Man Sentenced To 3 Years For Southern NM Car Chase

An Ohio man accused of leading authorities on a car chase in southern New Mexico while transporting nearly 200 pounds of marijuana has been sentenced to three years in prison.

The Alamogordo Daily News reports that 40-year-old James E. Upole received the sentence Monday for the car chase that began at a Border Patrol checkpoint west of Alamogordo on March 11 and ended in a crash in a parking lot.

Upole pleaded no contest to third-degree felony aggravated assault upon a police officer, felony distribution of marijuana over 100 pounds, fourth-degree aggravated fleeing a law-enforcement officer and another charge.

Upole told Twelfth Judicial District Judge Bill Brogan that he was sorry for what happened and that he made a foolish mistake.

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Information from: Alamogordo Daily News.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.