http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledg ... 482470.htm

Posted on Tue, May. 02, 2006

Mexican men charged with immigrant smuggling in Alabama


Associated Press

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Two Mexican men arrested with 22 other illegal immigrants at a suburban McDonald's restaurant were charged with smuggling people into the United States, federal authorities said Tuesday.

All two dozen people remained in custody, and all but the two facing charges will be deported.

Alejandro Jimenez Soria, 26, and Pablo Sergio Romo Rodriguez, 31, were charged with transporting illegal immigrants for money. The men are both in the country illegally living in Houston, authorities said.

Police were called to the restaurant in Vestavia Hills last week after a dispute broke out.

Sixteen passengers and two drivers were in a van that came to Alabama from Houston, and six more people were in cars. Authorities said the cars were supposed to take the passengers on to other locations.

Federal prosecutors said 16 people were in the van, which was driven by Soria and Rodriguez, and each had a note card with additional names, destinations and transportation costs.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Alice Martin said smugglers called "coyotes" typically charge from $300 to $500 to transport people into the country.

"Birmingham is a location drop-off due to our interstate system of 20, 59, 459 and 65 for other places such as Florida, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland," she said.

Twenty-two people were taken to the Etowah County jail, which houses federal prisoners under a contract with the government, and Soria and Rodriguez were in custody elsewhere.

The smuggling charges carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.