Pinoy admits smuggling over 25 illegals into US

NEWARK, New Jersey (AP) — A Filipino man pleaded guilty Monday to participating in a human smuggling ring that brought more than 25 people from his homeland into the United States illegally.

Roehl Rivera, of Cabanatuan City, faces up to five years in prison. His sentencing is set for Sept. 27.

In pleading guilty to a single conspiracy charge, Rivera implicated a former driver at the Micronesian Embassy in Washington, Enrico Calderon, who was indicted in May and awaits trial.

Calderon, 41, of Springfield, Virginia, has pleaded not guilty and is being held without bail. Besides a conspiracy charge, he faces five counts of smuggling aliens for money, a charge that carries three to 10 years in prison.

Rivera said the scheme to smuggle illegal immigrants through Newark Liberty International Airport ran from May 2004 through about January 2006. Rivera was arrested at the airport Jan. 5 after using Micronesian passports from Calderon for himself and three Filipinos, authorities said.

According to the Calderon indictment, he charged up to $15,000 each for doctored passports stolen from the embassy.