Man faces jail, deportation for pot conviction

Leader-Telegram
July 5, 2009

ELLSWORTH - A 31-year-old man caught by police as he ran from a large marijuana-growing operation last fall will finish a year in jail before being deported, according to Pierce County Court records.

Mario Cuevas-Alvarez was convicted by a jury of a felony count of manufacturing marijuana. Judge Robert Wing sentenced him to a year in jail, with credit for 226 days served. Alvarez was also ordered to pay a $7,200 fine.

The Department of Homeland Security also has an order to detain Alvarez once he is released from jail, and he is expected to be deported, according to court records.

According to the criminal complaint:

In November, police found more than 1,000 marijuana plants and a marijuana processing operation on private land, about eight miles northwest of the village of Plum City in the town of Salem. Investigators returned to the site on Nov. 17, saw Alvarez and caught him when he tried to flee. The street value of the marijuana recovered could range from $200,000 to $500,000 or more.

In September, a similar operation was found about a half-mile away. More than 180 pounds of marijuana was seized with an estimated street value of $250,000.

http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-new ... KG6EBFVKML