Thread: 11 are arrested in major people-smuggling ring

Published: 05.19.2007
11 are arrested in major people-smuggling ring

Tip leads police to 4 dozen illegal entrants on S. Side
By Alexis Huicochea
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
A people-smuggling ring that is believed to have brought more than 500 illegal entrants a week into the country was busted Wednesday, with more than half of the arrests occurring in Tucson.
The smuggling organization had been operating for the last several years and was run by Jose Enrique Martinez, aka Chilango, who lives in Tucson, and Pedro Ramos-Lemus of Casa Grande, documents show.
Martinez is one of three ring members who has yet to be caught.
The investigation into the ring began in April 2006 after an anonymous tip was called in to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, court records show.
Officials learned that the group was smuggling illegal entrants into the United States near Sasabe, charging each person a fee of about $1,400, documents show. The group also ran a stash house in the 400 block of West Montana Street in Tucson.
Over the yearlong investigation, a number of incidents were linked to the organization, court documents show. Those incidents occurred north of Amado, in Sahuarita, in Arivaca and on Tucson's South Side, where a man was shot and abducted.
Thus far, 11 people — including three Tucsonans — have been arrested on conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal entrants. They are: Pedro Ramos-Lemus, 32, of Casa Grande; Julio Cesar Baldondegro-Celaya, 32, Roman Perez-Munoz, 33, Rosa Imelda Hernandez, 36, and Alfredo Chavarin-Valenzuela, 39, all of Mexico; Elizabeth Martinez, 27, sister of Jose Martinez and a Mexican national who has been identified as a load and scout driver for the ring; Maria Rodriguez, 49, Martinez's aunt, of Tucson; and Yara Karina Mendez, 26, Martinez's wife, of Mexico.
Also arrested were Rito Najera-Trevizo, 43, of Mexico; his wife, Mary Lovina Najera, 38, of Tucson; and their son, Rito Najera III, 19, also of Tucson.
Four dozen illegal entrants were found on the Najera family property in the 10400 block of South Epperson Lane, near South Old Nogales Highway and East Summit Street, last month after Mary Najera called 911 to report that her husband had been shot, forced into a vehicle and kidnapped.
A search of the property resulted in the discovery of the illegal entrants, smuggling ledgers, hand-held radios, and three TV screens that provided audio and video feed from security cameras placed in and around the property. Investigators also found phone numbers used by ring members.
Three ring members have not yet been found. They are: Jose Martinez, 24; Juan Estrada Torres, aka Turista, 35; and Cesar Villacana, aka Chico, 29. All three men live in Tucson. Torres and Villacana are believed to be lieutenants or scouts for the smuggling ring.
Anyone with information about the smuggling ring or the three fugitives is asked to call the Immigration and Customs Enforcement toll-free tip line at 1-866-347-2423. http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/printDS/183820

Year long investigation and 500 illegals a week! What would the President and all the lovely Senators say about this if they only ever found out about it? This is only one operation too. Imagine all the others going on that haven't been "investigated for a year" yet that aren't yet shut down!

I just did the math. This one organization was responsible for 26,000 illegals being brought in a year and how many years have they been doing it? Our government allowed another 26,000 to come in over the last year!

Just wait till they all get to vote

bump That's 26,000 people smuggled a year by only this one organization!