Thread: FL: 6 charged with smuggling Cubans to Lee

6 charged with smuggling Cubans to Lee
By KATHLEEN CULLINAN

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Federal authorities have arrested six men suspected in the smuggling of a group of Cuban refugees who were found walking along the shore Monday on Upper Captiva Island.

Four of the men, including one from Lee County, are said to have supplied the fuel for the 38-foot go-fast boat discovered abandoned at a local marina around the time the Cubans were picked up, according to federal court documents.

The other two were among the 28 refugees; they face charges of lying to the authorities about their role in the operation.

In a brief interview Tuesday, just as the suspects were due for an initial court appearance, Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Molloy said he expected they all would be held without bond.

Barbara Gonzalez, spokeswoman for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, declined to comment on the case other than to verify the arrests. She deferred to the federal complaint that was filed and made public Tuesday.

It appears in that document that Patrick Cochrane, the 38-year-old Lee man, may have been the only one of the suspects to admit any role in the alleged smuggling operation.

He reported he’d agreed to participate back in December, when he first met three of his eventual co-defendants and told them he would help provide fuel for a human smuggling “venture.â€

MICHEL FORTIER

A group of Cuban refugees wave as they approach the Fort Myers Beach Coast Guard Station aboard a Lee County Sheriff's Office tactical vessel. Approximately 28 Cuban ationals landed on Captiva Island Monday morning.