Pubdate: Wed, 13 Nov 2013
Source: Arizona Republic (Phoenix, AZ)
Copyright: 2013 The Arizona Republic
Website: http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/24
Author: Bob Ortega
Page: B3

BORDER AGENTS GET 24 MONTHS IN PRISON FOR ABUSING MIGRANTS

Two suspended Border Patrol agents were sentenced Tuesday to 24 months
each in federal prison for civil-rights offenses because of their
mistreatment of undocumented migrants they caught smuggling marijuana
in the Arizona desert five years ago.

In April, a jury convicted agents Dario Castillo, 25, of four felony
counts, and Ramon Zuniga, 31, of four misdemeanor counts, of
deprivation of civil rights under color of law. That charge applies to
government officials or officers who use their position unlawfully to
deprive anyone of their rights under the U.S. Constitution.

John Leonard, the U.S. attorney for Arizona, said the verdict "sends a
clear message that abuse of authority by federal law enforcement
officers will not be tolerated."

Castillo had faced a maximum of 10 years on each felony count, and
Zuniga faced a maximum of one year on each misdemeanor count.

The two agents have been given until Jan. 14 to begin serving their
sentences.

According to evidence presented at the agents' trial in U.S. District
Court in Tucson, at about 10:30 p.m. on Nov. 12, 2008, Border Patrol
agents spotted a group of men toting backpacks full of marijuana
through the Tohono O'odham Reservation, near the border with Mexico.
As agents approached, the group dropped their packs and scattered.
Four men were caught by Castillo, Zuniga and two other agents.

Zuniga found a bag of marijuana on one of the men, and shoved it into
several of the men's mouths, ordering them to eat it, according to the
evidence presented at trial.

The agents then forced the men to take off their shoes, socks, jackets
and extra shirts they'd been wearing. Castillo used a cigarette
lighter borrowed from another agent to set fire to the shoes and
clothing. Then Castillo and Zuniga ordered the men to run away. The
men spent the night in the desert, barefoot with one layer of
clothing, in 50-degree temperatures.

They were caught the next morning by tribal police officers. After
being returned to Border Patrol custody, the men accused Castillo and
Zuniga of mistreating them. All four men were eventually deported
without being charged with any drug offense.

The Border Patrol did not immediately respond to questions about
whether the agents would be terminated.
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