Mexican judge drops charges against four tied to truck deaths

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http://www.mysanantonio.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D88117CO0.html


A Mexican federal judge has dismissed charges against four people accused in a human-smuggling ring responsible for the deaths of 19 illegal immigrants.

The four people fled to Mexico after an abandoned trailer was found in Victoria in May 2003. The victims died of dehydration, suffocation and hyperthermia.

Victor Sanchez Rodriguez; his wife, Emma Sapata Rodriguez; Rosa Sarrata Gonzalez; and Octavio Torres Ortega were among 14 people indicted by a Houston federal grand jury in June 2003. They were arrested in Mexico with 11 other people who are not wanted in the United States.

Judge Hector Lara said the charges were thrown out because 34 witnesses presented by Mexico's Federal Attorney General's Office had false identifications. It was unclear if the three fugitive Americans will be deported or whether U.S. officials will seek to extradite them and Torres