One Really Long Vacation

By Kevin Robinson in News on Oct 30, 2006 3:30PM

Marco Morales has a special place in Chicagoist's heart. Not because he once distributed a kilogram of cocaine for $25,000. Not because he became a wealthy city sewer-repair contractor by paying kickbacks of up to $5000 a pop. Not because his son's construction company has made millions off taxpayer-funded city projects. Not because he managed to make millions of dollars for his own business (illegally), in spite of being a 7th grade drop out.

No, Chicagoist admires Morales because when he was convicted of most of those things in the federal Silver Shovel investigation, he skipped town to Mexico rather than rot away in a prison in Michigan. We've often entertained fantasies of Margaritas and Mariachis while the Federales cursed Mexico's lax extradition policies.

It seems that the noose is tightening around poor Marcos Morales yet again. Federal prosecutors have re-indicted him on that old drug charge, in hopes that, since it is a crime in both countries, and the extradition process has become more streamlined since Vicente Fox became president in 2000, they will be able get Mexican authorities to send Morales packing. For his part, he fears that not only will the feds not get a conviction out of him, but that after he serves a long US prison sentence, he'll walk out of jail only to be deported back to Mexico. So far, the Mexicans say they haven't received a request to arrest Morales.

Until then, it seems he'll be painting on the beach, when he isn't selling pork sandwiches with his girlfriend. In the meantime, Chicagoist hears the weather in Cuba is quite nice!