Mexican national pleads guilty to transporting illegal aliens

By Robert Stanton | August 5, 2013
chron.com

A Mexican national pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges that he transported illegal aliens, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced.

With the guilty plea of Francisco Chao-Martinez, 31, six people have now been convicted in connection with a conspiracy to transport aliens illegally present in the country, according to federal prosecutors.

Chao-Martinez was among six suspects originally charged in an ongoing conspiracy to profit from harboring and transporting smuggled aliens.

Juan Carlos Solis-Sanchez, 31, of Mexico; Daniel Sanchez-Cabarello, 31, of El Salvador; and Edgar Carranza-Espinal, 36, and Carlos Benegas-Benetiz, 36, both of Honduras, pleaded guilty earlier to similar charges.

A sixth defendant, Fredis Sanchez-Martinez, 22, of Honduras, was convicted of conspiracy to harbor aliens illegal present in the United States.

Federal agents received a tip in January 2013 that Chao-Martinez was helping to organize temporary housing for aliens smuggled to Houston, according to federal prosecutors. He arranged a motor vehicle to transport them to various locations throughout the United States.

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