A Los Angeles police officer and his girlfriend were indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in San Diego for allegedly trying to sneak a Mexican national into the United States in the trunk of a car.
According to the indictment, Carlos Curiel Quezada Jr., 34, drove his 2014 Nissan Juke into the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with 31-year-old Angelica Godinez riding alongside him about 6:30 p.m. March 14.
Though the couple stated that they had nothing to declare, a Customs and Border Protection agent decided to refer them for a vehicle inspection, the indictment alleges.
Using an imaging device similar to an X-ray, officers found an undocumented immigrant, 26-year-old Antanasio Perez Avalos, hiding in a rear compartment of the vehicle, the indictment states.
Quezada and Godinez, both Los Angeles residents, are each charged with a human smuggling count carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Their arraignments are scheduled for Thursday afternoon and Tuesday morning, respectively.
— City News Service
