Mississippi jury to hear case possibly linked to Mexican drug cartel

BRANDON, MISSISSIPPI - A Rankin County grand jury will hear evidence against two suspects authorities believe are linked to a Mexican drug-trafficking organization, a judge has ruled. <br> <br> Martin Medrano, 37, whom officials believe is in this country illegally, and Max R. Sandoval, 21, of Atlanta, appeared Tuesday before County Judge Kent McDaniel. <br> <br> The men were among five people arrested last week when a routine stop of their rental truck turned up 200 pounds of cocaine. <br> <br> The investigation has been turned over to the FBI, which suspects the case is tied to a Mexican drug-trafficking organization, Sheriff&#39;s Deputy Shannon Penn said after the hearing. <br> <br> Medrano and Sandoval were ordered held without bond in the Rankin County jail until the Immigration and Naturalization Service can determine their legal status. <br> <br> Medrano is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance and one count of attempting to possess a controlled substance. <br> <br> Sandoval is charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance. A second charge was dismissed by McDaniel. <br> <br> A third suspect, Maria L. Perez, 23, who has a green card and lives in Dallas, waived her right to a preliminary hearing. She is being held in the Rankin County jail in lieu of $250,000 bond. <br> <br> She is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance. <br> <br> Perez was allegedly hired to drive the rental truck from Dallas to Atlanta and Gonzalez went along for the ride, authorities said. <br> <br> Antonio Ortega Gonzalez, 22, who authorities said is in this country illegally, also is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance. <br> <br> Gonzalez&#39; case and that of the fifth suspect, Migel Villanueva, 17, also in this country illegally, were continued until next week. <br> <br> Villanueva is charged with one count conspiracy to possess a controlled substance and one count of attempting to possess a controlled substance.

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