On August 26 at 4:45 a.m., a deputy with the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Anti-‐Smuggling Unit observed two vehicles traveling together westbound along Interstate 8. After observing traffic violations on both vehicles, the deputy positioned himself to make a traffic stop. When the vehicles detected the deputy was initiating a traffic stop, the vehicles separated at Highway 84 and Interstate 8. The deputy followed one car, a white Ford Mustang, and radioed for any other units in the area to stop the second vehicle, an orange Chevrolet Camaro.
The white mustang fled from the marked unit until getting stuck in mud on a farm road near Highway 84 and Smith Road. The driver fled the vehicle on foot, but was chased down and captured by the deputy. He is identified as 20-‐year-‐old Rigoberto Leue-‐Tejeda, a Casa Grande resident.
Inside the Mustang, deputies found two camouflaged backpacks containing 77lbs of marijuana and three Kenwood mobile 2-way radios.
U.S. Border Patrol officers located and stopped the orange Camaro on Stanfield Road north of Interstate 8. During the stop they located an assault-‐style rifle, ski masks and more Kenwood 2-‐way radios.
PCSO deputies took custody of the driver of the orange Camaro, Erick Tarango, 20-‐years-‐old, a Casa Grande resident. Both suspects where booked into PCSO Adult Detention. Both vehicles where seized as evidence.
Sheriff Paul Babeu said, “The driver of the car we apprehended admitted that he was paid $1000 by the other suspect to pick up the drugs at a designated point along the highway. This case is a perfect example of why we need to put more effort into securing our border. It is more than just illegal immigration, it’s about criminals carrying assault weapons and smuggling drugs through our Pinal County communities.”