Free Republic

SAN DIEGO -- An immigrant smuggler caught trying to sneak five Chinese citizens into the United States from Mexico is facing 57 months in federal prison.Jose Antonio Vasquez-Villasenor, 22, who admitted to the charges April 30, was convicted of trying to smuggle five Chinese into Arizona by crossing the Colorado River on Dec. 16, 2003.Rookie Border Patrol Agent John Paul Epling, 24, drowned in the river near Andrade, Calif., while trying to apprehend the border crossers, 10News reported.About 85 Border Patrol agents were in the courtroom of U.S. District Judge Napolean Jones for Friday's sentencing. Three of the would-be-immigrants were...

The Yuma U.S Border Patrol agent who died in the line of duty in December was honored by President George Bush during a ceremony that honored officers who have died while protecting the nations borders.James Epling, 24, was also officially declared the first U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer to die in the line of duty since the agency's creation one year ago under the new Department of Homeland Security."We will never forget Agent Jimmy Epling, whose name is forever etched on the Customs and Border Protection Valor Memorial," said Robert Bonner, Customs and Border Protection commisioner, in a press...

In the aftermath of U.S. Border Patrol Agent James Epling's death, the patrol has begun looking at ways to improve agent safety, family members and patrol officials said.First, Yuma agents have been conducting a search for technology that will help find missing agents. Second, the water survival course taught at the Border Patrol academy will be adjusted to mention Epling's death and better educate trainees about the dangers of water.Michael Nicely, acting chief patrol agent of the San Diego sector, said the technology to track agents in the field is there and he believes it will be implemented in the...

Witnesses recalled that Fan (19, an illegal immigrant from China, was in the river trying to sneak into the United States with four Chinese companions and two Mexican smugglers) was drowning in the fast-rushing waters and screaming for help when U.S. Border Patrol Agent James Epling waded into the deep river and carried her to safety. Epling then turned to go catch the others... Divers found Epling's body three days later, drowned at the bottom of the river. Border Patrol officials said their officers catch an average of 2,500 people a day -- more than 100 an hour -- who,...

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...

<p>A public memorial was held yesterday in Yuma, Ariz., for U.S. Border Patrol Agent James P. Epling, who died last week after rescuing an illegal Chinese national from the Colorado River and then attempting to capture other fleeing aliens.</p> <p>Mr. Epling's body was found by Border Patrol divers, who said the agent apparently had stumbled into a 27-foot hole in the river while chasing the other aliens and drowned in the swift moving water. He disappeared Dec. 16 and was located three days later.</p>

The autopsy performed on U.S. Border Patrol agent James Epling revealed he died as a result of an accidental drowning and that there was no foul play involved, officials announced at a news conference Saturday. However, according to Michael Nicley, patrol agent in charge of the Yuma sector, charges still could be filed against the smuggler agents currently have in custody for his role in the death, in addition to charges of alien smuggling. "There has been a death of a federal agent while he was responding to the commission of a serious felony," Nicley said. "So, there are some...

PHOENIX (Dec. 20) - The body of a missing Border Patrol agent has been found in the Colorado River near the spot where he had rescued a suspected illegal immigrant from the water. The FBI was investigating the death of James Epling, said Jerome Wofford, a field operations supervisor for the Border Patrol's Yuma sector. ''They've been involved the entire time because of the circumstances involved in his disappearance,'' Wofford said. An autopsy was conducted Saturday by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office, said Joe Brigman, a spokesman for the Yuma sector. Epling, 24, was last seen Tuesday chasing four...

A Border Patrol agent was missing Tuesday night after attempting to rescue a Chinese illegal alien from the Colorado River, officials said.Several law enforcement agencies were searching the river for the agent Tuesday night. He was swept away by the rivers current as he tried to pull the alien to safety around 6:30 p.m., said Border Patrol spokesman Joe Brigman.The agent, whose identity was not released, had not been found as of 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.During a routine check of the river near Andrade, Calif., Border Patrol agents discovered approximately seven illegal aliens, Brigman said. The group had crossed the river...

PHOENIX (AP) - The body of a U.S. Border Patrol agent has been recovered from the depths of the Colorado River near Yuma, Ariz., authorities said. James Epling was found and identified shortly after 7 p.m. Friday, said Joe Brigman, spokesman for the Border Patrol's Yuma sector. Epling, 24, was last seen Tuesday chasing a group of immigrants along a river trail just north of the Mexico border. Moments earlier, he had pulled one of the immigrants, a Chinese woman, from the swift-moving water. Divers used sonar and other high-tech equipment in their search. Epling was found in 54-degree water...