Tijuana.- While former mayor Jorge Hank Rhons legal future is decided he remains behind bars at El Hongo State Penitentiary east of Tecate.
Meanwhile, Mexicos Attorney General Marisela Morales denied on national television that his arrest was politically motivated, as has been widely speculated.
And she said that her office had requested information from U.S. authorities about any crimes or possible investigations they may have related to Hank Rhon, though he is being investigated in Mexico not because of any links to drug trafficking but because of the number of weapons found in his house.
His lawyers, led by Óscar Téllez, said they had requested 9th District Judge Blanca Evelia Parra give them until early next Tuesday to try to prove their clients innocence and to allow them to reconstruct the raid on Hank Rhons house.
Since Hank Rhon, 55, was arrested at dawn Saturday at his home along with ten men there has been speculation as to what charges he would face. For years, there have been rumors that he was involved in organized crime, including arms trafficking, although he has never been convicted of a crime.
However, the federal Attorney Generals Office (known as the PGR in Mexico) formally accused him Wednesday of stockpiling firearms and ammunition.
The offense is considered serious, which requires no bail. If found guilty of illegally possessing guns, the sentence can be from two to nine years in prison; its a five- to 30-year prison term if convicted of having rifles.
The PGR announced Wednesday that 49 of the 88 weapons seized at Hank Rhons house are for the exclusive use of the Mexican army.
The agency added that 10 of the weapons had a license but the names on five of them did not match any of those who were detained. No license existed for the remaining 78 weapons.
Hank Rhon, in a letter addressed to Baja Californias Human Rights Commission hours after he was detained, said that he had never seen the arsenal found at his house.
Attorney General Morales said Hank Rhon had not been under investigation previous to his detention and there was no intention to harm him. Federal prosecutors did not find out about his detention until he was turned over by the army, she added.
The lead prosecutor determined that Hank Rhons case should be turned over to a judge, who should decide how the case should proceed and the guilt or innocence of those charged.
Hank Rhon and ten other men, believed to be members of his security staff, arrived at El Hongo prison, east of Tecate at 3:15 a.m. Wednesday, following a flight from Mexico City. Its a medium security facility that houses all types of criminals.
Omar.millan@sandiegored.com
