Montgomery traffic stop leads to arrest of illegal immigrant who was previously deported (Times of Trenton)

Montgomery traffic stop leads to arrest of illegal immigrant who was previously deported
Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011, 8:05 AM
By Times of Trenton Staff Writers

MONTGOMERY — An illegal alien from the Dominican Republic who had re-entered the U.S. last year after being deported was arrested following a traffic stop in Montgomery Wednesday morning, police said.

Though officers initially let the man go with a ticket, they tracked him to a Belle Mead address and arrested him an hour later after authorities found out he had given them a false name. Israel Antonio Minaya is now in the Somerset County Jail in lieu of bail. Police did not say whether they had contacted immigration authorities.

At 9 a.m. Wednesday, officers stopped a truck driving on Millers Grove Road because the front seat passenger did not have his seatbelt on and a passenger in the back of the truck was not in a seat.

The rear seat passenger, who was later identified as Minaya but allegedly gave his name as Antonio Rodriguez, did not have any identification on his person. He was given a summons for riding on parts unintended for passengers and was released, according to police.

After the officers discovered Minaya’s true identity, they were able to find him on Franklin Drive and arrested him for hindering apprehension. For corroborating the alleged lie during the initial stop, Minaya’s brother Jose was also arrested.

Jose Minaya was released pending a court date, while Israel was issued a $2,500 bail and taken to the jail when he could not pay it, police said.