March 31, 2008
State Police detain immigrants


State Police Sgt. Kenneth McCord arrested four undocumented Mexican immigrants Sunday morning, according to a news release.

McCord was traveling on Oakhurst Drive when he noticed a green Toyota pickup truck fail to stop at a stop sign. McCord stopped the vehicle on Oakwood Road and identified Carlo Ortiz, 32, as the driver. Ortiz did not have a driver's license or any form of identification, McCord alleged. Cristobal Lopez, 22; Alexander Perez, 25; and Hugo Romero, 21, also rode in the truck, according to McCord.

All four were arrested and transported to the South Central Regional Jail, although they were not charged with any crime, according to the release. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials translated and verified that the men have no documentation that grants them permission to be in the country.

ICE will investigate why the men are in the country and the Charleston area.


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