Alien Smuggling Ring Busted in Upstate New York
A Mexican citizen has admitted to transporting three illegal aliens across the US border in a shocking case of human trafficking.
Jose Garcia-Flores, 42, a former resident of Waldorf, Maryland, and a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to illegal transportation of aliens in a federal court in Albany, New York.
According to the US Attorney’s Office, Garcia-Flores picked up the three Mexican nationals, Samuel Alcaraz-Diaz, Jesus Enrique Vela-Hernandez, and Guadalupe Diaz-Arevalo, along the international border near Champlain, New York, on September 17, 2017.
Garcia-Flores was driving the trio to Maryland when he was stopped and arrested by Border Patrol Agents at a checkpoint on Interstate 87 (the Northway) on the morning of September 17.
At the time of his crime, Garcia-Flores was in the United States without authorization. He faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino is scheduled to sentence Garcia-Flores on March 19, 2018.
Following his sentence, the Department of Homeland Security will put Garcia-Flores into removal proceedings. The three smuggled aliens were each sentenced to 20 days in jail and placed into removal proceedings on October 3, 2017.
The case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward P. Grogan.
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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