ST. LOUIS — Nine people have been indicted on federal charges following a traffic stop along Interstate 44 in Eureka August 2.
All nine people face charges for unlawful re-entry into the United States because they had each been previously deported, according to a press release.
The driver of the van, 34-year-old Rene Flores-Calderon, allegedly smuggled eight people into St. Louis County before being discovered on I-44.
During the traffic stop, they were unable to provide any paperwork to officials, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
In addition to the unlawful re-entry charge, Flores-Calderon faces additional smuggling charges.
The eight others who were indicted Wednesday are:
- Eladio Velasquez-Velasquez, age 24, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Calexico, California earlier in 2018 to Mexico.
- Elias Velasquez-Vleasquez, age 30, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Brownsville, Texas in 2009 to Mexico.
- Enrique Sebastian Cedillo-Santiago, age 24, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Brownsville, Texas in 2017 to Guatemala.
- Mynor Lucas Galvez-Galvez, age 28, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Phoenix, Arizona in 2015 to Guatemala.
- Jose David Hernandez-Salazar, age 34, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Chandler, Arizona in 2007 to Honduras.
- Aaron Danilo Rivera-Urbina, age 29, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Phoenix, Arizona in 2016 to Honduras.
- Carlos Joel Perez-Merino, age 32, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Phoenix, Arizona earlier in 2018 to El Salvador.
- Jose Danilo Balan-Boc, age 21, who is alleged to have been previously deported earlier in 2018 to Guatemala.
Following the traffic stop, all nine people were handed over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and have been in immigration custody since then.
If convicted, all nine could face deportation from the US after serving time in prison.
