JASPER COUNTY - by Steve Stewart/KJAS - A pair of men accused of trying to haul a half-ton of marijuana through Jasper County appeared before a judge on Wednesday morning and were officially charged.
The men have now been identified as Enar David Zuniga, 45, of Clinton, North Carolina, (on the left in the picture) and Henry Paul Hernandez, 31, of Roseboro, North Carolina (on the right in the picture).
Investigators say both men are illegal aliens from Honduras, and the federal agency Immigration & Customs Enforcement, commonly known as ICE, has placed a hold on both of them.
According to State Trooper Eric Malone of the Texas Department of Public Safety, it all started at about 7:30 on Monday morning when he stopped a small Mitsubishi box truck on Highway 190, just west of Jasper.
Trooper Malone said the truck was carrying rolls of carpet and padding, but there was a hidden compartment that contained 90 bundles of marijuana, weighing just over 1,000 pounds.
According to Malone, the investigation revealed that the marijuana left Houston early Monday morning, and was bound for Memphis, Tennessee.
Both Zuniga and Hernandez appeared before Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Mike Smith and were each charged with delivery of marijuana. Their bonds were set at $500,000.00 each.
Additionally, Hernandez was charged with failure to identify, with a $1,000.00 bond on that charge, and he also had a warrant for his arrest out of New Jersey, where he is a convicted sex offender, but has failed to register with local authorities.
Both men are ineligible to bond out of jail due to the ICE hold placed on them.
Houston early Monday morning, and was bound for Memphis, Tennessee.
Both Zuniga and Hernandez appeared before Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Mike Smith and were each charged with delivery of marijuana. Their bonds were set at $500,000.00 each.
Additionally, Hernandez was charged with failure to identify, with a $1,000.00 bond on that charge, and he also had a warrant for his arrest out of New Jersey, where he is a convicted sex offender, but has failed to register with local authorities.
Both men are ineligible to bond out of jail due to the ICE hold placed on them.
Suspects charged with trafficking 1/2 ton of pot
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