Friday, August 19, 2005

Smuggler suspect nabbed at border

She is accused of trying to smuggle four Chinese into Detroit in 3rd incident this month.

By David Shepardson / The Detroit News

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DETROIT -- A Wayne County resident has been charged with attempting to smuggle Chinese aliens hidden in vehicles crossing the Canadian border, the third incident of human trafficking at the border this month.

Early Thursday, Customs and Border Patrol officers arrested 21-year-old Delecia Carter in her 2002 Cadillac Escalade at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

After being referred to secondary inspection at 1:50 a.m., agents found four Chinese women hiding in the back of the SUV.

"Carter stated that she was approached by a Middle Eastern male in a bar in Canada. ... The unidentified male stated that he would pay Carter $4,000 to smuggle the four Chinese females into the United States," said an affidavit filed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agent Christopher Hudson.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Mona Majzoub released Carter on a $10,000 unsecured bond and set a Sept. 6 preliminary examination.

As part of her bond, she must seek employment or attend school. Her court-appointed lawyer, Rhonda R. Brazile, declined to comment.

On Tuesday, two men, including a Wayne County Juvenile Detention officer were charged with smuggling Chinese immigrants across the U.S.-Canada border.

Marion Rouse and Roderick Smartt each face a Sept. 2 preliminary examination on a smuggling charge, an offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

Rouse crossed the Ambassador Bridge at 2:45 a.m. Aug. 1 in a 2004 car with temporary plates and wearing his uniform, according to an affidavit filed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Agent Noe Salinas.

Rouse, who has worked for Wayne County since 2002, was placed on leave after the incident.

Four Chinese immigrants were found in the trunk. Rouse said he was paid $2,000 to bring them into the United States and he would be paid another $2,000 after delivering them, the affidavit said.

At 11 p.m. Monday, customs agents stopped Smartt, 28, of Detroit, who was driving. Agents said they found a Chinese woman and her son in the trunk.

Federal officials declined to say if any of the incidents was related.

U.S. Attorney Stephen Murphy said the federal agencies aggressively seek to stop smuggling.

You can reach David Shepardson at (313) 222-2028 or dshepardson@detnews.com.