I-70 stop results in charges for human trafficking, transporting six undocumented immigrants

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

A 42-year-old East Coast man is facing criminal charges for allegedly transporting six undocumented immigrants in a scenario uncovered Friday night by Indiana State Police at Putnamville.

Roberto Ramirez-Cruz

An Indiana State Police trooper reportedly stopped an eastbound vehicle, driven by Roberto Ramirez-Cruz, on Interstate 70 in southwestern Putnam County.

Inside the vehicle with Ramirez-Cruz were six persons -- five men and one woman -- all reportedly undocumented. Those six were taken into custody and transported to the Clay County Jail at Brazil, which maintains a contract as a detention facility with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE).

Ramirez-Cruz was initially lodged in the Putnam County Jail on charges of human trafficking, a Level 3 felony (punishable by 3-16 years in prison), and transporting an undocumented alien, a Class A misdemeanor. However, he was released to ICE custody at 7:45 a.m. Tuesday and transferred to the Clay County Jail.

Reports indicated Ramirez-Cruz was transporting the six immigrants to either New York or Philadelphia, where they were allegedly supposed to work as indentured servants until the cost of their transportation had been satisfactorily worked off.

Now they are scheduled to face deportation proceedings through ICE.

Putnam County Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter said he received a call from the trooper Friday night with questions about filing charges in Putnam County. However, he was later told that ICE officials were making it a federal case and Putnam County courts would not be needed.

"Above the state charges," a State Police spokesman told the Banner Graphic, "the investigation is ongoing and will be handled by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency."

Being held in custody at Brazil along with Ramirez-Cruz were:

-- Judith Cornelio-Cruz, 34.

-- Edgar Domingo Hernandez-Ramos, 45.

-- Ernesto Morales-Gaspar, 19.

-- Emilion Cruz-Cruz, 26.

-- Evelio Alvarado-Reyes, 26.

-- Javier Lopez-Martinez, 24.

No hometowns were available on the alleged undocumented immigrants.

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