Smuggler gets 7 years in death of immigrant
September 24th, 2008 @ 6:23pm
by Associated Press

TUCSON, Ariz. - A Mexican man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison in the vehicle rollover death of an illegal immigrant near Tucson.

The U.S. Attorney's Office says Jesus Espinoza Martinez of Sinaloa was driving a van loaded with 31 illegal immigrants in April when U.S. Border Patrol agents began following them without using emergency lights.

Espinoza said in his plea agreement that when he saw the Border Patrol vehicle, he turned off his headlights and drove off the Interstate 10 just south of Tucson.

Espinoza couldn't see the road and drove off the embankment, rolling the van over several times before it stopped on its side, killing a woman and injuring 29 others.

Espinoza admitted to being the group's smuggler.

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