Thread: NE: Man Gets 15 Months for Driving Illegal Immigrants Cross-

http://news.ktar.com/?nid=6&sid=407253

Man Gets 15 Months for Driving Illegal Immigrants Cross-Country
March 6th, 2007 @ 10:11am by Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb. - A Veracruz, Mexico man has been sentenced to 15 months in prison for driving illegal immigrants through the country, U.S. Attorney Joe Stecher's office said.

Pedro Velasco-Ixtepan, 34 was found in December driving a pickup in Sarpy County with 13 passengers whom an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official determined were in the country illegally, according to the criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in December.

The men were turned over to ICE officials for processing and deportation.

Velasco-Ixtepan was an illegal immigrant himself, and he pleaded guilty to illegally transporting the illegal immigrants, spokesman Jan Sharp said. He was sentenced on Monday.

According to the criminal complaint, Velasco-Ixtepan presented what appeared to be a Michigan driver's license when stopped by the Nebraska State Patrol.

Velasco-Ixtepan said he was hired for $1,000 to pick up several people in Arizona and drop them off at various locations between Arizona and Georgia, according to the complaint. He said he was given $700 up front for expenses.

Once Velasco-Ixtepan dropped off the last passengers in Atlanta, he was to drive to Detroit, and receive the money by wire transfer, the complaint said.

One of the passengers, Leonel Garcia-Arriola, said he hired someone in Mexico to smuggle him to Indianapolis for $1,300, according to the complaint. That man told authorities he was smuggled through Nogales, Ariz., and driven to Phoenix, where he met Velasco-Ixtepan.
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