NEWS Staff Report
Francisco Martinez-Alonso
LA PALOMA – San Benito police, assisting the United States Border Patrol regarding a family out of Matamoros, Mexico, helped in the seizure of almost 300 pounds of marijuana over a border wall near the La Paloma area on Wednesday, December 5.
At approximately 1:38 a.m., officers with the San Benito Police Department assisted the United States Department of Agriculture and the US Border Patrol in the arrest of two adult males and one male juvenile in La Paloma. Since Border Patrol does not have a juvenile facility, cases involving minors are often turned over to local authorities, said SBPD Operations Chief Martin Morales.
Joel Martinez Alonso
“Three male subjects were observed using a ladder to toss bundles across the border wall. They were seen hiding in the brush after noticing the presence of the agents,” said SBPD Internal Affairs Detective Rogelio Banda, Jr.
The three subjects were later identified as Joel Martinez-Alonso, 22, Francisco Martinez-Alonso, 19, and a 15-year-old male juvenile.
The bundles were confiscated and reportedly contained 298.8 pounds of marijuana, an estimated street value of $239,040, said Banda.
After the investigation was turned over to San Benito police, “The two adults were detained and taken to San Benito City Jail where they were charged with possession of marijuana, a second degree felony,” Banda said. Both men were arraigned by Justice of the Peace David Garza, who set their bonds at $10,000 each. The suspects were then transported to the Carrizales-Rucker Detention Center, where they remain and are being held with an immigration detainer issued by ICE.
The 15-year-old was taken to the Darrell Hester Juvenile Justice Center in San Benito, where he currently remains.
Banda said, “There is no indicator that these men are part of a drug cartel, though it’s possible they might have some connection with a drug trafficking organization.” Reports indicate that the juvenile has a prior arrest record for the same offense, Banda said. “As far as the adults, there is no indication of previous arrests,” he said.
ICE will pick them up to determine their immigration status. If the suspects make bond, once they are released, ICE will take them to an immigration camp where a federal judge will determine their status of their stay in the United States, said Morales.
Morales said, to his knowledge, large drug busts only occur in this area occasionally. Morales said the threshold for government involvement in marijuana is any quantity of said substance greater than 220 pounds.
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