Pubdate: Thu, 25 Aug 2005
Source: Pensacola News Journal (FL)
Copyright: 2005 The Pensacola News Journal
Contact:  http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1675
Author: Kristen Rasmussen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

FEDS STAKE DRUG CASE

Two Mexican nationals made their first appearance in federal court 
Wednesday, officially ending a rift that left the U.S. Attorney's Office 
and Escambia County Sheriff's Office refusing to work together.

U.S. Attorney Greg Miller agreed to prosecute Rodrigo Martinez, 36, and 
Juan Luis Nieves-Villareal, 24, on methamphetamine, cocaine and firearms 
charges, reversing an earlier decision to redirect the case to the State 
Attorney's Office.

During the suspects' court appearance Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge 
Elizabeth Timothy scheduled a detention hearing for Monday afternoon. 
Federal prosecutors are trying to keep the pair in custody.

Miller, the top federal prosecutor for the district ranging from Pensacola 
to Gainesville, was annoyed with Sheriff Ron McNesby after McNesby released 
information about the case to the media, touting the bust as perhaps the 
largest seizure of pure meth in Escambia's history.

On July 8, Miller wrote McNesby, saying he would not pursue charges against 
the two because the Sheriff's Office had violated court rules by releasing 
information that was not part of the public record.

But after three of Pensacola's federal district judges met with Miller and 
McNesby earlier this month to clarify the court's rules on the release of 
information, the two agencies agreed to cooperate again.

Chief sheriff's Deputy Larry Smith said Wednesday that because the case 
involves Mexican nationals, it should be handled by the federal court.

"I'm glad that things are back on track and continuing down the proper road 
for prosecution," he said.

Smith said sheriff's officials will continue to release information to the 
community as they did before the incident with Miller.

"We can do business as we've normally been doing it. We can comment on 
cases," he said.

Martinez and Nieves-Villareal were arrested July 1 following an 
investigation by a team of federal, state and local law enforcement officials.

A Sheriff's Office spokesman said at the time that officers seized 9 ounces 
of meth with an estimated street value of $50,000, 3 kilograms of cocaine 
with an estimated street value of $250,000, an Uzi submachine gun, a 
Mac-90, two automobiles and $20,000 cash.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman