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. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt