Driving News, Crime & Press Releases

Sheriff’S Human Smuggling Unit Continues To Make Arrests Despite Money Being Pulled By Governor

Nine more Illegal Aliens Captured Last Night

(Phoenix, AZ) Several traffic stops were made by Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s human
smuggling unit last night in the area of Wickenburg, west of Phoenix, which resulted
in the arrest of nine (9) more illegal aliens.

“Despite the Governor’s attempts to stop me from fighting illegal immigration, my
deputies are under my order to continue to enforce all aspects of the human smuggling
laws,” says Arpaio.

Arpaio says he is deeply concerned that either the Governor or the DPS director may
have ordered DPS officers to not arrest all co-conspirators involved in the class 4
felony of human smuggling. If either Governor Napolitano or DPS Director
Vanderpool gave the order to ignore these serious criminal violations, it could
represent a serious error in judgment.

Sheriff’s deputies have already arrested 956 on the class 4 felony charge and County
Attorney Andrew Thomas has been successful in the prosecution of 90% of those
cases adjudicated.

Two drop houses were also discovered by Sheriff’s deputies in Mesa in the past five
days netting 18 arrests including one person with a warrant out of Tennessee for the
rape of a minor.

Because of the illegal immigration activity in Mesa, Arpaio is holding off and
gathering intelligence information from deputies before venturing into Mesa with a
crime suppression operation.

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100 West Washington, Suite 1900, Phoenix, Arizona 85003
Phone: (602) 876-1801 Fax: (602) 258-2081
Media Contact: SheriffsMediaRequests@MCSO.Maricopa.Gov
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Date: May 15, 2008