Federal authorities have dismantled an illegal immigrant smuggling ring tied to a Phoenix-area house, arresting five foreign nationals, the Department of Justice said on May 8.
Those arrested were Mexican nationals Rigoberto Rangel-Mora, Jesus Marin-Esquivel, Alejandro Ambrocio-Espinosa, Enrique Cervantes-Barrera, and Guatemalan national Ingrid Bolanos-Gomez.
The group was indicted on conspiracy charges related to transporting and harboring illegal border crossers. If convicted, each faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The investigation was led by Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol Intelligence Unit and Homeland Security Investigations in Douglas.
According to court documents, investigators identified a Phoenix residence allegedly used as a stash house where illegal immigrants were held before being transported across the country….