2 shot in Juárez arrested after treatment in U.S.
By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 07/04/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT


Two men treated at El Paso's Thomason Hospital earlier this year after being wounded in Juárez shootings were fugitives sought by U.S. authorities, a U.S. Marshals Service official confirmed Thursday.
Juan Uvaldo Verdugo Varela and Hector E. Nuñez Venzor survived being shot multiple times in separate incidents, officials said. The men are among at least a dozen patients treated this year at Thomason after being shot in Mexico.

Verdugo, 21, and Nuñez, 32, are both U.S. citizens and were each wanted on probation warrants stemming from marijuana-smuggling charg es, officials said. They were taken into custody by U.S. Marshals at the hospital.

"As far as we know, they were living in Juárez and basically hiding out in Juárez," said Gerry Payan, supervisory deputy for the U.S. Marshals in El Paso.

Thomason was not locked down while Verdugo and Nuñez were there.

The hospital has been locked down with beefed-up security, including sheriff's deputies with assault rifles, while treating Mexican law- enforcement officers.

Payan said Verdugo and Nuñez are the only known fugitives treated at the hospital during a flood of violence linked to a war among drug traffickers that has killed more than 540 in the Juárez region.

May 4, Verdugo was in the back seat of a car when he survived a barrage of more than 70 shots that killed two other men riding in the front seat of a Crown Victoria ambushed on Avenida Vicente Guerrero as they left a horse race track in Juárez, Chihuahua
state police said.
Verdugo was initially taken to a Juárez hospital before being taken by ambulance across an international bridge into El Paso.

Verdugo was arrested on May 5 by the Marshals Service. He was on probation for smuggling 106 pounds of marijuana in 2006, court records showed. The supervised release has since been revoked due to time served.

April 23, marshals arrested Nuñez after learning he was being treated at Thomason Hospital. Nuñez was on probation for smuggling 78 pounds of marijuana in 2004, court records showed. His supervised released has since been revoked due to time served.

The cost of treating and providing security at Thomason Hospital for victims of violence in Mexico has been controversial, and county leaders have asked the federal government to pay the security expenses or treat the patients at a federally operated hospital.


Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com; 546-6102.


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