Officer, 4 others indicted in human smuggling plot
Jun. 4, 2008 07:42 PM
The Arizona Republic
A Yuma Customs officer and four others were indicted Tuesday for their suspected roles in a conspiracy to bring illegal aliens into the United States.

A federal grand jury returned a 22-count indictment against Carmelo Magana, 44, Ana Calderon, 28, Jesus Gastelum-Rodriguez, 41, Guadalupe Milan de Gastelum, 38, and Brenda Covarrubias, 39.

The five suspects were arrested in Yuma in May after an exhaustive investigation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, the Office of the Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The indictment alleges that between October 3, 2007 and May 12, 2008, Magana, Covarrubias, Calderon, Gastelum-Rodriguez and Milan de Gastelum conspired to bring illegal aliens into the United States. It is also alleges that Covarrubias, Calderon, Gastelum-Rodriguez and Milan de Gastelum bribed Magana, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent to accept bribes as a public official, according to U.S. Attorney's Office Spokeswoman Sandy Raynor.

If convicted, the suspects could face up to 45 years each behind bars .





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