Posted on 04/27/2005 12:28:00 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
BROWNSVILLE, Texas- Two people were convicted of alien smuggling Tuesday in a case that began when a migrant in the Texas brush promised a dying 18-year-old he would return his body to Mexico.
Maria de Jesus Ojeda, 36, of San Benito, and Jose Geronimo Mendez, a 21-year-old illegal immigrant, were found guilty of transporting and harboring aliens and conspiracy to transport and harbor aliens.
Both face up to life in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The men were arrested following an investigation that began when a migrant from El Salvador turned himself in and led immigration officials to the body of a fellow migrant who died during the smuggling attempt.
Prosecutors said Geronimo Mendez guided the group of migrants across the Rio Grande in 2003. They were kept in a Harlingen house for about a week as the smugglers waited for relatives to wire a $600 per-person smuggling fee.
The Salvadoran testified that he and 15 others were driven to a brushy area south of the Hebbronville checkpoint, about 75 miles north of the border. They were guided through the brush for three days with very little food and water, and all became sick from heat and dehydration.
The 18-year-old died from dehydration and exposure on the second day, in the arms of the Salvadoran.
Prosecutors said Ojeda's smuggling netted $28,000, including nearly $17,000 in one month alone.
Southern Border Ping!
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Ping !
I saw 15 Guatemalans in handcuffs near the Mexico City Border Patrol offices, they all paid $5,000 but never got further NORTH than Toluca, outside Mexico City. They were really dejected, despondent and depressed. My heart really went out to them, I think they need to NAIL the people who make this a racket. Mexico is trying to deport illegal aliens that come up from Central America.
To quote Marshal Dillon, "Give him a fair trial and hang him."
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