Arizona man sentenced for attempting to smuggle migrants in water tanker truck
More than 20 migrants found inside tank
TUCSON, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - A man from Tucson, Arizona was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty for attempting to smuggle undocumented immigrants for profit.
33-year-old Sean Christopher Hale's water truck was stopped by Border Patrol agents who received reports of smuggling.
The agents found 26 migrants inside the steel tank of the truck and some of the migrants fainted due to lack of oxygen and exposure to heat.
“This case is a stark reminder of how human smuggling organizations endanger and exploit noncitizens looking for a better life in America,” expressed U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino. “We must deter illegal transportation not only to vindicate our border laws, but also to protect the vulnerable among us, regardless of their immigration status.”