butterbean
Joined: 21 Jun 2006
Posts: 2271
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 Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:01 pm Post subject: Smuggling Law Gets a Conviction |
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The Maricopa County Attorney's Office won its first jury conviction Thursday against an undocumented immigrant who paid $700 to be smuggled into Arizona.
Prosecutors say this is a key milestone in the office's efforts to combat illegal immigration.
To date, 161 undocumented immigrants and coyotes have been convicted under the 14-month-old law, says County Attorney Andrew Thomas.
"It's important for the public to realize that we have had overwhelming success with this," Thomas said, adding that his office anticipates the conviction will be appealed.
Adolfo Guzman-Garcia, 28, faces nearly four years in prison for the crime and is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 5.
Guzman-Garcia's defense attorney could not be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon.
While Thomas touted the convictions, his office has had mixed success.
A total of 287 cases have been filed against suspected coyotes and undocumented immigrants; of those, 74 suspects are wanted on bench warrants and have yet to be prosecuted. In one case a jury convicted a coyote under the human-smuggling law.
continued:
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1020smuggling1020.html |
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