Teen receives 10-year sentence for attack on immigrants
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A teen who beat and raped illegal immigrants attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexican border has been sentenced to more than 10 years in prison.
U.S. District Judge George H. King handed down the 121-month prison term Monday against Obed Estudillo Martinez, 17, of Puebla, Mexico. Martinez had been ordered to be tried as an adult and pleaded guilty in January before his trial began.
The judge harshly criticized Martinez and said the length of the prison term was based, in part, on the finding that some of the victims had been raped.
Martinez admitted he was part of a smuggling ring that helped a group of about 20 undocumented immigrants into the country in November 1999.
The ring leader, Mario Arenas-Morales, demanded $1,000 from the relatives of the immigrants who lived in the United States.
Prosecutors said the immigrants were taken to two Los Angeles apartments where several of the women were beaten and raped. Martinez confessed he raped the women, beat the men and used a pair of pliers to rip off one man's ear, under Morales' guidance.
The immigrants were held for three days before smugglers dropped them off at various deserted locations. Martinez opted to take two of the women to a supermarket where he gave them some money and a phone card to call relatives, according to court documents.
Martinez was arrested in December 1999 as he attempted to cross the border. He lead authorities to one of the apartments where the illegal immigrants had been held and where several other smugglers were found.
King did not give Martinez the maximum sentence allowed, saying he believed the teen had shown an "extraordinary acceptance of responsibility."
The judge said he would recommend to the Bureau of Prisons that Martinez serve as much time as possible at a federal juvenile corrections facility instead of an adult prison.
Morales and five others were convicted last September of harboring illegal immigrants, assault and hostage-taking.
Copyright © 2001 The Sacramento
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