Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Feds Charged 12 Suspects For Growing 50,000 Marijuana Plants In Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Northeastern Wisconsin

Barnabe Nuñez-Guzman

Photo courtesy of Brown County Sheriff's Department

Most of the suspects are undocumented and a deportation hold was granted by a federal judge

By H. Nelson Goodson
August 16, 2010

Green Bay, WI - The U.S. Attorney's Office in Green Bay has charged 12 men in connection with growing more than 50,000 marijuana plants in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Last week, about 200 federal, state and local law enforcement agents, deputy sheriff's and officers raided 10 growing plots in the national forest. Each plant was valued between $2,000 to $6,000 dollars totaling between $100 to 300 million dollars, according to feds.
The plants were growing mostly in the Oconto and Menominee counties and the suspects lived around the cities of Shawano, Seymour, Mountain and Crivitz.
Oconto County Sheriff, Mike Jensen, said they also confiscated 300 pounds of processed marijuana and weapons, ammunition and a AK-47 rifle. The feds are investigating the suspects, to see if they had any possible connection to Mexican drug cartels.
The recent marijuana bust is connected to the September 29, seizure of 8,000 plants by feds and local authorities at the Navarino Wildlife Preserve in Shawano County.
Barnabe Nuñez-Guzman of Seymour was identified as the leader of the group arrested, according to the criminal complaint.
Federal prosecutors in Green Bay charged the following suspects, Salvador Montez-Canchola, Raul Juvenal Avila-Rodriguez, Jesus De La Torre-Avila, Javier Navarro-Zanagoza, Gustavo Barragon-Mendoza, Jorge Omar Perez-Hipolito, Genaro Avila-Rodriguez, Adalberto Valencia, Uriel Perez-Aljandres, Armando Adame-Alvarado, Bernabe Nuñez-Guzman and Jose Luis Sandoval-Mendoza with conspiracy to distribute and manufacturing more than 1,000 marijuana plants. Nuñez-Guzman is also facing possession with intent to distribute more than 100 marijuana plants. He owns a Green Bay restaurant and several other properties in the area.
Most of the suspects are undocumented and a federal judge put a deportation hold. Nine of the suspects were arrested in a Seymour residence, according to the criminal complaint.

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

No comments: