Two Cuban immigrants who police say were living in the United States illegally are facing felony charges after authorities allegedly found drugs, stolen firearms and ammunition in their possession.
Cesar Valdes, 89, and Magdaleno Medina, 73, were taken into custody after investigators determined that both men had been in the country illegally for more than four decades.
The investigation began Aug. 19, when a Miami police officer working undercover allegedly bought $60 worth of cocaine from Medina, according to court records.
Magdaleno Medina, 73, is believed to have been in the United States illegally for 46 years and faces multiple charges related to alleged armed drug trafficking. (Miami-Dade Corrections)
After the alleged sale, officers returned Sept. 9 to the trailer with a search warrant targeting narcotics. Valdes was also inside, police said.
Authorities reported finding dozens of clear bags containing cocaine and marijuana, along with ammunition, stolen guns and more than $4,800 in cash.
An ICE spokesman told News Outlet that the men entered the United States without inspection near Key West, Florida, on separate days in May 1980.
Medina has four prior felony convictions in the United States involving cocaine smuggling, drug possession and drug trafficking, according to ICE. An immigration judge issued him a final order of exclusion on July 24, 1996.
Final orders of exclusion were issued by immigration judges before April 1997, when a new system for removal proceedings took effect, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Details about Medina’s earlier arrests and convictions were not available, and it was unclear whether he served time in jail.
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Cesar Valdes, 89, is believed to have been in the United States illegally for 46 years and faces multiple charges related to alleged armed drug trafficking. (Miami-Dade Corrections)
Valdes has previously faced charges in Miami-Dade County, including cocaine possession and probation violations during the 1980s and 1990s. It was unclear whether he spent time behind bars.
An immigration judge issued Valdes a final order of exclusion on March 10, 1993.
Medina faces eight felony counts, including possession of cocaine with intent to sell, cocaine trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Valdes faces five similar felony charges involving drugs and firearms.
The two immigrants face criminal charges in Miami. (GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images)
Both men remain held in a Miami jail under ICE detainers.
“Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, if you break the law, you will face the consequences,” an ICE spokesman told News Outlet in an email.
“Criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S. We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you.”
Medina and Valdes have pleaded not guilty to the Miami-Dade County charges. The attorney representing both men declined to comment on the cases.
