United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner
Eastern District of California
Two Indicted For Growing Marijuana In Shasta County On Public Land
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | August 9, 2012 |
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SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Mario Flores-Pineda, 20, and Silvano Vargas-Estrada, 42, both citizens of Mexico, with growing marijuana on public land, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, the defendants were growing marijuana on federal land in the Shasta Trinity National Forest in Shasta County. They were arrested on July 31, 2012 at the site.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Shasta County Sheriff’s Department, and the California Department of Fish and Game. Assistant United States Attorney Jill M. Thomas and Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Chang are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison. The actual sentence, if convicted, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges are only allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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