A pair of allegedly illegal immigrants could be facing prison time and possible deportation after allegedly being caught with drugs, cash and guns.
The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Daniel Alvarez Reyes, 23, and Julio Cesar Aguilar-Reyes, 24, both of Sturgis, Michigan, charging each with one count of possession of cocaine.
“They are allegedly not citizens,” said Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips. “ICE (United State’s Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is involved and looking at this case. We are working with them.”
Phillips said that in the early morning hours of Oct. 22, 2017, the men were on Route 31 near U.S. 33. The vehicle came to the attention of Marysville Police officer J.T. Smith.
“The vehicle had a flat tire on the driver’s side, but it was still operating,” Phillips said.
When the officer pulled the car over, the occupants explained they got a flat tire. Aguilar-Reyes told the officer they pulled over at a local convenience store. He said another occupant began walking to Wal-Mart to try to get a tire. He told the officer they got tired of waiting and decided to drive to the store.
The men said they did not have identification.
Smith asked the men for permission to search the vehicle.
“Upon consent search, I located a clear plastic baggie containing a pure white powdery substance, suspected to be cocaine,” Smith wrote.
According to the prosecutor, the search also revealed two scales, more than $3,500 in cash, and at least three handguns including one reported stolen out of Michigan.
Phillips said that after it was weighed, there was 39.5 grams of cocaine in the car. Phillips said that anything above 27 grams becomes a felony of the first degree, the state’s highest level offense.
In the past, officials have said a line of cocaine is about 50 milligrams, meaning the men allegedly had between 500 and 1,000 doses of cocaine in the vehicle.
“When you have that much cocaine, when you have guns and cash, that would indicate that maybe this isn’t personal use,” Phillips said.
He said it takes time for investigators to confirm the drug content.
He said his office is working with immigration officials to locate the men.
In addition to a potential 10-year prison sentence and possible deportation, prosecutors are also looking to take the cash found inside the car.