TUCSON, Ariz. — Two Tucson residents have been sentenced to prison after an attempt to smuggle undocumented migrants into Arizona resulted in a 17-year-old's death on Interstate 10.
The U.S. Attorney's Office of Arizona said Gerson Montano, 38, was recently sentenced to 70 months in prison after the defendant was hired by Robert D. Hart, 64, to transport migrants through Arizona.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: 2 residentes de Arizona sentenciados luego que un joven de 17 años muriera al ser atropellado por un camión en la I-10
On Aug. 3, 2022, Montano was driving an SUV with multiple passengers when the driver failed to yield to a traffic stop initiated by a state trooper. The vehicle abruptly pulled over into the center median and the car's occupants ran from the vehicle.
Two occupants were struck by a semi-truck as they were running from the car. One of them, a 17-year-old, was killed and the other sustained serious injuries.
Montano was convicted of transportation of illegal aliens resulting in a death. Hart was convicted of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and was sentenced to 51 months in prison.
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