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  1. #1
    Senior Member butterbean's Avatar
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    Former BP agent pleas guilty on smuggling charge

    http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexi ... 5luis.html

    Man enters plea on smuggling charge
    By Onell R. Soto
    UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
    April 15, 2005

    A former Border Patrol agent who was caught ferrying 750 pounds of marijuana from the Mexican U.S.-Mexico border in Imperial County in his patrol vehicle pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court yesterday to drug smuggling.

    Luis Higareda, 31, faces a minimum five-year sentence at a hearing scheduled for July 5. He is being held without bail.

    Under questioning by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara L. Major, he said that while in uniform, he met some people in an off-road area on Jan. 4 and they loaded his patrol vehicle with duffel bags full of marijuana.

    He said one of the men got into the back of the truck, where captured illegal border-crossers usually are placed.

    Higareda said he planned to drop off give the marijuana with to other people who were to distribute it.

    Initial reports characterized the incident as a high-speed chase, but prosecutor John Kirby said in an earlier court hearing that Higareda was driving fast while he was followed by undercover agents but didn't lead them on a chase.

    Higareda and his passenger, Marcelino Verdugo Cota, 24, were arrested about 20 miles from the border in Holtville.

    Verdugo, a citizen of Mexico who lived for a while in the United States, also pleaded guilty to drug smuggling yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced the at the same time as Higareda.

    Higareda's lawyer, Steven Barth, said outside court that the former agent is "very remorseful."

    Barth said he would investigate whether Higareda qualifies for an exception to the minimum 5-five-year prison sentence.

    Nobody else has been arrested in connection with the smuggling attempt, authorities said.



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  2. #2
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    Barth said he would investigate whether Higareda qualifies for an exception to the minimum 5-five-year prison sentence.
    Yes, Id make an exception in his case. I'd give him fifteen years. After all, he was in a position of trust!! For Pete's Sake....

    RR
    The men who try to do something and fail are infinitely better than those who try to do nothing and succeed. " - Lloyd Jones

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