MOHAVE COUNTY – A California man transporting illegal immigrants from Phoenix made it a little less than halfway to Los Angeles before he was busted in Mohave Valley 4 months ago. Deputy Mohave County Attorney Ken Sheffield said the smuggling effort unraveled April 15 when a sheriff’s deputy pulled over a Toyota Highlander at 3:00 a.m. for left front headlight failure in the vicinity of highway 95 and East Joy Lane.

Sheffield said the deputy spotted others attempting to conceal themselves as he approached the vehicle driven by Santos Chaj, 32, of Los Angeles. “Deputy Lopez observed several subjects laying in the trunk area and across the back seat,” Sheffield said during an Aug. 12 change of plea hearing conducted by Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert.

Sheffield said some of the 8 Guatemalan nationals ranging from 20-26 years of age indicated their families had agreed to pay about 150,000 pesos—roughly $7,500—to get them to L.A. Six counts were dismissed in exchange for Chaj’s guilty plea to two human smuggling charges.

The Guatemalans were turned over to U.S. Customs officials for possible deportation.

Terms of the deal require Judge Lambert to impose a 180-day jail sentence and place Chaj on probation at an Aug. 31 sentencing hearing. Sheffield said Chaj also faces possible deportation as an alleged illegal migrant.

Dave Hawkins