Thread: LA: 6 People arrested for transportation of IAs

Six Sulphur individuals arrested for transportation of illegal aliens

Southwest Daily News
Fri Aug 22, 2008, 05:41 AM CDT

Sulphur, La. -
Federal, state and local law enforcement agents arrested six individuals from Sulphur involved in the transportation of illegal aliens on Tuesday, August 19, 2008. The arrests and unsealing of a federal indictment was announced on Thursday by United States Attorney Donald Washington.

On August 13, 2008, a one count indictment was returned by the Western District of Louisiana Federal Grand Jury charging all six defendants with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. The indictment is a result of a joint investigation by the Office of Immigrations and Custom Enforcement, Lake Charles, LA (ICE), FBI, Border Patrol, Louisiana State Police, Sulphur Police Department and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office. The investigation revealed that the individuals arrested were transporting illegal aliens from the Texas and Mexico border area to other places within Texas, usually in the Houston, TX area. According to the indictment, all of the defendants would participate in the driving of the illegal aliens. If convicted, the defendants face an imprisonment term of not more than five years, a fine up to $250,000 and a term of supervised release following imprisonment of not more than three years.

Indicted are Joan R. Comeaux, Carolyn Joyce Metcalf, Terri Lynn Fields, Timothy Gene Jones, Jean Morgan Vincent and Brian Vincent.

On August 19, 2008, members of the law enforcement agencies involved in the joint investigation executed arrest warrants pursuant to the federal indictment and, in addition, executed a search warrant at Joan Comeaux’s residence. Initial appearances for the defendants were held on August 19, 2008. All defendants were released on bond pending the trial, which will be set after a September 16, 2008 scheduling conference. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James T. McManus.

http://www.sulphurdailynews.com/news/x6 ... gal-aliens

Sulphur woman sentenced for transporting illegal aliens
Posted: Jan 07, 2010 1:05 PM PST Updated: Jan 07, 2010 1:05 PM PST


LAKE CHARLES, LA - The ringleader of a large-scale operation to transport illegal aliens was sentenced in federal court today, United States Attorney Donald W. Washington announced. United States District Judge Patricia Minaldi sentenced Joan Comeaux, age 55, to 51 months in prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.

Comeaux was indicted in August 2008, and pleaded guilty in October 2008. Comeaux admitted that she conspired with her co-defendants listed in the indictment to transport illegal aliens from the Texas and Mexico border area to other locations within Texas, that she knew the aliens came into the United States illegally, and the transportation of these illegal aliens was with the intent to further their unlawful presence in the United States. Comeaux further admitted that she instructed her co-defendants in this case on the procedure to transport the illegal aliens, and along with her sister, Carolyn Metcalf, transported illegal aliens. Comeaux and her co-defendants were involved in a conspiracy that resulted in the organization transporting hundreds of illegal aliens on a regular basis since 2005.

Sentencing in federal court is determined by the discretion of federal judges and the governing statute. United States Sentencing Guidelines established by the United States Congress and the United States Sentencing Commission are only used as guidelines by the judge in determining the appropriate sentence. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

This case was investigated by the Office of Immigrations and Custom Enforcement, Lake Charles, LA (ICE), FBI, Border Patrol, Louisiana State Police, Sulphur Police Department and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James T. McManus.

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