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Illegal alien finds new home in prison
Thursday, November 23, 2006
By Steven Hepker

When critics blast America's porous border policy, they point at guys like Albaro Baltazar.

He has illegally entered the United States from Mexico at least twice, has been deported once and recently committed his second felony in Jackson County.

Baltazar, 28, pleaded guilty to delivering less than 50 grams of cocaine. Prosecutors dropped a charge of maintaining a drug house.

Guidelines called for up to 11 months in jail. On Wednesday, Schmucker sent Baltazar to prison for one to 20 years.

"This does not seem like the path that I would suggest for someone seeking citizenship," Circuit Judge Chad Schmucker said in response to defense attorney Alfred Brandt.

Brandt said immigration reform, a likely subject in Congress in 2007, could give people such as Baltazar a path to legal citizenship in the United States.

Schmucker pointed out that Baltazar was selling drugs, and was not just a user.

"That doesn't sound very good to me," Schmucker said.

The Department of Corrections can release him early only if he is deported to his native country, Schmucker said.