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Marana man found guilty of transporting illegal aliens

PHOENIX, AZ - Darrell Wayne Dempsey, 49, of Marana, Ariz., was found guilty of Illegal Transportation of an Alien, by a federal jury this week. The case was tried before United States District Court Judge Frederick Martone on February 2, 2010. The defendant is being held in custody pending sentencing. Sentencing is set before Judge Martone on April 26, 2010.

On August 24, 2009, Dempsey was driving a GMC pickup truck northwest on Interstate 10 near Casa Grande, Ariz. At approximately 10:00 p.m., a Pinal County Sheriff's Deputy stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation. Before coming to a complete stop, Dempsey pulled to the shoulder of the road but continued driving at a slow rate of speed. When the defendant's truck slowed down, approximately ten Hispanic males jumped out of the passenger side of the truck and ran into the desert. After stopping the defendant, Deputies found five more people hidden inside the truck, four of whom were trapped inside the truck bed, underneath a flat, screwed-down cover that prevented them from opening the tailgate from the inside. Dempsey stated he expected to be paid $50 per alien passenger.

A conviction for Illegal Transportation of an Alien carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, a fine of $250,000, or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Martone will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide a suggested sentencing range. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

The investigation leading to the guilty verdict was conducted by the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and the United States Border Patrol. The prosecution was handled by Leta Hollon and Cassie Bray Woo, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.