(Human Smuggling attempt)…It was thwarted Wednesday morning.
Border Patrol agents say at around 6:20 am, a man driving a black Nissan approached the temporary immigration checkpoint in Potrero and failed to stop at the inspection point. Agents stopped the vehicle several yards past the checkpoint and inspected the vehicle. There were five men in the vehicle. When questioned by agents the 3 in the rear seat, including a 16 year old, claimed to be from Mexico and admitted they did not have any legal documents to enter the US. The driver and front passenger claimed to be US citizens. The Driver and front passenger were arrested for attempted Human Smuggling. The other three were taken into custody for being in the count5ry illegally. A records check revealed one of the illegal entrants was a 39 year old Mexican national who had been convicted in 2012 of kidnapping and rape of a minor in San Diego. He had been sentenced to 7 years in prison and subsequently deported back to Mexico. He was arrested and will face federal charges. The other two were processed for removal. The vehicle was seized by the Border Patrol.