Thread: GA: Human trafficking: Taillight infraction leads to eight a

Human trafficking: Taillight infraction leads to eight arrests
By Rob Moore

Editor, The Northeast Georgian

It's a first for Habersham County, Ga. A traffic stop by Baldwin police at 11:04 p.m. Sunday, May 10, uncovered a human trafficking operation.

"They just pulled 'em over for a traffic offense - no taillights" on Highway 365 at Duncan Bridge Road, said Baldwin Police Chief Daren "Bear" Osborn.

When officers approached the white 1993 Jeep Cherokee, they found three men lying in the back luggage compartment, three in the backseat and two in the front - all Latino males.

Three Cornelia officers assisted the two Baldwin police officers on the stop.


Baldwin officers Stephen Alexander and Ryan Ledford had "seven Latino illegal alien immigrants and a Hispanic 'Coyote' on a traffic stop on the side of Georgia 365 at Duncan Bridge Road," Cornelia patrolman Scott Neumyer's report states.

"Officer Coffey, Harvey and I responded and assisted in conducting interviews with the Coyote (Eugenio Lopez) and his Caucasian wife," the report states. "Additionally, our presence with the two Baldwin officers increased the safety in numbers around seven nervous and potentially dangerous suspects."

"It was determined after the Coyote and his wife's confession that the Coyote was in fact smuggling illegals into Georgia from Phoenix, Ariz., an area of a reported porous border," the report states. "Once it was determined to detain all of the suspects, and the sheriff's department paddy wagon arrived, the Coyote attempted to flee on foot. Officer Coffey, Ledford, Deputy Matt Roberts and I pursued."

After two attempts to deploy Taser probes to stop the fleeing man, a verbal threat combined with the Taser sound prompted the man to stop his run. He was tackled by Roberts and cuffed by Coffey and Neumyer.

As to how officers determined that the driver was a "Coyote" - one who smuggles illegals into the country - Osborn said, "It was just good old-fashioned police work."

Osborn said officers noticed a strong odor from the vehicle, which had been on the road for two weeks and "nobody had taken a bath."

"He was en route from Phoenix, Ariz., to Franklin, N.C.," Osborn said.

Those arrested include:

The driver, Eugenio Lopez, 34, of Franklin, N.C., charged with defecating/urinating on public property, taillight/taillight lenses required, creating a hazardous or offensive condition and misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

Cesar Alejandro Chavez Morales, 22, charged with misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

Brian Alsides, 23, charged with defecating/urinating on public property and misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

Emiliano Hernandez, 21, charged with misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer. He was booked by federal authorities.

Jose Baldomero Abregon, 31, charged with misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

Misael Solis Tapia, 18, charged with misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

Juan Bautista Santiago, 25, charged with misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

Maria Eliza Sandoval, 21, charged with misdemeanor obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer.

The offenders were turned over to ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).

"From what I understand, two of the seven have been deported for felony criminal offenses before, so they'll face a minimum of 24 months in federal prison," Osborn said.

One of the men, who claimed to be a juvenile at first, was later found to be of age and was immediately turned over to ICE.

Osborn said the local charges against the illegals will be dropped in lieu of ICE's federal charges.

"The driver was charged by ICE with seven counts of human trafficking," Osborn said. "That's the first time I've heard of anything like this around Habersham - and I've been here more than five years."


Osborn said ICE agents are "pretty close - they're one phone call away."

Mountain Circuit District Attorney Brian Rickman said Sunday's incident was the first of its type that he has heard of in the circuit, which includes Habersham, Rabun and Stephens counties.

According to law enforcement officials in Georgia, there was a contract in the vehicle, written in Spanish, where the men had agreed to work and not tell anyone how much they made or any details about their job.

A copy of the contract has not been yet released.

"We don't know how much he was charging them," said Baldwin police lieutenant Tim Vaughan.



Apparently this was not the first time the driver has transported illegals, according to his girlfriend, who was interviewed at the scene after pulling up in another vehicle.

"It's at least five times - probably more than that," Vaughan said.

Though the vehicle was registered to Lopez in Macon County, Vaughan said he had been living in Mountain City, Ga.

"That's what we were told by his girlfriend," Vaughan said.

Among the men charged, Vaughan said two of the men were prior deportees.

Franklin Press news editor Michael Lewis contributed to this story.

www.thefranklinpress.com

"From what I understand, two of the seven have been deported for felony criminal offenses before, so they'll face a minimum of 24 months in federal prison," Osborn said.

This is part of the problem, deport them and they just come back anyway, because its so easy.

For Gods sake, this will never end until we get serious about enforcement. They will just keep coming back.

Hopefully, giving these re-entry guys jail time will help. Instead of just dumping them across the border and watching them come right back, maybe being behind bars for a while will make them think. Maybe not. One can hope. No, wait, putting them in jail will separate families. (sarcasm alert).