Photo Contributed/Courtesy GCSO: David Ramirez, 27, was imprisoned on smuggling charges.

John Johnson

john johnson news@gmail.com

Graham County – Suspect faces deportation after serving jail time after being caught smuggling nine illegal immigrants.

David Alejandro Hernandez-Ramirez, 27, was arrested in the early hours of November 30 and booked into the Graham County Adult Detention Facility on charges of human smuggling.

A deputy at the sheriff’s office received information from Border Patrol regarding a “suspicious” route taken by a suspected 1998 Ford expedition to and from Douglas on camera. Border Patrol reported that the SUV may be on U.S. Route 191 heading north toward Safford.

The lieutenant traveled south on Route 191 and just south of Safford saw a black Ford expedition drive into Jobi’s Market convenience store and fill up with gas. The agent put us in touch with our driver, Ramirez, who didn’t speak much English. Ramirez made his ID card in Arizona and an ID card in Mexico. He said he was a U.S. citizen and was born in California, but his Mexican ID card said he was from Agua Prieta, Mexico.

The lieutenant then searched the expedition and found nine illegal immigrants. Two of them were unaccompanied boys, his 14-year-old and his 15-year-old, with camouflage clothes and water jugs. No one in the car spoke English.

Border Patrol was then called and a Spanish-speaking agent interviewed the driver.

Ramirez is said to have told Border Patrol agents that he would pick up migrants in Douglas and transfer them to Phoenix. He said he would receive $300 for each person he transports and would be told where to drop them off when they neared the Phoenix area. He said he was under pressure.

Border Patrol sent illegal immigrants back to the border for processing, and Ramirez went to jail on smuggling charges. Her SUV, registered to a Tucson woman, was seized at Graham County Yard.