CALIFORNIA MAN SENTENCED TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SMUGGLING ALIENS IN TRUNK OF VEHICLE

PHOENIX – On July 12, 2012, Israel Corona, 32, of El Centro, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan R. Bolton to 60 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Corona pleaded guilty in March to aiding and abetting the transportation of illegal aliens.

                 According to court documents, on Feb. 5, 2012, Corona aided and abetted his co-defendant, the driver of a 2012 Toyota Camry, in transporting four illegal aliens from El Centro, Calif. to Dateland, Ariz. Two of the illegal aliens were placed in the trunk of the car. Corona acknowledged that he knew the passengers were illegal aliens and that he intended to assist them in remaining in the United States unlawfully.

The investigation in this case was conducted by Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The prosecution is being handled by Kiyoko Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-12-0353-PHX-SRB 
RELEASE NUMBER:   2012-172(Corona)

# # #

For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/