Mexican Man Pleads Guilty to Warhead Hoax
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
A Mexican national pleaded guilty Friday to playing a hoax on U.S. authorities by making 911 calls claiming he was preparing to smuggle a nuclear warhead, as well as Iraqi and Chinese citizens, into the country.
Jose Ernesto Beltran-Quinonez, 34, faces a maximum five years in prison and a $250,000 fine when sentenced. He was arrested in Mexico in February.
He claimed he was smuggling the warhead through a tunnel at Calexico, officials said. No tunnel was found.
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