Thursday, May 16, 2013

AZMEX UPDATE 16-5-13

AZMEX UPDATE 16 MAY 2013

Note: More grenades, drugs and felons.

4 suspected smugglers, marijuana found
May 15, 2013 3:58 PM
FROM STAFF REPORTS

Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents arrested four suspected drug
smugglers and seized about 442 pounds of marijuana Monday and Tuesday.
The drugs have an estimated street value of $221,000.

On Monday night, agents working southwest of Gila Bend apprehended a
group of four men reportedly carrying 253 pounds of marijuana along a
route through the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge. The alleged
smugglers, all Mexican citizens, and the pot were turned over to the
Maricopa County Sheriff's Office.

On Tuesday night, agents patrolling the western portion of the Cabeza
Prieta National Wildlife Refuge discovered 189 pounds of abandoned
marijuana. The pot was turned over to the Yuma County Narcotics Task
Force.

Read more: http://www.yumasun.com/articles/marijuana-87490-pounds-
agents.html#ixzz2TPfw8KBY



Note: Have to wonder where they got the grenades, and how they got
them into the country?? Roma, TX not Mexico.

Men sentenced for possessing grenades
MGN Online
Posted: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 9:50 pm
By Jacob Fischler The Monitor
http://www.brownsvilleherald.com/news/local/article_5657ef56-
bdd3-11e2-aec6-001a4bcf6878.html

McALLEN — Four men were sentenced Wednesday in federal court for
possessing a destructive device.
Juan Ricardo Martinez-Cardenas, 38, Daniel Blanco, 23, and Jose Lopez-
Cerda, 24, were sentenced to 10-year terms in federal prison. A
fourth man, Martin Martinez-Medina, 18, was sentenced to 62 months.
All four are Mexican nationals who entered the U.S. illegally and are
expected to face deportation hearings following their sentences,
according to a statement from Angela Dodge, spokeswoman for the U.S.
Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas.

Last November, Martinez-Cardenas was stopped in his Ford Explorer by
Roma police. He consented to a search, and officers found four 40 mm
grenades, an improvised grenade launcher, four AK-47-type rifles and
corresponding magazines loaded with 2,791 rounds of ammunition in the
vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Further investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's
Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol and the Bureau
of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives determined the three
other men had also played a role in the transportation of the
weapons, Dodge said.
Blanco was arrested Nov. 27 by HSI and the other two were arrested
Nov. 30. All four men pleaded guilty March 5, 2013. They have all
been in federal custody without bond since their arrests.
Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa handed down the maximum
sentence allowed by statute to Martinez-Cardenas, Blanco and Lopez-
Cerda. Martinez-Medina was given a lighter sentence because he'd
endured threats from Martinez-Cardenas, Dodge said. Court testimony
revealed Martinez-Cardenas threatened Martinez-Medina after the 18-
year-old refused to buy beer.

end



Report: 32 felons among those released from immigration detention
facilities
2 hours ago • Perla Trevizo Arizona Daily Star

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/border/report-felons-among-those-
released-from-immigration-detention-facilities/article_a255bcf6-
be7a-11e2-8f7f-001a4bcf887a.html

A detainee who had a felony second degree robbery and countless
convictions for prostitution and solicitation for lewd conduct was
among more than 300 people Immigration and Customs Enforcement
officials in Phoenix released in February as part of a nationwide
operation to save money.

Anticipating budget cuts due in part to sequestration, ICE released
from custody 2,226 detainees — 342 in Arizona — in February, a move
that took many by surprise.

More than 600 detainees with criminal records, including 32 with
multiple felony convictions were released nationwide, according to
new information provided by Senators John McCain and Carl Levin, a
Democrat from Michigan.

The Phoenix office also released a detainee who had prior convictions
for carrying a loaded firearm, DUI with a controlled substance,
felony possession of drugs, second degree burglary, vandalism, and
trespassing and another one convicted of an extreme case of driving
under the influence and harassment, the news releases from the
senators said.

