Wealthy Mexican Clears INS Hurdle, Falters on Bail

Wealthy Mexican businessman Ruben Zuno Arce, who faces perjury charges in connection with the murder of a U.S. drug agent, appeared to clear an immigration hurdle blocking his return to Mexico on Wednesday, but he failed to meet bail requirements set by a Los Angeles federal judge.

As a result Zuno, 59, remained in the Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting trial Nov. 7 or until his lawyers, James Blancarte and Edward Medvene, can find additional property to secure their client’s $200,000 bail.

U.S. District Judge Robert M. Takasugi concluded at a bail hearing that he would “like to see more properties put up” as an assurance that Zuno will return to the United State for trial.

Takasugi’s decision came as step two in Zuno’s attempt to get out of jail after nearly two months in federal custody. In addition to the perjury charges, the Immigration and Naturalization Service had placed a “hold” on Zuno for being a suspected drug trafficker, an allegation he denies.

Earlier Wednesday, Immigration Judge Lauren R. Mathon approved a modification of the INS hold on Zuno.

Under that arrangement, according to INS District Counsel John Bartos, Zuno agreed to withdraw his application for admission to the United States, agreed to cancellation of his border-crossing card and agreed that once he resolved his bail problems, he would return to INS custody.

“The immigration service will take him to LAX and place him on the next available flight to the interior of Mexico,” Bartos said.

INS agents arrested Zuno in San Antonio on Aug. 9, shortly after he entered the United States on a commercial flight. He was brought to Los Angeles on a federal warrant as a material witness in the February, 1985, murder of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Agent Enrique Camarena in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Zuno was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on three perjury counts. He was accused of lying to grand jurors when he denied knowing two Mexican drug kingpins, Rafael Caro Quintero and Ernesto Fonesca Carillo, both in jail in Mexico pending charges in the Camarena murder.