14 illegal immigrants arrested in Ashtabula (Plain Dealer)

14 illegal immigrants arrested in Ashtabula

Posted by Maggi Martin March 29, 2008 09:48AM

Fourteen illegal immigrants were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol after the Ohio State Highway Patrol arrested them on a routine traffic stop on Interstate 90.
Troopers stopped a van late Thursday for following too closely on I-90 near the Ohio 45 exit in Jefferson.
The driver of the car identified himself as Miguel Matias, 22 and was carrying a state identification card from Alabama, the patrol said. The driver did not have a valid driver's license and the ID was a fake. the patrol said.
In the van, officials found 13 other persons who were being transported from Mexico. The driver told troopers he was paid $400 per person to take the immigrants to New York City.
Troopers confiscated the van and $5,442 in cash. When officials tried to trace the van's registration to Arizona, residents at the listed address said they did not know who owned the van.
The 14 people were taken to the Ashtabula patrol post and later were taken into federal custody by customs agents.
Officials said they would likely be deported back to Mexico.