Published Friday, November 5, 2004
Couple Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Aliens
By FRANK ELTMAN
Associated Press Writer
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y.
A couple pleaded guilty Friday to charges of smuggling dozens of illegal immigrants from Peru and forcing them into "virtual servitude" to pay for their passage.
Jorge Ibanez and Maruiluz Zavala, both 43, pleaded guilty in a deal with prosecutors to charges that include conspiring to commit forced labor, transporting undocumented workers and providing them with forged green cards.
The couple was arrested during June 21 raids on three houses they owned in Suffolk County, where authorities found 69 aliens, including 13 children, living in what were described as squalid conditions.
Ibanez and Zavala could face more than 7 years in federal prison under the agreement, which includes fines of up to $250,000 each. No sentencing dates were scheduled.
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http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041105/APA/411050880~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~George Bush has accused several countries of dealing in human trafficking, yet stories like this one keep getting published about his own country. Do you think he sees a problem here?