September
23, 2005
FEDS
SEIZE NEARLY ONE-THOUSAND POUNDS OF MARIJUANA AT PUYALLUP RESIDENCE
- TWO CANADIAN MEN CHARGED
Two brothers from Calgary, Alberta, Canada appeared in U.S. District
Court in Seattle today charged with Possession of Marijuana with Intent
to Distribute. BRAYDON MIRABACK, 19, and ZACHARY MIRABACK, 22, made
their initial appearances in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Mary Alice
Theiler in Seattle.
According to the criminal complaint, agents of U.S. Immigration and
Customs Enforcement received a tip that two cars traveling I-90 were
involved in Marijuana distribution. On September 21, 2005 near North
Bend, Agents spotted the Maroon Toyota Tundra with Colorado license
plates traveling in tandem with a GMC Spartan Van with Washington plates.
Agents followed the vehicles to a house on 111th Street Court East in
Puyallup. As the men were getting out of their vehicles, ICE agents
could see large black hockey bags in the back of the van. A Washington
State Patrol drug sniffing dog alerted to the presence of drugs in the
van. The men were taken into custody.
In all there were 23 hockey bags of marijuana in the van with an estimated
weight of 900 to 1,000 lbs. The street value of the drugs is approximately
$3 million.
"These arrests continue to highlight the extensive amount of marijuana
being smuggled into the United States. ICE will continue to focus our
investigative efforts on this type of criminal activity and those individuals
involved," stated Leigh Winchell Special Agent in Charge of U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Seattle.
ZACHARY MIRABACK initially refused to identify himself and carried
no ID. An identification document would have been necessary for him
to legally cross the U.S.- Canada border.
Magistrate Judge Theiler set a detention hearing for the men on September
27, 2005 in front of Magistrate J. Kelley Arnold in Tacoma. A preliminary
hearing on the charges is set for October 7, 2005 in front of Magistrate
Karen Strombom in Tacoma.
A complaint contains allegations that have not yet been proven at trial
beyond a reasonable doubt. Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute
is punishable by a mandatory minimum five years in prison, and up to
40 years in prison.
The case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
with assistance from the Washington State Patrol. Assistant United States
Attorney Susan Roe is prosecuting the case.
For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs
Officer for the United States Attorney's Office, Western District of
Washington, at (206) 553-4110.
