6 accused in smuggling ring go to court

EL PASO — Six people accused of running a human smuggling ring made their first appearance in federal court on Monday.

The six, including two married couples, were arrested on Friday.

Martin Casado Avila, 55, and his wife, 53-year-old Rosa Belia Hernandez de Casado; Martin Eduardo Casado Hernandez, 34, and his 20-year-old wife, Cristina Casado; Raymon Gamboa, 20, and Pedro Gonzalez Lozano, 31, were indicted earlier this month on charges of conspiracy to smuggle immigrants.

None of the defendants appeared in court with a lawyer on Monday. All but Cristina Casado, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, and Gonzalez told U.S. Magistrate Judge Norbert Garney that they would hire a lawyer. Garney appointed attorneys for the two who could not afford to hire their own.

All six people were held without bail and are due back in court on Thursday for a bond hearing and arraignment.

Federal investigators have alleged that the smuggling ring, known to law enforcement as the Casado Organization, operated for about 10 years from its base in San Elizario, just east of El Paso. About 20 people paid the accused smugglers $200 to $1,800 a week, investigators said. Fees depended on the immigrants' final destinations.

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