Stops on I-40 net 43 illegal travelers
By SUSAN HYLTON World Staff Writer
1/18/2008

MUSKOGEE -- Muskogee County Sheriff's deputies have arrested 43 illegal immigrants in less than a week in traffic stops on Interstate 40 near Webbers Falls.

All of the deputies involved have been working on drug interdiction efforts on the interstate and have pulled over vehicles for traffic violations, Sheriff Charles Pearson said.

The arrests followed stops of three vehicles, each with tinted windows and packed with 12 to 16 people.

Pearson said the number of suspected illegal immigrants is unusual, but "we're not profiling" in making the stops.

In the latest roundup, Muskogee County deputy Jimmy Williams pulled over a Chevy Suburban on Thursday for speeding.

Inside were nine men and three women. They carried Mexican currency, spoke no English and had no identification, Pearson said.

Williams had a similar stop Wednesday, of an eastbound Ford F-150 pickup with a camper shell.

Williams stopped it for weaving across the center line and found 15 people from Mexico inside. A canine unit was called in, but no drugs or weapons were found.

Sunday, a deputy pulled over a 2000 Ford Excursion that was reportedly crammed with 16 illegal immigrants from Mexico. They were taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday.

Pearson said deputies have been working on drug interdiction efforts on I-40 after receiving tips about drug trafficking.

"We're having a large influx of methamphetamine and designer drugs in Muskogee County; Ecstasy . . . LSD. Our main goal is to keep it from coming into Muskogee County," he said. "We're not just looking for illegal aliens. This vehicle looked suspicious. If a vehicle is driving recklessly, you have to pay attention to it."

Those arrested Wednesday and Thursday are in the Muskogee County Jail. Pearson said he expected ICE agents to take custody of them Friday.

Although no drugs or weapons were found in any of the cases, Pearson said smuggling people into the country can be just as lucrative.

"Those people transporting are getting $500 to $1,000 a head," he said.

The sheriff said that in each case of traffic stops involving illegal immigrants, deputies couldn't tell how many people were in the vehicle from the outside.

He also said that every other traffic stop by deputies resulting in a ticket to a motorists on Thursday involved Caucasians.

Pearson consulted with Tulsa County Sheriff's Capt. Tim Albin, who told him he believes illegal immigrant traffickers are avoiding U.S. 75 and Interstate 44 in the Tulsa area and using Interstate 40 and Oklahoma 69.

"We've had some anecdotal evidence in the surrounding counties that that may be the case," Albin said. "It's nothing scientific, but we think that may be the case as far as individuals trafficking aliens from one place to another for work, crews or whatever."

Albin said what's happening in Muskogee County is reminiscent to what happened in Tulsa County about four years ago.

Tulsa County Sheriff Stanley Glanz was extremely frustrated when deputies pulled over a van packed with illegal immigrants and agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told them to cut them loose.

With the passage of House Bill 1804 -- which places strict restrictions on illegal immigrants -- Albin said officers are trying to educate themselves through the Oklahoma Sheriff's Association when traffic stops result in suspected illegal immigrant trafficking.

"You never know when you stop these vans or cars who's going to be in them until you make contact," Albin said.

Pearson said forfeiture of vehicles involved in illegal immigrant trafficking helps supplement his budget for drug training, the canine unit and vehicles.

The vehicle stopped Wednesday had a lien on it out of Arizona and officers believe the group was headed to Tennessee.

The Ford Excursion stopped Sunday was also headed to Tennessee and was registered to a woman from Tennessee.

The destination of the vehicle stopped Thursday wasn't immediately available from the sheriff's office.

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Susan Hylton 581-8381
susan.hylton@tulsaworld.com
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