Thread: Border Patrol agent guilty of smuggling pot

Published: 03.22.2007
Border Patrol agent guilty of smuggling pot
RYN GARGULINSKI
Tucson Citizen
A federal jury on Monday found a former U.S. Border Patrol agent guilty of smuggling marijuana in his Border Patrol pickup, a U.S. Attorney's Office District of Arizona spokesman announced Wednesday.
Michael Carlos Gonzalez, 34, of Vail could face up to life in prison and a $500,000 fine for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney's Office public affairs officer Wyn Hornbuckle.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge John M. Roll heard the case, which began March 14 and ended Monday. Gonzalez will be sentenced June 26, Hornbuckle said.
The Dec. 6, 2005, smuggling incident began when an Arizona Department of Public Safety officer stopped a pickup truck loaded with about 660 pounds of marijuana on state Route 83 near Sonoita.
The truck's two occupants fled and were pursued by the DPS officer and other agents and DPS officers who arrived on the scene.
Gonzalez arrived in his Border Patrol truck in full Border Patrol regalia, including his gun, but, instead of guarding the marijuana as he was entrusted, he grabbed one of the 23-pound bales from the bed of the abandoned pickup and drove off, the release said.
A DPS video camera was running in an officer's patrol car and caught the incident on tape, the release said.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/45681.php

It appears as though the Justice Dept. is targeting/monitoring hispanic border patrol agents. While I know that BP agents are not immune from corruption the fact that the majority targeted for investigation are hispanic is the equivalent of racial profiling and personal vendettas.