Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents from the Douglas Station assisted the Douglas Police Department with a traffic stop Tuesday night, resulting in the arrest of five people involved in a human smuggling attempt.
After stopping a Chevy Cobalt for a traffic violation, the DPD officer requested Border Patrol assistance near the intersection of 18th Street and A Avenue in the city of Douglas.
The agent arriving on scene observed two adult males laying in the back seat and two additional adult males in the vehicle trunk. All four passengers, identified as citizens of Guatemala illegally present in the United States, were arrested for immigration violations. The driver, identified as a 52-year-old male Douglas resident, was arrested for human smuggling.
Federal law allows agents to charge individuals by complaint, a method that allows the filing of charges for criminal activity without inferring guilt. An individual is presumed innocent unless and until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.