Two Guatemalans nabbed in illegal border crossing in Pittsburg

PITTSBURG - Two Guatemalan men have been arrested in connection with illegal immigration offenses.

Esdras Aaron Calel-Cumes, 29, and Luis Felipe Xiloj-Ambrocio, 31, were arrested on Monday after they were detected just south of the Pittsburg Port of Entry near the Canadian border.

Calel-Cumes was charged with one count of transporting an illegal alien, and Xiloj-Ambrocio was charged with one count of illegal entry. Both men were scheduled to appear in federal court on Tuesday.

Remote surveillance equipment detected and captured images of a male walking in a remote and undeveloped area, just south of the Pittsburg Port of Entry in the northern most part of New Hampshire near the border, according to the charging documents. The men were stopped near Route 3.

Shortly thereafter, a responding Border Patrol Agent stopped a southbound vehicle after observing a male in the passenger seat who was wearing dark clothing like that of the individual who was captured on the surveillance images. The passenger was identified as Xiloj-Ambrocio. Both men were identified as Guatemalan nationals, and a record check revealed that neither Calel-Cumes nor Xiloj-Ambrocio had legal status in the United States.

The charge of transportation of an illegal alien carries a sentence of up to 5 years incarceration, up to 3 years of supervised released, and a fine up to $250,000. The charge of illegal entry carries a sentence of up to 6 months incarceration, up to 1 year of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.