United States v. Roy Aranda and Virginia Varela De Aranda

Roy and Virginia Aranda, husband and wife, appeal from judgments of conviction on two counts of an indictment charging them jointly (Count One) with smuggling marihuana into the United States, and (Count Two) with receiving, concealing and facilitating the transportation and concealment of marihuana, illegally imported, knowing that it had been so imported, both violations of former 21 U.S.C. § 176a. We affirm.

There was but one occurrence. The Arandas, using the name Gonzalez, purchased a Buick Riviera car in Yuma, Arizona, on July 17, 1970. They had it registered in the name of Armanda Silver. It was then in good condition. In the early morning hours of July 23, the ear was driven north on Interstate Highway 5, just north of Oceanside, California. Roy was driving; Virginia and a baby were with him. The ear was stopped at an Immigration checkpoint some 65 miles north of the Mexican border and directed off the highway because it was “hanging low in the back.” Roy pulled off the road, but then almost immediately drove the car back onto Interstate 5 at a high rate of speed. Two California highway patrolmen pursued it at speeds up to 140 miles per hour and finally stopped it. Almost…