Laredo immigrant smuggler gets 8 1/2 years

Posted: June 25, 2009 12:07 PM CDT

Updated: June 25, 2009 12:09 PM CDT


Laredo immigrant smuggler gets 8 1/2 years



McALLEN, Texas (AP) - A federal judge in Laredo has sentenced a Mexican man to 8 1/2 years in prison for smuggling illegal immigrants into the country and holding them captive until relatives paid additional ransom.

Gerardo Rafael Perez, 30, and three other men were sentenced Thursday for holding the immigrants captive in January. Perez received the lengthiest sentence because investigators determined he was in charge. Laredo police arrested them after one immigrant managed to escape and call for help.

The immigrant who escaped told authorities he had paid $3,000 in smuggling fees, but they were demanding another $1,000 from his wife.



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