News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: May 7, 2010
Contact: SA Wendell Campbell
Public Information Officer
Number: (713) 693-3000

Jury Finds Mexican Citizen Guilty of Possession of Nearly 200 Kilos of Marijuana

MAY 7 -- (BROWNSVILLE, Texas) - Javier Martinez-Sosa, 26, a Mexican citizen, has been found guilty by a federal jury of conspiracy to possess and possession with intent to distribute 196.6 kilograms of marijuana, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today ? along with Zoran Yankovich, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Houston Division.

During trial, the jury heard testimony that on Feb. 7, 2010, at approximately 12:40 a.m., Border Patrol (BP) agents were alerted that nine individuals had crossed the levee towards the border fence near the Rancho Grande Subdivision in La Paloma, Texas. Agents responded to the area and observed Martinez-Sosa at the top of 16-foot ladder that was leaning against the border fence as he threw two large bundles over the fence. As agents approached, the other individuals in the group fled to Mexico. Martinez-Sosa was apprehended while still atop the ladder along with a juvenile who was steadying the ladder. A total of seven bundles were recovered, each containing marijuana with a total weight of 196.6 kilograms.

Martinez-Sosa unsuccessfully attempted to convince the jury that it was another individual whom the agents had seen tossing the marijuana bundles over the fence - claiming he had climbed up the ladder only after the first individual had jumped off.

The jury returned its verdicts of guilty on each of the two counts of the indictment today after approximately two hours of deliberation.

Martinez-Sosa is being held in federal custody without bond pending sentencing on Aug. 3, 2010, at 1:30 p.m. He faces a minimum sentence of five years imprisonment and up to a $2 million dollar fine on each count of conviction.

The case was investigated by BP and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Israel Cano III and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Clancy.