April 24, 2007

Deportation planned for cab driver in assault

Mike Sakal, Tribune
A cab driver who will be sentenced Monday for sexually assaulting a woman in the back of his car after picking her up at a Scottsdale nightclub in August is an illegal immigrant from Mexico who will be deported following prison time, U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Lori Haley, ICE spokeswoman, told The Tribune Tuesday that a hold was placed on Hector Daniel Cebrero, a former cab driver at Phoenix-based Aguilas Radio Cab.

“According to our records, he is in the country illegally and will be deported after serving prison time,” she said.

Cebrero, 27, pled guilty to one count of sexual assault and two counts of attempted sexual assault Feb. 8 in Maricopa County Superior Court, the same day ICE placed the hold on him, according to Haley and information from the court.

Nidia Koren, owner of Aguilas Radio Cab, would not comment about Cebrero’s immigration status and said she never met him.

According to a plea agreement, Cebrero will serve five to nine years in prison on the sexual assault count and receive lifetime probation on the two counts of attempted sexual assault, according to Barnett Lotstein, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office spokesman.

Cebrero also will be registered as a sexual predator upon his release.

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/88424