Released under the John F. Wesasaination Records Collection Wet of 1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Pasef: NW 54464 Date: 10-11- 2017 Fennedy we hg AT ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI ) ; It is requested “that information set out b by St. ra Louis teletype August 3, 1963, be placed on a Form FD-302 in the event this case Teaches prosecution. ** ) APPROVED o a SPECIAL AGENT ; . Bx iN CHARGE DO NOT WRITE IN SPACES BELOW , 1 - INS, Miami (RM) eer eens nememeeet, 1 - U. S. Border Patrol, Miami (RM) | “ 1 - ONT, Miami (RM) 25 AUG 1963 2 - Miami 3 : : = = . (Copies Cont a. Cover Page B.) - Co Record of ——— er ra, ' Agency paca : Date Fwd. posal EM | DW cis Visazer BGs / 4 Dy ser -euatinee . nae , : How Fwd. ae nti Eo area RA a HW 54464 Docld: 32570533 Page 1
_ CONFIRENTIAL MM 2-353 7 = ADMINISTRATIVE = 7 y la opepe™ On 7/26/63 U. S. Supervising Customs Agent WALLACE. SHANLEY, Miami, advised SA WILLIAM MAYO DREW, Jr., that SAMARENTON was being utilized as_a source of his office an e believed that through BENTON Customs had necessary coverage of the subjects. SHANLEY was of the opinion that it was preferable not to interview the individuals involved in the bombing raid plan in order that the subjects would not be. deterred in engaging in overt acts which would make a prosecutable case. On 7/27/63 Mr. SHANLEY was recontacted relative to the interest of U. S. Customs | in. the cache ‘of explosives which was believed located at a house -near Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana. Mr. SHANLEY . answered that the case was not workable from Miami since the subjects at Miami might take no action for an extended period, and Customs as a matter of policy did not handle cases involving explosives wherein the explosives would be under the control or within the knowledge of Customs and at the same time present the considerable danger which explosives constitute. He stated that the Customs Service makes every effort to avoid being a party to the moving of explosives, as when done by subjects of a case with knowledge of Customs, and therefore he believed the matter of the located explosives should be turned over to the local authorities in Louisiana for seizure action. On 7/26/63 MM 639-S advised that on that same date he talked with SAM BENTON, of Miami Beach, and BENTON informed him that he had 2,500 lbs. of dynamite in Mississippi which he would like to sell for TNT. BENTON told the source that he would like to locate a B-25 and also American pilots. BENTON told the source , that the Cubans with whom he is dealing did not trust (aa @) | : ° : | ~ COVER PAGE - { b CONF RE Ry i ps | RENTAL rs wa ee ee oe aan 2 = | HW 54464 Docld:32570533 Page 2?
a mS " yo . ~s, ¢ . ; ; . \ e% ' © “CONF EIN HAL ‘MM 2-353 EVELIO ALPIZAR, who. was to have been the pilot in . . . the attempted raid on- Cuba which was broken up by , Customs. at Miami in June, 1963. BENTON stated that ALPIZAR is believed to have been the informant who enabled Customs to ON up the participants. in the planned raid. 44 Kw On 7/31/63 Mr. SHANLEY stated that he had learned nothing further of the plan of subjects, but - that BENTON was in touch with his office, and as of | a week previously BENTON claimed he was still looking ct for a plane and that the group intended to go through with the raid on Cuba. Mr. SHANLEY said he : believed that BENTON would: inform his office if the bombing operation was undertaken. - The foregoing information from MM 639-S -is not’ included in the body of the report: inasmuch as BENTON is a contact of Mr. SHANLEY, of Customs, and. ‘the information could reveal to SHANLEY the informant --. st status of MM: 639-8. (ft WU) In interview of MIGUEL ALVAREZ on 8/1/62, he "stated that SAM BENTON's.late model Pontiac, confiscated by Customs at the time of the seizure of the plane’ and explosives on 6/15/63, - has been returned. to. BENTON, whereas the Ford Thunderbird belonging to the aunt of VICTOR ESPINOSA has been held by Customs. : During the interview of VICTOR ESPINOSA on. 7/31/63, ESPINOSA stated that Customs at Miami told him they would return his car if he told them where | he obtained . the money for the explosives which were seized and from whom he bought the explosives. -ESPINOSA claimed that he told Customs: to keep the Car. Zz On. 7/31/63 Mr. SHANLEY, of U. ‘$8. Customs, stated he had no objection to interview -of SAM BENTON by the. Miami Office of the. FBI in connection with instant case. -E - = COVER PAGE -— tr LSE ase <2 eee + a et cet se ges na : d 43 i i . . | HW 54464 Docld:32570533 Page 3
