Arizona: Another drug scout prosecuted in Pinal sentenced

[TomSea]

Another drug scout prosecuted in Pinal sentenced

FLORENCE — An 18-year-old Mexican national was sentenced to one year in prison on Monday for aiding drug smugglers through Pinal County.

According to a statement by the Pinal County Attorney’s Office, Uriel Ruiz-Estrada pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to transport and/or sell marijuana. He was arrested by the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office’s Anti-Smuggling Unit along with 47-year-old Martin Aispuro-Angulo, who also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one in year in state prison in May. A third scout was found at their makeshift campsite in a mountainous area southwest of Maricopa, but he was able to flee.

The arrests came after PCSO received a tip on March 2 pointing to the area where the scouts were found and responded with an air unit.

“Our anti-smuggling efforts come full circle when successful prosecutions are carried out by the County Attorney’s Office,” said Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu in a statement. “One-by-one, case-by-case, we are sending smugglers and their supporting operatives to prison. We are sending a clear message to the cartels that there are no revolving doors for smugglers arrested in Pinal County.”

More At: http://www.trivalleycentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/area_news/another-drug-scout-prosecuted-in-pinal-sentenced/article_212c018a-332a-11e6-b5be-c34db1b6fd36.html