Published: November 04, 2009 12:24 am |
Man caught smuggling humans
Driver, 13 people all here illegally, state patrol says.By GAYLE PEREZ


A man stopped for speeding on Interstate 25 Sunday morning was arrested on suspicion of human smuggling after state troopers discovered 13 passengers in a rented SUV.

Clemente Lopez-Carrillo, 37, was driving a 2009 GMC Yukon north on I-25, three miles south of Colorado City when he was stopped for going 86 miles an hour in a 75 mph zone, according to an arrest affidavit by State Trooper Cpl. C.S. Chacon.

Chacon said after he stopped the vehicle, he contacted Lopez-Carrillo, who gave an address in Phoenix, and discovered there were more occupants than seat belts available in the eight-passenger SUV.

Chacon's report stated in addition to Lopez-Carrillo, there were 13 passengers in the vehicle. He also reported he saw an adult female sitting on the front passenger floorboard and two adult males sitting in the back of the vehicle. There was no luggage in the vehicle.

Lopez-Carrillo told Chacon he had rented the SUV in Phoenix on Saturday, and he and the 13 passengers were traveling to South Carolina for work. Lopez-Carrillo told authorities the passengers were going to pay him $100 each when they arrived in South Carolina.

A Colorado State Patrol immigration enforcement trooper checked the status of the individuals and determined that Lopez-Carrillo and all 13 passengers were illegally in the United States.

The passengers were arrested on suspicion of immigration violations and were transported to the Pueblo Immigration and Customs Enforcement office.

Lopez-Carrillo was arrested on suspicion of 13 counts of smuggling humans and reckless endangerment. He remained in Pueblo County jail Tuesday in lieu of $100,000 bail. He also is being held on an immigration hold.

gperez@chieftain.com


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