Illegal Immigrants Used in Smuggling Sting

Federal officials recently arranged for four illegal immigrants to be smuggled into Long Island from Ecuador in a rare sting operation to test whether the owner of five travel/shipping stores was willing to open a new smuggling route, according to officials and court documents.

The owner, Wilson Marcelo Lopez, 53, of Bay Shore, had boasted to an informant of previously smuggling "hundreds, and possibly thousands" of Ecuadorans into the United States, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen King said Tuesday at a bail hearing in U.S. District Court in Central Islip.

Immigration officials allowed four Ecuadorans to be brought into the United States with Lopez's assistance between May and last week, according to court papers.

Lopez's attorney, William Keahon, of Islandia, however, said his client was innocent and had been set up by an associate who was bitter because Lopez would not help him set up a chain of stores in Nassau County similar to the ones Lopez runs in Suffolk County.

Lopez, a naturalized citizen born in Ecuador, operates five stores under the name of Wilson's Express. The stores specialize in arranging travel and shipping to South America and are located in Bay Shore, Brentwood, Bridgehampton, East Hampton and Patchogue

Federal officials recently arranged for four illegal immigrants to be smuggled into Long Island from Ecuador in a rare sting operation to test whether the owner of five travel/shipping stores was willing to open a new smuggling route, according to officials and court documents.
Well, there are 4 feds that need "arangements" in the basement of a rather remote federal pen. Anyone can boast about anything, and anyone here can vouch for MY views on the illegals, but we do NOT need feds on the payroll running around with nothing more to do that this crap.
The owner, Wilson Marcelo Lopez, 53, of Bay Shore, had boasted to an informant of previously smuggling "hundreds, and possibly thousands" of Ecuadorans into the United States, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen King said Tuesday at a bail hearing in U.S. District Court in Central Islip.
Maybe he did smuggle them, maybe he did not, but a lawyer on a government payroll that "said so" just don't make it with me any more.
Lopez, a naturalized citizen born in Ecuador, operates five stores under the name of Wilson's Express. The stores specialize in arranging travel and shipping > to < South America and are located in Bay Shore, Brentwood, Bridgehampton, East Hampton and Patchogue
Can't be all bad, he has the flow direction correct, now it is just a matter of what (or whom)

TLI

CLOSE the frickin borders, inspect everything, shoot the ones trying to cross illegally and QUIT having worthless overpayed, inept fed agents SETTING UP their own people. When there is a price to be payed for being illegal in this country the market for SUSPECT smugglers will dry up and they will stick to booking vacations.

If the feds continue to wave the $$$ flag on this side of the border at the illegals on that side of the border, and not even ATTEMPT to arrest illegals that ARE MARCHING IN PARADES, just what THE F#(& do you think is going to happen sunshine ?

The problem ain't with the illegals wanting to come here, IT IS WITH THE FEDS.

sheesh!

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.