PHOENIX — An Arizona man has pleaded guilty to participating in an operation that smuggled over 100 undocumented individuals from Mexico into the U.S.
Benjamin Gallegos of Nogales admitted in federal court on Thursday he conspired with others to transport undocumented migrants for profit.
The defendant helped coordinate the transport and sheltering of over 100 people, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
A conviction of Gallego's offense carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. He will be sentenced in April.
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Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.