Humboldt County Marijuana Grower Indicted for Murder

SAN FRANCISCO—A federal grand jury in San Francisco today indicted Mikal Xylon Wilde, of Humboldt County, with murder during narcotics offense, conspiracy to manufacture and distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants, manufacture and possession with intent to distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants, use of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense and crime of violence, use of a firearm causing death in the form of murder, and possession of ammunition by a convicted felon, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced. The defendant is alleged to have operated a marijuana farm with approximately 1,500 marijuana plants in Humboldt County. Wilde is also charged with having used a firearm during the course of the narcotics offense to kill Mario Roberto Juarez-Madrid, originally from Guatemala, who was working on the marijuana farm at the time of the murder on August 25, 2010.

The defendant is currently in custody in Humboldt County on state murder charges arising from the same incident. The defendant will make his initial appearance in federal court in Eureka before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nandor J. Vadas.

The maximum statutory penalty for murder during narcotics offense is from 20 years to life in prison or death and a $10 million fine. The maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess 1,000 or more marijuana plants and distribution and possession with intent to distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) is from 10 years to life in prison and a fine of $10 million. The maximum statutory penalty for use of a firearm causing death is up to life in prison or death and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for use of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense or crime of violence is not less than five years up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for felon in possession of ammunition is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

“I want to thank United States Attorney Melinda Haag and her office for their commitment to the safety and security of the people of Humboldt County and her partnership and collaboration in this and many other cases involving allegations of violence in our communities,” said Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos.

William Frentzen and Randall Luskey of the Organized Crime Strike Force are the Assistant U.S. Attorneys who are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Lilian ArauzHasse, Marina Ponomarchuk, and Daniel Charlier-Smith. The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Humboldt County District Attorney Paul Gallegos and his Office, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals, California Department of Justice, Eureka Police Department, Humboldt County Drug Task Force, and California Highway Patrol.

An indictment contains only allegations against an individual and, as with all defendants, Wilde must be presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.