United States v. Michael Edward Vigil

Appellant was charged with violation of 21 U.S.C. § 176a, smuggling marihuana. He consented to proceedings under 18 U.S.C. §§ 5031-5037 , and was adjudged to be a delinquent and committed to the custody of the Attorney General during his minority.

On appeal appellant challenges the search which disclosed the marihuana. He further argues that the evidence presented below was insufficient to support the conviction. We affirm.

On October 19, 1970, Agent Tidball of the United States Boarder Patrol was patroling the Morelos Dam area along the Colorado River near Yuma, Arizona. Substantial amounts of marihuana are smuggled into the United States from Mexico through this area.

Agent Tidball testified that he noticed a car parked near the river and four men standing by it. Upon investigation he discovered that three of the men were illegal aliens; appellant was the fourth. The aliens were taken into custody. Agent Tidball questioned appellant, then asked him to open the trunk of the car. As the trunk lock released, appellant started running toward the river, approximately 50 yards away. Agent Tidball caught him and brought him back to the car. It was then that Agent Tidball noticed six…