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Traffic stop leads to arrest of Hondurans

Publication Date: 08/05/06


A traffic stop for an expired tag led to four Hondurans being taken into custody Friday when it turned out they were allegedly in the country illegally, according to St. Johns County Sheriff's Office spokesman Chuck Mulligan.

Sgt. Scott Beaver stopped the older, white Chevrolet van on State Road 312 after he saw the tag had expired. While talking with the four men in the van, he was told they were from Honduras but found none had any necessary documents such as a visa or green card, Mulligan said.

While he was questioning them, Beaver reported one of the men said they were in the country illegally, Mulligan said.

When Immigrations, Customs and Enforcement officials were contacted, they asked the St. Johns Sheriff's Office to transport the four to the ICE Jacksonville office.

Padilla Matute Wilson, 22, Alfredo Enrique Media Lauze, 43, Mario Alberto Rodriguez Lopez, 29, and Marino R. Galenz, 22, were turned over to ICE agents.

Mulligan said ICE was checking into the men's illegal immigration status. He did not know what would happen to the men. No other information was available on Friday.