TUCSON, Ariz. – Willcox Border Patrol agents arrested a Tucson man who was smuggling five illegal aliens in his vehicle after he attempted to flee from agents Thursday afternoon.
Yesterday, agents attempted to stop a Jeep Wrangler driving west on Highway 80 for an immigration inspection of the occupants. The 22-year-old driver deliberately sped away from the agents, refusing to stop for several miles, before finally pulling the vehicle over.
During the immigration inspection, agents discovered an additional five people inside the Jeep and determined they were Mexican nationals illegal presents in the U.S. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a loaded .45 caliber pistol under the driver’s seat.
The gun and vehicle were seized after the U.S. citizen driver was arrested for human smuggling charges. The five illegal aliens, ages 15-28, were arrest for immigration violations.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
