El Salvadoran Man Pleads Guilty to Transporting Illegal Aliens Within the United States

Gulfport, Miss. – Marlon Alvarez-Campos, 30, a citizen of El Salvador, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Louis Guirola, Jr., to the crime of transporting illegal aliens within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst and Raymond R. Parmer, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans. Mr. Alvarez-Campos was found guilty of the offense and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Guirola on May 16, 2008. Alvarez-Campos faces a potential maximum 5 years imprisonment, not more than 3 years supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine, and special assessments that could total $5,100.

On August 17, 2017, a Toyota Corrola being driven by Alvarez-Campos, was stopped by a City of Biloxi Police Officer on Interstate-10 in Harrison County, Mississippi, at approximately 1:30 a.m., for careless driving. The driver did not have a valid driver’s license, and the police officer observed that, in addition to the driver, there were four passengers for a total of five occupants in the vehicle. The vehicle passengers could not speak English and the police officer suspected human smuggling was taking place. The Biloxi Police Department notified the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and requested federal assistance. HSI agents responded and began a federal investigation.

None of the vehicle occupants had proper documents, and all were illegally present in the United States. The four passengers were being smuggled by Mr. Alvarez-Campos who also was present in the U.S. illegally. All occupants of the vehicle were arrested, and Alvarez-Campos confirmed that he knew his passengers were illegal aliens and that he was being paid to transport them from Texas.

U.S. Attorney Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Biloxi Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.