(Human Smuggler sentenced)….He had entered a plea deal in September.

22 year old Luis Alberto Virgen was sentenced Wednesday to 21 years in prison. Virgen had been driving a pickup carrying 10 illegal immigrants across the border. Near Boulevard, US Border Patrol agents attempted to stop the pickup as it headed west on Interstate 8. Virgen did not stop, instead he increased speed, and the chase was on. It ended when agents placed a spike strip on the rain slick roadway. The pickup went out of control. The pickup went out of control and overturned, ejecting all ten of the illegal occupants. Virgen was the only one wearing a seatbelt. Three of the occupants suffered fatal injuries in the incident. All were from Mexico. Five of the survivors testified against Virgen before the plea was reached.