Man held in deadly immigrant smuggling case

The Associated Press

McALLEN, Texas —

A sixth person facing federal charges for his alleged involvement in an illegal immigrant smuggling ring in which nine Mexican citizens died in a van crash will be held pending trial.

Carmelo Diaz Gopar waived his preliminary hearings Friday and was ordered held by U.S. District Magistrate Judge Peter Ormsby.

Authorities say Diaz ran from a minivan after it was pulled over by Border Patrol on April 10. Agents detained him but the van sped off and overturned several blocks away, scattering Mexican immigrants across the site.

Diaz, who is a Mexican citizen, was charged with harboring illegal immigrants. Five others were being held on similar charges. The 15-year-old driver of the van faces nine counts of state felony murder among other charges.

source: Man held in deadly immigrant smuggling case | www.wdbo.com