Separate raids net 10 suspected illegal immigrants (Island Packet)

Separate raids net 10 suspected illegal immigrants

By Josh Lanier
jlanier@islandpacket.com
Published Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Ten suspected illegal immigrants, two of whom were charged with trafficking cocaine, were arrested Friday in greater Bluffton in two separate drug raids, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff's Office news release issued Tuesday.

Julio Villatoro-Romero, 30, of Pin Oak Street and Alejandro Villeda, 29, of Able Street were charged with trafficking cocaine after the Beaufort/Jasper Multi-Agency Drug Task Force raided the home on Pin Oak Street, the release said.

Romero, Villeda and four others in the home also were charged with being illegally in the country, the release said.

Both Romero and Villeda are being held at the Beaufort County Detention Center, each on a $50,000 bond. All six have been placed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold to eventually determine whether they should be deported, the jail log said.

An apartment at Bluffton House Apartments, 20 Simmonsville Road, also was raided Friday by the task force. Four more suspects were charged with being illegal immigrants, the release said. One of the men was charged with simple possession of cocaine. All are being held at the detention center on an Immigrant Customs Enforcement hold, the jail log said.