Marijuana Smuggler Gets Life In Prison

[Jim Finnel]

A former El Paso trucking manager convicted of transporting marijuana in his tractor-trailers was sentenced this week to life in prison by a North Carolina judge, said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

Hector Ruben McGurk, 47, the former operator of Allied Van Lines in El Paso and a former resident of the West Side, will not be eligible for parole, officials said.

McGurk was arrested in August 2002 and convicted of conspiring with some of his employees to transport more than 100,000 pounds of marijuana from El Paso to the East Coast from January 1996 to August 2002. The drugs were often hidden behind furniture and other household items in the big rigs. He was also convicted of money laundering.

Roberto G. Medina, ICE special agent in charge in El Paso, called the life sentence a "wake-up call" for drug traffickers.

The case is one of the largest marijuana trafficking cases ever prosecuted in the Western District of North Carolina, officials said.

According to trial testimony, the investigation began in March 2001, when about 8,200 pounds of marijuana and $1.4 million in cash were seized from an Allied Van Lines truck in Woodleaf, N.C.

Witnesses, including McGurk, described McGurk's lavish life style, including expensive homes and cars. Witnesses also testified that McGurk discouraged witnesses from testifying against him by hiring lawyers for them and by conveying threats to the wife of one of the drivers.

Four of his employees were also arrested and convicted of drug charges, officials said.



News Hawk - User 420 MAGAZINE ® - Medical Marijuana Publication & Social Networking
Source: El Paso Times
Author: Louie Gilot
Contact: lgilot@elpasotimes.com
Copyright: 2007 by the El Paso Times and MediaNews
Website: El Paso Times - Marijuana smuggler gets life in prison

 

[b4i2g0c]

the drug charges are kinda harsh here in the carolina i just had a friend who got busted with 22 grams he got six mounths in a federal prison in s carolina

 

[Brett2theMax]

22 grams? You can have up to 3 Oz before you are considered for anything more than a misdemeanor in Michigan.

 

[Dunlap]

LIFE without parole?! For WEED!!!?? You've got to be fucking kidding me...

 

[Keith Lake]

the drug charges are kinda harsh here in the carolina i just had a friend who got busted with 22 grams he got six mounths in a federal prison in s carolina

That may be for South Carolina, but up to a 1/2Z its$100 and mandatory suspended sentence in North Carolina.

Tractor trailor fulls seems an aweful lot, but life without parole - murderers don't even get this

 

[Dunlap]

I dunno, didn't seem like that bad of a guy to me. Paying for somebody's lawyer doesn't really sound like a 'scumbag' way to tamper with a witness. Sure, in the eyes of the law it's all the same, but in the eyes of the law, we're all criminals too. And alright, he made 1 threat. So factor that in and give the guy a couple extra years. But LIFE?

Conspiracy, money laundering, smuggling, all that is just part of importing that much weed. I didn't read anything that made him seem like a hardened criminal.

 

[b4i2g0c]

That may be for South Carolina, but up to a 1/2Z its$100 and mandatory suspended sentence in North Carolina.

Tractor trailor fulls seems an aweful lot, but life without parole - murderers don't even get this

were in n.c. he got sent to a federal prison in s.c. a 1/2oz is 14g if its over 20g and you have a prior drug charge they up the charge to a oz there strik down here theres been 3 raids this year so far last year in june the drug unit raided 3 houses in lee and muti different grow spots in cumberland county they got a total of 32,000 plants in cumberland alone last year i dont remember if they ever charged anyone thou

 

[b4i2g0c]

22 grams? You can have up to 3 Oz before you are considered for anything more than a misdemeanor in Michigan.

one night bout 8 years ago me and a couple friends were leavin the pool hall when the drug unit stoped us they found seeds and a half a blunt in my car i got a year probation and 50 hours of community survice

 

[Gorillabuds]

the drug charges are kinda harsh here in the carolina i just had a friend who got busted with 22 grams he got six mounths in a federal prison in s carolina

Here's a factoid. Nobody gets 6 months at Federal prisons. If the sentence is 1 year or less, the time is served in a local or state facility. Now that we know he's not in a Federal prison, what type of prison is he really in? It sounds to me like he's a known trouble maker if he got the judges foot stuck up his ass so far.

 

[b4i2g0c]

Here's a factoid. Nobody gets 6 months at Federal prisons. If the sentence is 1 year or less, the time is served in a local or state facility. Now that we know he's not in a Federal prison, what type of prison is he really in? .

no afence man but thats not a fact so heres a fact for you a year ago my cousin was sent to a federal facility in pennsylvania for six mounths for to many probation violations i know that for a fact cause her son jj stayed wit me

It sounds to me like he's a known trouble maker if he got the judges foot stuck up his ass so far.

most judges here are old school the first judge i met said if he saw me agin he'd lock me up i found out he won't bluffin

 

[CarolinaRebel]

Ok..Heres the deal in SC. All family stuff here. One gets caught with 1/2 pound--1st offence--gets 5 years does 3. Brother-In-Law gets caught with small amounts several times. Usually a slap on the hand and a few hundred bucks out of his pocket. Time before last he got six months at home with an ankle braclet. Last time six months in county lockup. We'll just have to wait and see what happens next. (He's a slow learner. )

 

[cloudie99999]

I just found this site..accidently, I don't use, I don't judge. He got life ? For weed? He did not kill anyone, and the threat was just empty words. He is my uncle, and he got a very bad judgement. He is Mexican American and he was extradited to South Carolina. His employees copped a deal, and were released and they were all childhood friends who they themselves took his money and fed him to the dogs. One was married to his wife's sister. His wife that he married and may I add brought over from Mexico was one of the expert witnesses and who doesn't speak English. She was mad that he had fathered a child out of wedlock after she had numerous affairs. She was mad or crazy or both. They didn't have expensive homes. He had one house he bought a long time ago, and he owned a car lot. They only had circumstantial evidence, and would you believe the Federal agent who arrested him, can't remember his whole name but David, was the very one who was killed when an inmate escaped from the courthouse and went on some rampage and shot and killed him at his home. Next comes the prosecutor a female, who prior to trial on television no less, states that they are going to win this one for "David" Ruben had a court appointed lawyer (some drug pin with no money and no lawyer and apparently no friends) who did nothing to help him. The trial was televized heavily throughout the entire proceedings, The lawyer would have moved venues. This lawyer didn't even object to a wife as a witness? etc. and he fell asleep numerous times. Ruben has evidence that he wasn't even in El Paso, but in a hospital in Juarez (he's sick with diabetes) at the time of some allegeded crime(s). Famous or infamous drug lords who get caught in this country get what 22 yrs? They made an example of what some Mexican American who if at all was a low man on a totem pole. Ruben is screwed. He didn't do anything to be imprisoned for life. Nothing at all. I know. And I am not protecting him or sticking up for him, we barely talked our whole lives. But he is my uncle so I know the whole story. Just another poor immigrant, being used, maybe by a prosecutor to further her career, a TOTAL SCAPEGOAT. Bravo...Federal law enforcement Bravo..shouldn't you maybe get bad guys who commit murder and pedifiles? I would rather have them in jail, than someone who had some weed.