Posted on 04/23/2006 7:33:11 AM PDT by SandRat
PHOENIX — The federal government charged three men Friday with smuggling people for financial gain after a deadly wreck near Sonoita.
They are charged with bringing 21 illegal immigrants into the United States, according to the United States Attorney for the District of Arizona.
Fernando Montes-Carrillo and David Ezquiel Tellez-Gutierrez, both Mexican citizens born in 1974, and Juan Carols Pineda-Navvaro, a U.S. citizen born in 1986, are charged with being co-conspirators involved with transporting illegal immigrants for private financial gain.
Two were allegedly drivers of trucks carrying illegal immigrants, one of which crashed in Santa Cruz County on Thursday, killing four people and injuring 21.
On Wednesday, the trio in two vehicles was spotted on Elgin Road near Sonoita, according to the federal complaint.
The federal agents were in a known smuggling route area when they saw two sets of vehicle lights.
“Approximately two minutes later, Border Patrol agents received a sensor alarm from the same area and dispatched a patrol vehicle to investigate,” the federal complaint’s synopsis stated.
The agents who responded witnessed the two vehicles, one a Ford F-350 and the other a GMC Yukon, “driving in tandem from the area.”
The trucks’ drivers attempted to flee after spotting the Border Patrol.
Montes-Carrillo, who, the complaint states, matches the description of the driver of the Ford, lost control of the stolen pickup and rolled the F-350.
Survivors identified Tellez-Gutierrez, who was injured in the wreck, as the guide who brought the group into the United States from Mexico, the government said.
As for Pienda-Navarro, the driver of the other vehicle, he attempted to turn around and flee but was stopped and removed from the vehicle by Border Patrol agents.
The wreck occurred shortly after midnight Thursday. It took a response from seven helicopters and 13 ambulances to transport the victims, who were taken to various medical facilities in Sierra Vista, Benson and Tucson. Three of the people died at the scene and another succumbed in a hospital.
Three material witnesses, Jose Luis Sanchez-Gomez, Antonio Antonio Leon-Nidar and Jorge Moreno-Parra, no ages given and all Mexicans, stated, “once they reached their final destinations within the United States, they were to make arrangements to have money wired to pay for their transportation,” according to the federal government’s complaint.
Soon to Be 3 More "WORKING IN THE CHAIN GANG!"
Why aren't there murder charges being filed?
There goes a couple of million dollars (at least) befor the bills are "paid".
Don't know. Only what's reported.
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