Johnny Simonich was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1954. He is the great-grandson to families who pioneered the town of Union, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, and Baxter, Colorado, along the Arkansas River Valley, in the 1800s. He is also the grandson to families who were heirs to historic Spanish Land Grants of Peralta and Tome, New Mexico, along the Rio Grande River Valley. Only a lifetime of traveling extensively throughout the United States, and the experience of interacting with incredible people from all walks of life, has enabled Johnny Simonich to create his characters and breathe life into his storytelling. Johnny served active duty with the United States Air Force. He was a Nuclear Missile Technician at Lakeside Range AFB, Utah. While in Utah he attended Brigham Young University. Following his Honorable Discharge, Johnny served in the United States Air Force National Guard at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico. Upon discharge he entered into the US Army National Guard, Prescott, Arizona. There he worked for Brown & Root Construction at Cyprus Mines in Bagdad. Johnny returned to Silver City, New Mexico, where he had attended high school several years earlier. There he attended Western New Mexico University.He moved on to attend New Mexico State University, Dona Ana Branch, Welding School, Las Cruces, NM, where he graduated and also received Structural Welding Certification in all positions, and 6G Pipe Welding Certification from El Paso Testing Laboratories, El Paso, Texas. He was hired as a pipe welder to work on a geothermal project with the Physical Science Laboratory at New Mexico State University. Johnny received an EPA Engineering Extension Certification from Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. He later became a consultant and superintendent for asbestos abatement projects.
ZORRILLO: Bootlegged Marijuana
Behind-the-scenes with pioneers who smuggle high-grade Mexican skunk-weed
by Johnny Simonich
ZORRILLO: Bootlegged Marijuana
Behind-the-scenes with pioneers who smuggle high-grade Mexican skunk-weed
by Johnny Simonich
Published Aug 26, 2015
222 Pages
Genre: FICTION / Action & Adventure
Book Details
Throughout the entire prohibition of marijuana, secrecy has been the key to protecting one's choice to indulge and has avoided many legal and social consequences. Fulfilling such a great demand for marijuana has required a continuous flow of secret middleman suppliers. ZORRILLO: Bootlegged Marijuana is a true to the times historical fiction/adventure, documenting the footsteps of bootleggers and the successful distribution of black-market marijuana. You will learn that operating within the black-market chain of supply and demand is not for the weakhearted, and ascending up the chain requires a great amount of trust and responsibility. Marijuana bootleggers have more in common with thrill-seeking adventurers than smug dope peddlers. Author Johnny Simonich slips his readers into the shoes of the main character, George Johnson. George starts off on the right foot, until marijuana creeps into his life. George attempts to stay out of the limelight by bootlegging just enough marijuana to keep a good stash of his own and still earn enough money to make it all worthwhile. After learning he cannot trust people who claim to be his friends, George regroups. He gets married and settles down. Before long, he gets caught up in the fast lane and the huge supply and demand of black-market marijuana. George is eventually whisked away on unimaginable adventures. He joins the ranks of modern-day bootleggers that persistently push their luck and employ very clever tactics to claim their share of extremely handsome profits. The Mexicans started to get more competitive in the high-grade marijuana market during the 1970s and 80s. Some entrepreneurs were fortunate to be in on the action. Johnny Simonich provides for his readers a vivid presentation of historical fiction. His story goes behind-the-scenes with pioneers who smuggled high-grade Mexican skunk-weed (Zorrillo) out of Southern California.
Book Excerpt
George didn’t drag his feet. He retrieved the car from the parking garage and pulled up in front of the lobby. While he sat in the car, he smelled the rich aroma of Zorrillo emanating from the trunk. Although they had taken extra precautions to re-wrap and package such a huge amount of skunky smelling weed, it was impossible to completely conceal the aroma. George’s uneasiness returned, thinking about riding with the load through a checkpoint, especially since he was having second thoughts about it anyway. George’s uneasiness was cut short when he looked up and took notice of Daniel and Vicky walking out of the lobby together. Daniel was an expert with his deception. Anyone would have been fooled into believing that Daniel and his wife were perfectly legitimate. Daniel was dressed casual but very neat. He wore khaki pants and a loose fitting button up-shirt. He was toting a leather backpack over one shoulder as he carried three large cups of coffee in his hands. You could not misinterpret the excited smile on his face. Vicky also looked excited, holding on to Daniel’s arm with one hand, while pulling a small rolling suitcase with the other. She was wearing a cute sundress, several inches above her knees, her makeup looked perfect, and her hair tied up on the side of her head, bounced with each step. Her long legged stride was full of confidence and grace. She was a very attractive woman. It was obvious they were not in the least bit worried about hopping into a car loaded with 100 pounds of Zorrillo, and driving through a checkpoint. Their attitude and mannerism was more in the order of another day on the job. Smuggling was their livelihood and it was obvious that they enjoyed the excitement.