AZMEX EXTRA 28 APR 2012
Note: If true, being sent to Vera Cruz very unusual.
Status and disposition of truck and cargo?
Family demands Mexico free jailed Irving trucker
by JONATHAN BETZ
WFAA
Posted on April 28, 2012 at 9:57 PM
Updated today at 2:16 AM
http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/Family-protests-to-demand-jailed-
trucker-released-149392095.html
Mother of Dallas trucker jailed in Mexico fights for son's return
Family calls Mexican ammunition bust an honest mistake
DALLAS — The family of Jabin Bogan, the Irving truck driver jailed in
Mexico, is growing more anxious about his welfare as the days pass.
"I want my son home! Please, let my child go," pleaded his mother,
Aletha Smith, at a rally she helped organize at Victory Park Saturday
afternoon hoping to convince Mexican authorities to free her son. "He
has done nothing wrong!"
For nearly two weeks, Bogan, 27, has been confined to the Villa
Aldama federal prison in the state of Veracruz. U.S. Embassy
officials in Mexico said the Mexican government has charged him with
smuggling after he was stopped driving an 18-wheeler loaded with
268,000 rounds of military ammunition.
Bogan's boss, Dennis Mekenye at Demco Express in Euless, has said
that Bogan got lost and simply made a wrong turn into Mexico. Mekenye
has supplied News 8 with work orders showing the ammunition was on
its way legally to an Arizona store.
"It was an honest mistake," Mekenye said. "He missed an exit and
found himself in Mexico with those ammo and bullets."
He said Bogan found himself at the Bridge of The Americas in El Paso
and was unable to make a U-turn. GPS coordinates show Bogan was in
Mexico — likely at the border crossing — for only a few minutes
before authorities stopped him and searched the truck.
"He made one wrong turn, and we don't even know if he's coming home
or not," said Bogan's long-time girlfriend Tonya Davis. She said
their six-year-old son, Jakobe, is anxious to hug his father and play
football with him again.
"I want him to be home," Jakobe added.
Mexican authorities worry that the ammunition in Bogan's truck was
destined for the assault rifles of the drug cartels. Richard Roper, a
former U.S. Attorney, said Mexico is especially concerned about gun-
runners.
"Mexico is very, very sensitive about the issues of guns traveling
south into Mexico," he said. "It's a completely different system, and
that is one of the issues this truck driver will face."
The U.S. Embassy said officials have visited with Bogan and remain in
contact with his family. But the trucker's mother wants more to be done.
If convicted, Bogan could face up to 35 years in prison.
"I want my son home," Aletha Smith said through tears. "I want my son
home back here on the U.S. soil — back in his mother's arms."
E-mail jbetz@wfaa.com
Note: From El Diario
United States Congressman pleads for truck driver who crossed
ammunition into Mexico
Reuters | 04.28.2012 | 14:45
http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?
f=2012/04/28&id=b2fd360a1f05990496b8653e439d10fc
El Paso Congressman Silvestre Reyes announced today that insist the
Mexican authorities to release the driver of a truck loaded with 268
thousand rounds who was arrested last week in Ciudad Juarez.
"Mr. Jabin Bogan accidentally entered the southbound lanes of the
intersection of Cordova International of the Americas, El Paso-Ciudad
Juarez," he explained to Efe El Paso lawmaker, who validated version
of the driver and the head of this ensuring that the cargo was bound
for Phoenix, Arizona.
Reyes said that to initiate discussions with the Mexican authorities
to develop a procedure in cases of U.S. residents who mistakenly
enter the lines of the international crossings southbound and end in
Mexico.
The Mexican government last week filed charges against Bogan, 27, a
native of Dallas, Texas, who was transferred to Ciudad Juarez to the
federal prison in Villa Ahumada, in Veracruz state and be prosecuted
and found guilty he faces up to 35 years in prison.
In a statement, the Embassy of Mexico in Washington said that Bogan
was arrested on April 20, when customs officials in Ciudad Juarez
found the shipment.
"If he had indicated that he had the wrong path and needed to return
to the United States before reaching Mexico, we would have stopped
the traffic and we helped him return to the north," said the
spokesman for the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP ) in
El Paso, Roger Maier.