: MIAMI _ ‘TITLE OF CASE 7 Aix - Bureau (Rw) ~ > HW 54464 Docld: 32570533 Page 4 . (Copies Cont a. Cover Page B.) : Agency - Request Recd. “a Af \ ; ~ . FD-266 (Rev. 5-1-5 o. ; cae ; ae oe De oe a . a F EDERAL BURBAY 0 F INVESTIGATION | ethan | MIAMI ACELO. ‘PEDROSO, ‘REFERENCE: Bureau airtel 8/2/63; | ; - - 7 ew Orleans teletype 8/1/63.° 8  ,, _. ; ALL TNFVR, IMOTON CONTAINED” 7” Classified Sho ORYGOL - WUsCLASSIFIED -Pp- . assified , & LEADS ST, LOUIS: a AT ST, LOUIS, MISSOURI It is requested that information set out by St. Louis teletype August 3, 1963, be placed on a Form FD-302 in the event this case Teaches prosecution. APPROVED SPECIAL AGENT DO NOT WRITE IN SPACES BELOW arial B3 | COPIES MADE: 1 - CIA, Miami (RM) 1 - INS, .Miami (RM) . 1-U. S. Border Patrol, Miami (RM) 1 - ONI, Miami (RM) 2- i 3 Dissemination Record of Attached Report Date Fwd, How Fwd.” By
: | CONF CONFIXENT IAL MM. 2-353 - ADMINISTRATIVE = > : . On 7/26/63 U. S. Supervising Customs Agent WALLACE SHANLEY, Miami, advised SA WILLIAM MAYO DREW, Jr., that SAM BENTON was being utilized as a source of his office and he believed that through BENTON . Customs had necessary coverage of the subjects. SHANLEY was of the opinion that it was preferable not to interview the individuals involved in the bombing raid plan in order that the subjects would not be. deterred in engaging in overt acts which would make a prosecutable case, - On 7/27/63 Mr. SHANLEY was recontacted relative to the interest of U. S. Customs in the cache ‘of explosives which was believed located at a house near Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, Mr. SHANLEY . answered that the case was not workable from Miami since the subjects at Miami might take no action for an extended period, and Customs as a matter of policy did not handle cases involving explosives wherein the explosives would be under the control or within the knowledge of Customs and at the same time present the considerable danger which explosives constitute. He stated that the Customs Service makes every effort to avoid being a party to the moving of explosives, as. when done by sub jects of a case with knowledge of Customs, and therefore he believed the matter of the ' located explosives should be turned over to the local authorities in Louisiana for seizure action. On 7/26/63 MM. 639-S advised that on that same date he talked with SAM BENTON, of Miami Beach, and BENTON informed him that he had 2,500 lbs. of dynamite in Mississippi which he would like to sell for TNT. BENTON told the source that he would like to locate a B-25 and also American pilots. BENTON told the source that the Cubans with whom he is dealing did not Emsk (4 - De= - COVER PAGE - ENTIAL HW 54464 Docld:32570533 Page 5 Mw)
\ i ‘ i i : | HW 54464 ) MH 2-353 -CONFDRENTIAL EVELIO ALPIZAR, who was to have been the pilot in the attempted raid on Cuba which was broken up by. Customs at Miami in June, 1963. BENTON stated that ALPIZAR is believed to have been the informant who enabled Customs to round up the participants in the planned raid. 762.8) . On 7/31/63 Mr. SHANLEY stated that he had learned nothing further of the’ plan. of. subjects, but ‘that BENTON was..in touch with his office, and.as of a week previously BENTON claimed. he was still- looking for a plane-and that the group intended to go . through with the raid on Cuba. Mr. SHANLEY said’he believed. that BENTON: would: inform his office if. the bombing operation was undertaken. The foregoing information from MM 639-S is not included in the body of the report inasmuch as BRENTON is a contact of Mr. SHANLEY, of Customs, and the ‘ information could reveal to SHANLEY the informant - ‘gtatus of MM 639-8. (¥)(W In interview of MIGUEL ALVAREZ on 8/1/62, he stated. that SAM BENTON's late model Pontiac, confiscated: by Customs at the time of the seizure of the plane’ and explosives on 6/15/63, - has been returned. to. BENTON, -whereas the Ford Thunderbird belonging to the aunt of VICTOR ESPINOSA has been held by Customs. During the interview of VICTOR ESPINOSA on 7/31/63, ESPINOSA stated that Customs at Miami told. him they would return his car if he told them where he obtained the money for the explosives which were seized and from - whom he bought the explosives. ESPINOSA claimed that he told Customs to keep the “ear. On. 7/31/63 Mr. SHANLEY, of U. S. Customs, stated he had no objection to interview-of SAM BENTON by the. Miami Office of the FBI in connection with instant case. -E- = COVER PAGE - CONFIDREITIAL \ i DoclIda: 32570533 Page 6