A California man accused of transporting hundreds of pounds of meth in South Dakota pleaded not guilty to two felony drug counts.
Alonso Molinacorona, 42, was arrested in Sturgis Friday in what officials called the "largest meth seizure in Highway Patrol history."
Attorney General Marty Jackley said a Highway Patrol trooper pulled him over for speeding on I-90. This resulted in troopers finding drugs in his car. They found a total of 207 pounds of crystal meth with a street value of $12 million dollars.
Molinacorona is a Mexican national. Gov. Larry Rhoden previously said this is the eighth non-citizen stopped by the Highway Patrol since the state signed a 287(g) agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE.
Several media outlets described Molinacorona as an illegal immigrant, but a spokesperson for the governor's office said Molinacorona was in the country legally at the time of his arrest. However, officials said Molinacorona is still subject to immigrations proceedings. U.S. law provides that a non-citizen in the country can be deported if convicted of crimes like drug trafficking.
Molinacorona's case is being prosecuted by Jackley's office as well as the Meade County State's Attorney. He faces one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, a felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison. He also faces an alternating count of possession of a controlled substance, a felony punishable by up to five years in prison.
Jackley said he expects federal charges to be filed as well.