Reyes explained that it has established contact with the ambassador
of Mexico in the United States, Arturo Sarukhan, asking that the case
be heard by a fair in the Mexican legal system and to intercede and
do your best to secure the release of the U.S. driver.
The congressman, who is in the midst of his campaign to regain the
seat in the federal lower house disputes the district with ex-
representative Beto O'Rourke said that the issue of Americans who
accidentally cross into Mexico carrying weapons must be treated
binational meetings.
"This is an example that we need approve the International Ports Act
which provides for the allocation of funds for infrastructure
improvements at the intersections of access and exit the country," he
said.
He said this would inject funds into the construction of access that
allow drivers to inadvertently enter the lane en route to Mexico, to
return on time for the United States before being forced to reach the
neighboring country.
There have already been jailed and prosecuted U.S. citizens entering
Mexican territory with a weapon or ammunition and who claim to have
taken the paths to Mexico by accident and have had no way back to the
country.
Congresista de EU intercede por camionero que cruzó municiones a México
EFE | 28-04-2012 | 14:45
http://www.diario.com.mx/notas.php?
f=2012/04/28&id=b2fd360a1f05990496b8653e439d10fc
El Paso— El congresista Silvestre Reyes anunció hoy que insistirá
ante las autoridades mexicanas para que liberen al conductor de un
camión cargado con 268 mil cartuchos que fue detenido la semana
pasada en Ciudad Juárez.
"El señor Jabin Bogan ingresó accidentalmente a los carriles con
dirección al sur del cruce internacional de Córdova de las Américas,
El Paso-Ciudad Juárez", expuso a Efe el legislador por El Paso, quien
validó la versión del chófer y del jefe de éste que aseguran que el
cargamento tenía como destino final Phoenix, Arizona.
Reyes adelantó que iniciará conversaciones con las autoridades
mexicanas para desarrollar un procedimiento en casos de residentes
estadounidenses que ingresen por error en las líneas de los cruces
internacionales con rumbo al sur y terminen en México.
El gobierno mexicano presentó esta semana cargos contra Bogan, de 27
años y originario de Dallas, Texas, quien fue trasladado de Ciudad
Juárez a la prisión federal de Villa Ahumada, en el estado de
Veracruz y de ser procesado y encontrado culpable enfrenta hasta 35
años de cárcel.
En un comunicado, la embajada de México en Washington indicó que
Bogan fue detenido el 20 de abril, cuando agentes de aduanas en
Ciudad Juárez descubrieron el cargamento.
"Si nos hubiera indicado que se había equivocado de ruta y que
necesitaba regresar a EU antes de llegar a México, hubiéramos
detenido el tráfico y le hubiéramos ayudado a retornar al norte",
dijo el portavoz de la Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza
(CBP) en El Paso, Roger Maier.
Reyes expuso que ha establecido contacto con el embajador de México
en EU, Arturo Sarukhán, para pedirle que el caso se ventile en forma
justa en el sistema legal mexicano y que interceda y haga lo posible
para lograr la liberación del estadounidense.
El congresista, que se encuentra en medio de su campaña electoral
para ganar nuevamente la silla en el Cámara baja federal que le
disputa el exregidor municipal Beto O'Rourke, indicó que el asunto de
estadounidenses que accidentalmente cruzan a México llevando
armamento debe ser tratado en reuniones binacionales.
"Este es un ejemplo de que necesitamos aprobar la Ley de Puertos
Internacionales que contempla la adjudicación de fondos para mejorar
la infraestructura en los cruces de acceso y salida del país", sostuvo.
Indicó que esto permitiría inyectar fondos a la construcción de
accesos que permitan a los conductores que inadvertidamente ingresan
a los carriles rumbo a México, poder regresar a tiempo a su EU antes
de ser forzados a llegar al país vecino.
Anteriormente ya han sido encarcelados y enjuiciados ciudadanos
estadounidenses que ingresan a territorio mexicano con un arma o
municiones y que aseguran haber tomado los carriles rumbo a México
por accidente y no haber tenido manera de regresar al país.
No comments:
Post a Comment