FEDS STAKE DRUG CASE

Two Mexican nationals made their first appearance in federal court
Wednesday, officially ending a rift that left the U.S. Attorney's Office
and Escambia County Sheriff's Office refusing to work together.

U.S. Attorney Greg Miller agreed to prosecute Rodrigo Martinez, 36, and
Juan Luis Nieves-Villareal, 24, on methamphetamine, cocaine and firearms
charges, reversing an earlier decision to redirect the case to the State
Attorney's Office.

During the suspects' court appearance Wednesday, U.S. Magistrate Judge
Elizabeth Timothy scheduled a detention hearing for Monday afternoon.
Federal prosecutors are trying to keep the pair in custody.

Miller, the top federal prosecutor for the district ranging from Pensacola
to Gainesville, was annoyed with Sheriff Ron McNesby after McNesby released
information about the case to the media, touting the bust as perhaps the
largest seizure of pure meth in Escambia's history.

On July 8, Miller wrote McNesby, saying he would not pursue charges against
the two because the Sheriff's Office had violated court rules by releasing
information that was not part of the public record.

But after three of Pensacola's federal district judges met with Miller and
McNesby earlier this month to clarify the court's rules on the release of
information, the two agencies agreed to cooperate again.

Chief sheriff's Deputy Larry Smith said Wednesday that because the case
involves Mexican nationals, it should be handled by the federal court.

"I'm glad that things are back on track and continuing down the proper road
for prosecution," he said.

Smith said sheriff's officials will continue to release information to the
community as they did before the incident with Miller.

"We can do business as we've normally been doing it. We can comment on
cases," he said.

Martinez and Nieves-Villareal were arrested July 1 following an
investigation by a team of federal, state and local law enforcement officials.

A Sheriff's Office spokesman said at the time that officers seized 9 ounces
of meth with an estimated street value of $50,000, 3 kilograms of cocaine
with an estimated street value of $250,000, an Uzi submachine gun, a
Mac-90, two automobiles and $20,000 cash.