East Texas man caught smuggling immigrants in Sarita
by Sergio Chapa

An East Texas man is behind bars in the Rio Grande Valley after he was allegedly caught smuggling four illegal immigrants at the Sarita checkpoint.

U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested James Earl Lovett on human smuggling charges on Monday night.

Court records show that the 32-year-old Huntington, Texas man drove up to the Border Patrol checkpoint in a maroon Nissan Quest.

Border Patrol agents allegedly found four illegal immigrants from Mexico hiding under blankets in the back of the mini-van.

Lovett allegedly admitted that he smuggled the immigrants for cash.

The Huntingon man appeared before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Ronald Morgan in Brownsville on Wednesday morning.

Records show that Lovett is an American citizen and has a criminal history that included theft, unlawfully carrying a weapon and marijuana.

Judge Morgan denied bond for Lovett until a Monday afternoon hearing.


http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=480327