Ex-border agents sentenced for shooting smuggler

EL PASO, Texas Two ex-Border Patrol agents have been sentenced to more than a decade in prison for wounding a Mexican drug smuggler in 2005 and trying to cover it up.

One officer got eleven years, the other, 12. They'll begin their terms in January.

The men were found guilty of assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice, and a civil rights violation. The convictions have drawn criticism from members of Congress and other supporters.

The smuggler was shot as he crossed the Rio Grande into Mexico after a confrontation with the two officers. The agents claimed self-defense, but prosecutors said there was no reason to fire. The officers admitted not reporting the shooting.

Republican James Sensenbrenner wants a congressional investigation and the patrol officers union has established a legal defense fund.

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