Activists Indicted for Allegedly Transporting Immigrants

Associated Press
Aug. 5, 2005 07:20 AM http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0805ActivistsIndicted05-ON.html

TUCSON - Two border activists arrested last month with three undocumented immigrants in their vehicle have been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Daniel Strauss and Shanti Sellz and the three men were stopped by U.S. Border Patrol agents 25 miles from the Mexican border on July 9.

Strauss and Sellz, volunteers with the No More Deaths group, were arrested under a federal statute making it a crime to transport illegal entrants.

The two activists told the agents they were taking the men to Tucson's Southside Presbyterian Church because they were vomiting and suffering from bloody diarrhea.

Border Patrol officials have said the men were not ill and refused medical aid once in custody.

Federal prosecutors said Strauss and Sellz were indicted Wednesday on one count each of conspiracy to transport an undocumented immigrant and transporting an undocumented immigrant.

They are scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 11.

Prosecutors said the conspiracy charge carries a 10-year maximum sentence and the transporting charge carries a five-year maximum sentence.