Deputies arrest smugglers, detain illegals on I-17

Special to the Courier

Monday, January 26, 2009


Yavapai County Sheriff's deputies arrested two Mexican illegal aliens on 11 charges of human smuggling Saturday and detained another 11 illegal aliens for federal officials.

Deputies stopped Alberto Correa, 28, on Interstate 17 for impeding traffic and for overloading his Chevrolet Suburban with passengers, Yavapai County Sheriff's spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn said in a press release.

Correa did not speak English and used a fake Mexican chauffer license. His nephew, Edgar Correa, 21, was a passenger and was involved in a prior deportation case from February 2008.

Deputies also charged Alberto Correa with one count of possession of a forged instrument.

Alberto admitted a Phoenix "coyote" hired him and gave him the Suburban and $400 in gas money. The 11 passengers came from a Phoenix drop house. The majority of them said they paid $1,600 to be smuggled into the United States.

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