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June 13, 2008


3 sentenced for transporting illegal immigrants

By Justin Fritscher


A U.S. district court sentenced three people today for transporting illegal immigrants in two separate incidents after they were arrested in the Jackson area in January.

Angel Reyes-Ocampo, an illegal immigrant, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and two years of supervised release for transporting illegal immigrants for profit. Reyes-Ocampo was indicted Feb. 5 and pleaded guilty to transporting 16 illegal immigrants April 3.

Pearl Police Department stopped Reyes-Ocampo traveling east on I-20 Jan. 18 for a defective light. Police noticed he could only speak Spanish and contacted United States Customs and Border Patrol agents.

Border Patrol agents conducted interviews of the driver and passengers, who all said they were being brought illegally into the United States. All were arrested and brought to the United States Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, where Reyes-Ocampo admitted to being paid to transport the others.

Jose Amilcar Benitez-Sosa was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release, and Humberto Jimenez-Gonzales was sentenced to 21 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Both were indicted Feb. 5 and pleaded guilty April 4.

Border Patrol pulled over a van Jan. 13 near Jackson on I-20 under suspicion of it transporting illegal immigrants. Border Patrol made contact with the driver, Benitez-Sosa, who had temporary legal status, and Jimenez-Gonzales, an illegal immigrant.

Benitez Sosa admitted to transporting 17 illegal immigrants with Jimenez-Gonzales.

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