Posted on 10/11/2007 11:20:52 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
The arraignment dates for a Hispanic couple arrested in September with seven undocumented Chinese nationals in their vehicle was postponed until Thursday because federal prosecutors failed to present their case to the grand jury, officials said.
Anthony Martinez of Federal Defender Services said federal prosecutors were scheduled to present the cases to a grand jury this week but failed to do so.
"They forgot to indict them," he said. "It'll be next week."
Officials from the U.S. attorney's office could not be reached Thursday for comment.
Venancio Perez, 43, is charged with harboring and transporting illegal immigrants, records show. A woman identified as his wife, Clara Rodriguez, 33, is charged with being in the United States illegally.
Mr. Martinez, who represents Mr. Perez, said his client is a legal resident of Texas.
According to an affidavit by federal immigration Agent Mark Eisenbeis, he was called Sept. 20 to assist the Cleveland Police Department who had stopped the couple's vehicle at exit 27 on Interstate 75.
Mr. Perez initially told authorities the occupants were his wife's relatives, but Ms. Rodriguez said she did not know the occupants and was not related to them, records show.
During questioning, Mr. Perez later admitted that he was transporting the Chinese immigrants from Houston to New York for $400 each, the affidavit states.
Mr. Perez said he was contacted by a Cuban or Puerto Rican man and instructed to pick up the immigrants at a hotel in Houston and drive them to New York, Mr. Eisenbeis wrote.
Once in New York, Mr. Perez was supposed to call a telephone number to find out where to deliver them, the affidavit states.
Defense attorney Leslie Cory, who represents Ms. Rodriguez, said her client "is a lovely lady" and is not charged with smuggling.
"The complaint against Ms. Rodriguez is that she illegally entered the United States," Ms. Cory said. "They are not charged with the same thing."
Records show Mr. Perez was charged with smuggling illegal immigrants in 1996 after he was found with 10 undocumented Mexican nationals in his car, but he was not prosecuted.
Ms. Rodriguez has multiple arrests related to entering the United States illegally, records show.
Both defendants are being held without bond.
E-mail Brian Lazenby at blazenby@timesfreepress.com
Ms. Rodriguez has multiple arrests related to entering the United States illegally, records show.
Both defendants are being held without bond."
Well, so far so good...
They were caught in my county...
They better end up prosecuted, imprisoned, and then deported with a big REJECTED stamp on them...
PING
I’d say that about sums it up.
ping
That seems to be the game plan lately.
Did they call the Mexican Consulate when they arrested the couple?
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