Mexican National Sentenced in Deadly Rollover

TUCSON Alberto Antonio Sanchez, 23, of Toluca, Mexico, was sentenced in Tucson on April 26 to 120 months incarceration by U.S. District Judge Frank R. Zapata. Sanchez pleaded guilty on February 15 to Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Commercial or Private Financial Gain Resulting in Death. On November 30, 2004, Sanchez drove a stolen Dodge Durango to a rural area in southern Arizona where he picked up a group of 11 illegal entrants from Mexico and Brazil. Sanchez sped away and lost control of the vehicle causing it to roll over several times killing two passengers. The rollover also injured the nine remaining passengers, one of whom was rendered paraplegic. Sanchez fled on foot, but was apprehended and arrested a short time later. The investigation in this case was conducted by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. The prosecution was handled by Jesse J. Figueroa, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.