Thread: Cuban guilty of conspiracy in U.S. smuggling case- Fla

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlene ... rss&rpc=22

Cuban guilty of conspiracy in U.S. smuggling case

By Laura L. Myers

KEY WEST, Florida (Reuters) - A U.S. jury convicted a Cuban man of conspiracy on Thursday but acquitted him of 33 other charges in a migrant smuggling case that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old woman off Florida's coast.

Amil Gonzalez Rodriguez, 32, a jeweler from Santa Clara, Cuba, was cleared of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Anay Machado Gonzalez, a passenger on a speedboat stopped by the U.S. Coast Guard off Florida on July 8.

Gonzalez faces up to 15 years imprisonment after being found guilty for conspiracy to induce foreigners to come to the United States and giving a false identity officials.

Machado, 24, died from blunt head trauma suffered during the smuggling of 31 Cuban migrants who raced from Cuba's Matanzas province to the Florida Keys on a 36-foot (11-meter) speedboat that was disabled by the U.S. Coast Guard.

Coast Guard officers found Machado badly injured in the blood-splattered smuggling boat. She died as they moved her on a Coast Guard vessel through choppy seas to shore.

Gonzalez faced 67 charges, but U.S. District Judge Michael Moore dismissed 32 counts. The jury acquitted Gonzalez of 33 charges after deliberating more than seven hours.

"He was justly convicted of conspiracy," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Tsai said.

Defense attorneys said Gonzalez was merely a migrant seeking freedom. "A Cuban migrant usually isn't charged as an alien smuggler," said defense attorney Irving Gonzalez said.

Moore scheduled sentencing for January 8. Gonzalez faces up to 10 years for conspiracy and an additional five years for claiming to be his brother.

Two other defendants, Heinrich Castillo Diaz, 28, and Rolando Gonzalez Delgado, 20, pleaded guilty last week.

© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Defense attorneys said Gonzalez was merely a migrant seeking freedom. "A Cuban migrant usually isn't charged as an alien smuggler," said defense attorney Irving Gonzalez said.

This is just unbelievable! Could someone please tell me why a Cuban can't be an alien smuggler?

Gonzalez faced 67 charges, but U.S. District Judge Michael Moore dismissed 32 counts. The jury acquitted Gonzalez of 33 charges after deliberating more than seven hours.

"He was justly convicted of conspiracy," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Tsai said.

That's due to the Cuban Refugee law we have that was never recinded.
They're not considered illegal if their feet hit US terra firma BEFORE they're apprehended.

What's that law called? Anyone remember?

It's called the "wet foot-dry foot policy." Obviously the District Attorney thought he could prosecute the individual as an alien smuggler. You would think the DA was familiar with the law.

Actually, these folks were apprehended at sea, but brought to shore. Of course according to the law that doesn't matter - they touched dry American soil. You would certainly think that it would matter though.

You guys don't have the entire story. There is a similar article in the Miami Herald. What happened is these Cubans never made land except those injured. Our dumb government decided to allow them to make it on land only if they would be material witnesses for their case. Not one of them testified in court and they are all still here. WHY? Send them back. They did not keep up with their end of the deal.

http://www.mimai.com/mld/miamiherald/15745814.htm

Originally Posted by swatchick

You guys don't have the entire story. There is a similar article in the Miami Herald. What happened is these Cubans never made land except those injured. Our dumb government decided to allow them to make it on land only if they would be material witnesses for their case. Not one of them testified in court and they are all still here. WHY? Send them back. They did not keep up with their end of the deal.

http://www.mimai.com/mld/miamiherald/15745814.htm

SWAT
I was thinking of you when I posted this article, lol. Thanx for the entire scoop!