Border Patrol agent agrees to smuggling plea

EL PASO -- Documents filed this week in El Paso Federal Court indicate that attorneys and prosecutors are working toward a plea deal for a U.S. Border Patrol over his alleged role in a human smuggling ring.

Jesus Miguel Huizar, 28, made his first appearance before a federal magistrate in May.

Emeterio Sigala-Favela and Luis Carlos Chacon-Rubio, both of Chihuahua, Chih., are also charged in this case as are Rosa Escajeda and Jorge Eloy Jurado-Nevarez.

Previously filed documents paint the picture of a complex, well-organized and highly lucrative operation that may have helped as many as one-hundred undocumented immigrants cross the border.

Huizar allegedly allowed the other men to bring undocumented immigrants through the Border Patrol checkpoints on I-25 and New Mexico 185 near Hatch.

"What the border patrol agent who was arrested tuesday is charged with doing is allowing illegal aliens through his checkpoints in New Mexico for $500 a head," said Leticia Zamarripa, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement -- one of the agencies involved in the investigation.

According to his indictment, Huizar owned a home at 9072 Geranium in the Lower Valley which was used to house some of the illegal aliens. The ring also allegedly used a home at 308 Ronquillo which was owned by Escajeda.

According to the court documents, back in March of this year, an she "harbored undocumented aliens at her residence" which was 308 Ronquillo.

The indictments say the smuggling ring started as early as January 2005 and continued until last month.

The ring allegedly took in about $500,000 by doing that.

So in addition to human smuggling conspiracy, all three men also face federal money laundering charges.

According to the US attorney's office, Huizar faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted; Sigala-Favela and Chacon-Rubio each could face up to ten years.

"We do our job and we do it with integrity," Agent Ramiro Cordero, a spokesman for the U.S Border Patrol's El Paso Sector, said in May. He also added that disciplinary action is taken on a case-by-case basis so there is no word wether Huizar is on leave at this time.
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