The Department of Homeland Security re-apprehended 24 of the 32
detainees with felony convictions who had been freed and used
alternatives to detention such as ankle bracelets for the remaining
eight. It's not known how many of the 32 felons were released from
detention facilities in Arizona.

ICE officials have said more than 60 percent of those released from
immigration detention centers in Arizona were classified as non-
criminal.

Read more in tomorrow's Star
end



Change military commanders at the Ninth Military Zone
Brigadier General Miguel Hurtado Ochoa, in as commander of the Ninth
Military Zone replacing General Marco Antonio Covarrubias Aguilar
Alejandro Monjardín
16.05.2013 | 10:18 a.m.
http://www.noroeste.com.mx/publicaciones.php?id=868483

Photography: Northwest / Iván Contreras.

CULIACÁN. - Brigadier General, Miguel Hurtado Ochoa, was sworn in as
commander of the Ninth Military Zone to replace General Marco Antonio
Covarrubias Aguilar.

In a military ceremony conducted in the the army barracks of this
city, the Commander of the Third Military Region Moses Melo García.
gave command to the new military chief in the presence of local
authorities.

Hurtado Ochoa commented that hi will work to achieve a Sinaloa in
peace following the guidelines established by the Secretariat of
National Defense.

END



Note: CBP has gone too far this time.

Cheese smuggler intercepted at Arizona border
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Border officers at the Lukeville crossing said a van crossing at
Lukeville was carrying more than 200 pounds of cheese.
1 hour ago • Arizona Daily Star(0) Comments

Border officers at the Lukeville crossing made a big bust this week,
taking down a smuggler in a "queso" cheese trafficking.

During questioning the van's driver fessed up to carrying a load —
some five keys of cheese.

Instead of 11 pounds, however, border agriculture inspectors
uncovered about 223 pounds of cheese hidden throughout the van,
according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

"The concealed, unpasteurized ruminant cheese was seized for not
meeting import requirements" the release says.

The news release did not provide a value estimate for the cheese. The
unidentified man was cut loose with a fine.

end



Note: More TEXMEX

Guerrero's relatives released on bond
Posted: Thursday, May 16, 2013 5:05 am
Jacob Fischler | The Monitor
Posted on May 16, 2013
http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/article_e4f28630-
bdc5-11e2-8195-001a4bcf6878.html

EDINBURG – Omar Guerrero's father and sister, along with another
woman, have bonded out of the Hidalgo County Jail.
Jesus Guerrero Jr., his daughter, Laura Guerrero, and a former
reserve Palmview police officer, Mari Solis, were released Tuesday,
each on $250,000 bond.
Each was charged early Tuesday morning with two counts of hindering
the apprehension of a fugitive. Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Treviño
told The Monitor on Tuesday that the three drove Omar Guerrero, a
former Hidalgo County district clerk, to Mexico less than 24 hours
after he was released on a $1.05 million bond May 7.
Omar Guerrero is currently wanted by Hidalgo County sheriff's
deputies for aggravated sexual assault of a minor. He is believed to
be hiding out near Monterrey, Treviño said. Though he has yet to miss
a scheduled court date, Guerrero is considered a fugitive because he
fled the country to avoid prosecution.
Guerrero was arrested by sheriff's deputies May 3 for felony cocaine
possession and tampering with the identification of an assault rifle.
Treviño was undisturbed by the news the trio bonded out.
"It doesn't make any difference to me," he said Wednesday. "If they
have the resources, that's their right."
Treviño said the Guerreros and Solis were bailed out by 4 Aces Bail
Bonds in Edinburg. Owner Maria Regalado could not be reached for
comment. Bail bond agencies can hold property as collateral rather
than cash or check.
The former district clerk's purported flight to Mexico echoes a 2006
case in which Guerrero fled to Mexico for two months while he was
wanted on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl. He
eventually was captured in Reynosa. He stood trial in 2007 and was
acquitted on all seven counts.
--
end

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