Thread: ICE irks judge by not investigating lead

ICE irks judge by not investigating lead
A "coyote" involved in a fatal crash gave names to agents, but no one followed them up.
By Felisa Cardona
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 04/27/2008 01:21:09 AM MDT

A federal judge in Denver was upset when he heard Friday that immigration agents in Arizona have not followed up on tips about an immigrant-smuggling operation.

Jose Benedicto Jose-Zacariaz, who pleaded guilty to transportation of illegal immigrants that resulted in the deaths of three people, gave information to prosecutors and agents about who hired him as a "coyote," in exchange for a lighter prison term.

But the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in Arizona apparently did not have the resources available to track down Jose-Zacariaz's leads, Assistant U.S. Attorney Roxane Perruso told the judge.

U.S. District Judge Wiley Y. Daniel said he had "distinct displeasure" that there has not been more promptness on leads provided by Jose-Zacariaz.

"Public safety and adherence to the law is at risk," Daniel said. "It would seem to me that if ICE knew of these circumstances why would resources preclude ICE from following up?"

ICE spokesman Carl Rusnok said ICE tries to follow human-smuggling leads whenever possible but that sometimes the information leads to dead ends, until ICE is able to obtain additional information from other sources.

The lack of follow-up on the case did not affect Jose-Zacariaz's plea agreement.

Daniel sentenced him to 42 months in a federal medical center because Jose-Zacariaz, 28, suffers from a rare blood-clotting disorder and still has injuries from the July 14, 2007, crash.

Jose-Zacariaz was working at a car wash in Mesa, Ariz., when he was approached by a customer and offered a job and a place to live if he would drive other illegal immigrants to destinations across the United States.

The customer drove Jose-Zacariaz to a van loaded with nine illegal immigrants from Guatemala. There were not enough seats in the van to accommodate everyone, and some people sat in the rear compartment. Most of them did not wear seat belts.

The crash occurred on eastbound Interstate 70, a mile east of the Eagle exit, when the driver of a tractor-trailer rear-ended the van, court records say.

Three of the occupants, Arturo Hernandez-Cabal, 21, Miguel Perez-Vasquez, 48, and Roselia Zapon, 19, were thrown out and killed.

When Jose-Zacariaz's sentence is complete, he will be deported to Guatemala.

During sentencing, Jose-Zacariaz apologized to the judge for breaking the law and promised that he would not return to the United States again.

Felisa Cardona: 303-954-1219 or fcardona@denverpost.com
http://www.denverpost.com/headlines/ci_9068346

During sentencing, Jose-Zacariaz apologized to the judge for breaking the law and promised that he would not return to the United States again







Oh no, of course he won't return the US ever again. At least not using the same name he won't.

Somebody please, tell me when everyone will stop believing the lies that come out of these peoples' mouths!!!