Hemet Pilot Accused Of Flying Illegal Immigrants From Mexico Border Into SoCal

January 25, 2012 7:59 AM

(credit: Wathiq Khuzaie /Getty Images)

Reporting Tom Reopelle

RIVERSIDE (CBS) — A U.S. citizen faced smuggling charges Wednesday after border officials uncovered a new method of smuggling illegal immigrants into Southern California.

KNX 1070′s Tom Reopelle reports Lino Rodriguez is accused of flying Mexican migrants from the Imperial Valley to Hemet and other locations.

“After they entered the United States, they were taken to a stash house, and we put them under surveillance from that point,” said Lauren Mack with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The illegal immigrants were then taken from the stash house and moved to a hotel in El Centro, at which point they were followed as they moved to the Imperial County Airport, where authorities arrested Rodriguez, a U.S. citizen from Hemet.

Rodriquez, 30, faces smuggling charges for allowing three migrants from Mexico to board his Cessna in what authorities said was the fourth plane used for smuggling in the El Centro area within the last year.

Rodriguez pleaded not guilty on and was released on $20,000 bail.

Hemet Pilot Accused Of Flying Illegal Immigrants From Mexico Border Into SoCal

Efrain

“After they entered the United States, they were taken to a stash house, and we put them under surveillance from that point,” said Lauren Mack with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Yeah right you freakin’ liar! You should have stopped them as soon as they crossed the border. This is a total snitch job.
villaraigosa is a rat

The only reason this and other individuals are placed under surveillance for smuggling is to fool the public into making us believe that ICE is doing their job and to get rid of any competition. I have known more American (white) individuals working for the CBPatrol who have taken on a second job of smuggling individuals. If they have others doing it, that is money being taken from their pockets.
Alan Di

First, he looses his pilot certificate. Second, he losses his airplane. Third, he spends a few years as a guest of the Fed in a suitable lockup.