BROWNSVILLE, Texas –
Miguel Echevarria-Zuniga, 51, and Miguel Echevarria-Guizar, 22, have been ordered to federal prison following their convictions of manufacturing marijuana, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. The father and son pleaded guilty April 3, 2015.
Today, U.S. District Judge U.S. District Andrew S. Hanen handed Echevarria-Guizar a total of 36 months in federal prison. Echevarria-Zuniga was sentenced last month to serve 42 months for the marijuana charge and for being an alien found in the United States after having been deported. Both men are expected to face deportation proceedings following their release from prison.
The convictions stem from an August 2014 alien smuggling investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) which revealed that part of a 40-acre tract of land in a rural area of Willacy County was being used to grow marijuana. Agents discovered more than 9,000 marijuana plants growing in the field.
Agents arrested the Echevarrias, both Mexican citizens, as they attempted to abscond from the area. Initially, the Echevarrias denied any involvement with marijuana field and claimed to be part of a group of illegal aliens that were being housed in a different part of the land. However, fingerprint analysis linked both defendants to items found in the marijuana field. Agents also searched a storage shed which was rented by Echevarria-Zuniga and found sales receipts for items found in the marijuana field.
Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This case was investigated by HSI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Israel Cano III and David A. Coronado.