Tampa Man, Fugitive for Nearly 15 Years, Pleads Guilty to Marijuana Trafficking Conspiracy

TAMPA, Florida — A Tampa man who eluded authorities for nearly 15 years has finally faced justice. Zecki Halum, 40, pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges related to a marijuana trafficking conspiracy.

The case dates back to August 2009, when Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents stopped a motor home transporting more than 200 pounds of marijuana from Arizona to Florida. Upon arrival in Tampa, the motor home was joined by another vehicle with Halum as a passenger.

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The two vehicles then drove to separate parking lots, one at a convenience store and the other at a church in Crystal Springs. It was there that law enforcement apprehended Halum and his accomplices, discovering bales of marijuana packaged for distribution inside the RV.

Halum was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana in September 2009. However, he violated the conditions of his pretrial release in February 2010 by failing to appear in court, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

The case took a surprising turn last March, when authorities finally located and apprehended Halum. His accomplice, Dale Wetherholt, pleaded guilty to the same offense in November 2009 and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison the following April.

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Halum now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years, with the possibility of extending up to 40 years, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

The investigation was a joint effort between the DEA Tampa Field Division, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office and the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

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