Suspect extradited from Mexico to U.S. in border agent's slaying

A man charged in the murder of Brian A. Terry, a U.S. Border Patrol agent whose death was at the center of the Operation Fast and Furious investigation, has been returned to the United States and is scheduled to appear in federal court on Wednesday, according to federal government sources and the family of the slain officer. Lionel Portillo-Meza, also known as Jesus Leonel Sanchez-Meza, was arrested in Mexico on Sept. 6, 2012, and had been in custody awaiting extradition. He is accused of being among the five men in the “Rip-Crew,” charged with killing Terry during a 2010 shootout in Arizona near the border with Mexico. Robert Heyer, Brian Terry's cousin and chairman of the Brian Terry Foundation, confirmed that he was notified by officials that Portillo-Meza was extradited Tuesday night from Mexico City and was now in the United States. He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Tucson on Wednesday afternoon. lRelated Killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry detailed in court papers Nation Killing of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry detailed in court papers See all related 8 “We have been anticipating this extradition and we are very pleased,” Heyer said. “It’s been a long time. You know, he’s been sitting in jail in Mexico for almost two years. It took a long time for him to be extradited. But we’re very, very thankful that the Mexican government has continued to show cooperation and pursuit of justice of the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry.” Terry, 40, died in shootout in the desert brush near Rio Rico on Dec. 14, 2010...more