Man arrested for human smuggling near Holbrook

Man arrested for human smuggling near Holbrook

03/27/2009

HOLBROOK - A routine traffic stop on I-40 resulted in the discovery of 18 undocumented aliens in the cab and camper of a 2004 Ford F-250 pickup.
Deputy Sheriff Bill Murray stopped the truck for speeding at milepost 296 east of Holbrook. After the occupants were found, the driver, Alexandro Silva Castelan, was charged with 17 counts of human smuggling. Castelan is also an undocumented alien.
The others in the vehicle told Murray they were all from the same town in Mexico. They had crossed the border together and were taken to Phoenix in a waiting van.
When in Phoenix, the aliens said Castelan agreed to take them from Phoenix to Oklahoma for $800. From there, they were to be transported to their final destinations in New York and Houston. All occupants of the truck were taken to Navajo County Jail where they were to be picked up by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement officers for deportation.