Man Charged in Drowning Death of Border Patrol Agent

AP ^ | 12-30-03

[Indy Pendance]

SAN DIEGO (AP) - A federal grand jury indicted a man on immigrant smuggling charges in connection with the death of a U.S. Border Patrol agent, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Jose Antonio Vasquez Villasenor allegedly tried to smuggle at least three Chinese nationals into the United States Dec. 16 by sneaking across the Colorado River near the California-Arizona state line. Authorities said Border Patrol Agent James Epling, 24, drowned while trying to apprehend the group.

Vasquez, 28, is charged with transporting illegal aliens resulting in death and transporting illegal aliens for financial gain.

He was denied bail in an appearance Tuesday before a federal magistrate. Court papers did not list an attorney for Vasquez, who was arrested Dec. 16, or say where he is from.

Three Chinese nationals have been detained as material witnesses in the case. If convicted of both charges, Vasquez faces up to life in prison and a $250,000 fine, U.S. Attorney Carol Lam said.

The body of Epling was found in the river Dec. 19, three days after he was last seen along a river trail near Andrade, just north of the Mexico border. An autopsy determined he drowned accidentally.

He was a father of three, and his wife is expecting another child early next year.

[Richard-SIA]

And after they complete their stint as "material witnesses"?

Bet they are rewarded with "permanent resident alien" status!
Failing that the invading women will be found pregnant, give birth at a county hospital, and gain "permanent resident alien" status as the parents of "American" citizens.

Time to make deportation a certainty, not a minor risk.

[Robert Lomax]

All three will claim asylum. Asylum will be denied. They will be denied asylum by the Immigration Judge. They will appeal and be granted asylum by the 9th Circus Court.

[SAMWolf]

Vasquez faces up to life in prison

At US taxpayer expense, fry him.

[lonewacko_dot_com]

"And after they complete their stint as "material witnesses"? Bet they are rewarded with "permanent resident alien" status!"

The tradeoff is well worth it. It will put a smuggler behind bars, it will send a message to other smugglers, and it will encourage others who've been smuggled to come forward and testify against their smugglers.

The alternative is to deport the witnesses and let the smuggler go free. Not an option.

[tbeatty]

The sad part is that this agent apparently was trying to save one of the immigrants from drowning. As I understand it (second hand so take it FWIW), he ended up in the water trying to save one of immigrants who fell or was pushed in the water.

[FITZ]

This sounds like a capital crime to me --- he killed a border agent while committing a crime for money. No different than a bank robber claiming his gun went off by accident and killed a clerk standing in his way.

[gubamyster]

ping

[lainde]

bttt

[c-b 1]

he ended up in the water trying to save one of immigrants who fell or was pushed in the water.

They were crossing the river (wet backs.) What actually happened is not clear, local news reports have been conflicting.

[dennisw]

Jose Antonio Vasquez Villasenor is a legal US resident? How come the writer is too lazy to tell us?

My bet is Vasquez is a recent arrival to the USA, surely was not born here, has zero loyalty to this nation, and decided this was a great way to make money. To foster illegal immigration.

[Eaker]

The alternative is to deport the witnesses and let the smuggler go free. Not an option.

You are saying that we should reward criminals for engaging in an a criminal act knowing that when they squeal they will be rewarded and not punished.

Not an option.

[Ajnin]

The material wintesses will be removed to their country of origin after they testify.

[HiJinx]

He was denied bail...
Great move by the judge..alright!

The material wintesses will be removed to their country of origin after they testify.
And we get a twofer!!!

[DumpsterDiver]

Jose Antonio Vasquez Villasenor is a legal US resident? How come the writer is too lazy to tell us?

All I saw in the article was this:

"Court papers did not list an attorney for Vasquez, who was arrested Dec. 16, or say where he is from."

I'm bettng that he's illegal.

[Missouri]

Jose Antonio Vasquez Villasenor

Throw the book at him and send a message.

We need one of those "Hanging Judges" of the old west to take this case.

[Richard-SIA]

The alternative is to deport the witnesses after the smuggler is convicted, but not make them serve a couple of years in prison first!

We have to begin making the punishment for invading America strong enough to actually function as a deterrent, instead of the minor inconvenience it is now.

[JustPiper]

Amen and prayers to the agent's family

[4.1O dana super trac pak]

Send the Chinese to jail too.