Man sentenced for smuggling immigrants
By: North County Times Wire Services - | ∞
SAN DIEGO - An immigrant smuggler was sentenced today to nearly five years in federal prison for leading a group of illegal aliens across the border and loading them into a van that overturned, killing two women.
Carlos Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 46, pleaded guilty last Oct. 3 to five counts, including alien smuggling for financial gain and alien smuggling resulting in death.
Defense attorney David Zugman unsuccessfully sought a 36-month prison term, arguing that Rodriguez-Gonzales wasn't the one who flipped the van that killed the victims.
Rodriguez-Gonzalez should have gotten a much lighter sentence than the driver of the van, Marcos Olguin, who received a six-year prison term, Zugman argued.
But U.S. District Judge William Q. Hayes said the defendant's 42 prior apprehensions by immigration officials, including the use of at least three dozen AKAs and 28 dates of birth, was a significant factor in handing down the 57-month sentence.
The judge reminded Zugman that two women, including one who was pregnant, died in the March 8, 2006, crash near Honey Springs Road and state Route 94, between Dulzura and Jamul.
"Your client bears some responsibility for that," the judge told the defense attorney.
Authorities said Olguin had 20 passengers in the van when it crashed in light rain.
He told authorities that he was to be paid between $3,000 and $4,000 to drive the van from the mountains east of San Diego to Oceanside.
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legaltina wrote on Mar 19, 2007 10:27 PM:EVery crime committed by an illegal alien is 100% preventable if they simply weren't here. We have enough of ouw own home-grown bad guys, the last thing we need to do is import, accept, or retain any illegal alien criminals. Enforce the law, report and deport. Enough is enough.
Why did the driver get wrote on Mar 20, 2007 6:54 AM: 6 years when two border agents got 10 and 11 years? The smuggler killed a person the border agents did not. No justice. Our system is a failure. Once again two Americas, one for the citizen and one for the illegal. I don't believe our founders intended it to be this way, but thanks to libs and judges it is.
5 & 6 Years? wrote on Mar 20, 2007 7:58 AM:While our Border Patrol Agents get 10 & 12?
Restitution wrote on Mar 20, 2007 9:50 AM:Once they finish their sentences for human smuggling,they should be put on a work detail. They each need to pay restitution to the taxpayers of the State of California for the $100,000 air lift and hospital bills for passengers who were fatally injured. They bear responsiblity for that, too.
I agree with why did they? wrote on Mar 20, 2007 11:52 AM:I think someone needs to investigate and prosecute the federal proscutors in TX. This stinks big time and since when is MEXICO telling us who to prosecute? Oh way sorry georgie bush works for Mexico... he sure as heck doesn't work for Americans.
Former Democrat wrote on Mar 20, 2007 1:14 PM:Let me get this straight! We have two Border Patrol agents who have never been in trouble before and they get 10 and 11 years respectively for wounding a drug smuggler in the buttocks, and then we have a deputy sheriff who fired at a smugglers van that was going to run him over and who’s going to jail for wounding an illegal alien who took a small piece of shrapnel in the face that ricocheted off the vehicle. But then we have two bozo’s that have DOZENS of arrests between them and are responsible for the death of two (or three) people, yet they don’t get half the sentence the law enforcement officers get. Unfortunately we have a legal system and not a justice system. The legal system works for those with power and privilege or those who can benefit from the current political climate surrounding the illegal activities of foreigners. The justice system gets handed down to anyone who bucks the establishment or who are just plain poor. It’s truly amazing that most people don’t see the chaos that’s coming due to our government’s failings. Unfortunately most people are lemmings that are happily content texting their vote in to American Idol instead of voting at the ballot box.
Let the politicans and judges wrote on Mar 20, 2007 3:43 PM:get their tax dollars from the illegals! We are through! Remember the French Revolution?
Alf wrote on Mar 20, 2007 5:20 PM:A total of 5 years for crimes that resulted in death(s)? You have got to be kidding, right? Where were these minutemen during this proceedings about the runners of illegal aliens? Obviously not trying to get this guy locked up for as long as possible. On the other hand, without smugglers like these theminutemen would have less about which to get themselves in the news.
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