US v. Flores-Blanco, No. 09-50040

Alien Smuggling Conviction Affirmed

In US v. Flores-Blanco, No. 09-50040, the court affirmed defendant's alien smuggling conviction where 1) the district court did not err either in its handling of a co-defendant's invocation of the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination or in its admission of evidence of prior bad acts by defendant; and 2) there was sufficient evidence to uphold defendant's conviction, as an aider and abettor, of bringing an unauthorized alien to the U.S., as well as his conspiracy conviction.

As the court wrote:  "Ernesto Flores-Blanco was arrested after border patrol agents observed him coordinating the illegal crossing of a Mexican national into the United States. Following a jury trial, Flores-Blanco was convicted of bringing an unauthorized alien to the United States for financial gain; conspiracy to bring an unauthorized alien to the United States; and inducing and encouraging an unauthorized alien to enter the United States, all in violation of various subsections of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a). Flores-Blanco now appeals."

Related Resources

• Full Text of US v. Flores-Blanco, No. 09-50040