criminal complaint filed by the Drug Enforcement Administration on the day of her arrest, Vieira "knowingly and willfully" lied to federal agents about her son's whereabouts after he removed his ankle monitor, skipped bail and boarded a plane for Brazil on Aug. 24.

Following his disappearance, DEA and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents learned that Britto's mother bought a one-way ticket for Brasilia on Aug. 23, the complaint stated. Audio and video security confirmed her presence at a Pompano Beach travel agency on that date.

Then, on Sept. 1, the DEA was told by ICE that Vieira herself was scheduled to board a flight for San Paulo, Brazil the following morning. She was arrested by DEA agents on Sept. 2 at JFK International Airport in New York.

Meanwhile, a federal judge issued a bench warrant for 28-year-old Britto on Tuesday, which essentially orders law enforcement to arrest him immediately on sight, after he failed to appear in court for his trial on drug charges in Miami.

Britto, who was named Boyton Beach Police's 2010 Officer of the Year, was arrested July 1 and charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. He pleaded not guilty to the charges on July 18 and left jail on $100,000 bond. He remains on administrative leave from the police department.