Arizona man arrested for transporting illegal aliens

Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Greencastle Banner-Graphic

CLOVERDALE -- A Phoenix man is in the Putnam County Jail following his Monday night arrest for the transport of illegal aliens.

At 8:32 p.m., Indiana State Police Trooper Yan Dravigne stopped an eastbound 2001 Mazda van near the 45-mile marker of Interstate 70 for a traffic violation, following too closely.

The driver and vehicle owner was identified as Luciano Cax Ortiz, 24, of Phoenix. Ortiz provided a Guatemala identification card and Guatemala passport, but no driver's license.

Further check of the vehicle revealed six other occupants. Three of the occupants, one female and two males, had no identification. The other three males had only Mexico credentials.

At the conclusion of Dravigne's investigation, he obtained information that led him to believe the six passengers were in the United States illegally and en route to New York City with Ortiz.

Based on this information, Ortiz was arrested at 8:45 p.m. for two Class A misdemeanors, transporting illegal aliens for gain and harboring illegal aliens for gain. He was also charged with operating a motor vehicle having never obtained a license, a Class C misdemeanor.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency was contacted and was unable to offer assistance with the six passengers.

The six passengers and the vehicle were transported to a nearby truck stop and released from ISP custody.

Questions concerning U.S. immigration laws should be directed to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

http://www.bannergraphic.com/story/1997837.html