A Chandler man, Michael Andrew Nelson, was sentenced this week to 30 months in prison after he was found guilty of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit by U.S. District Judge Scott Rash.
Nelson’s prison sentence is to be followed by 36 months of supervised release.
On November 14, 2021, U.S. Border Patrol agents, near Naco, Arizona, observed a heavily weighted down Jeep Patriot driving suspiciously in and out of a national park area. During a subsequent stop, five undocumented noncitizens were removed from the backseat and cargo areas of the SUV. Nelson was the front seat passenger, and co-defendant, Michelle Wilson, was the driver. The five undocumented noncitizens each indicated they paid substantial sums of money to smugglers in Mexico in exchange for transportation to various cities within the United States.
Nelson’s co-defendant Michelle Wilson pleaded guilty in December 2021. She is scheduled for sentencing on April 10, 2023, before Judge Rash.