Shooting victim led smugglers, ICE says
By Daniel Borunda / El Paso Times
Posted: 11/04/2009 12:00:00 AM MST

EL PASO -- A San Elizario man killed last month was a convicted "coyote" who was the leader of a local immigrant-smuggling ring, federal documents revealed.

Victor Escudero, who died Oct. 22 after being shot several times, was believed to charge up to $5,000 each to undocumented immigrants to transport them to cities across the nation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement documents stated.

El Paso County sheriff's detectives would not disclose any possible motives in the death of Escudero, 22, who died five days after he was found shot at his San Elizario home on the morning of Oct.17.

An ICE spokeswoman said the agency was not involved in the homicide investigation. Escudero's family could not be reached for comment.

Coyote is a term often given to people who smuggle immigrants into the United States.

In January 2007, Escudero was among three men and two women -- who worked as strippers -- arrested when nine undocumented immigrants from Mexico were found by ICE agents and other law-enforcement officers at a "drop house" in San Elizario.

Law-enforcement officers rushed to the home while chasing Luke Herrada after he allegedly used an AK-47 to exchange gunfire with a Socorro police officer during a traffic stop.

Herreda, who ran from the home, was caught hiding in a field by a sheriff's SWAT team. No one was shot.

Herrada, 25, remains jailed awaiting trial on attempted capital murder and other charges. His trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

Escudero, Kevin Lujan, Celina Coria and Priscilla Chavez were arrested at the home. Jose Vasquez was later arrested as his home. All were ages 19 to 28.

"Escudero has contacts and works for individuals residing in Mexico," accused members of the smuggling ring told ICE agents, according to a criminal complaint obtained by the El Paso Times.

The complaint stated Escudero ran operations for a ring that would help immigrants cross the border and shelter them before they were driven to other cities.

On Feb. 21, 2007, Escudero pleaded guilty to harboring immigrants for private financial gain and was sentenced to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised released, court documents stated.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons online inmate locator showed Escudero was released from prison on Oct. 20, 2008.

Court documents showed Coria was sentenced to nine months imprisonment and 25 months supervised release. Chavez was sentenced to six months in prison and three years supervised release. Lujan was sentenced to five months in prison followed by more than two years supervised release. Vasquez was sentenced to three years in prison and three years supervised release.

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