Fla. man sentenced to prison for human smuggling


July 23, 2011

The Associated Press


MIAMI -- A Miami man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for smuggling illegal immigrants into the United States.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Miami says 45-year-old Hector Pena pled guilty to multiple human smuggling charges.

Pena also was sentenced Thursday to three years supervised release. Officials say Pena was held responsible for participating in five separate smuggling operations between September 2008 and December 2010.

Authorities intercepted Pena at sea off Miami in December with 17 Cuban migrants on board.

Federal officials say Pena also organized a smuggling attempt in September 2008 that involved 30 Cuban migrants aboard multiple boats, one of which tried to out-run a U.S. Coast Guard vessel. One migrant suffered fatal head injuries during the chase.

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