Two men accused of illegally bringing 14 Cuban migrants to Fla.

Posted on Thu, Feb. 09, 2006

Two men accused of illegally bringing 14 Cuban migrants to Fla.
Associated Press

KEY WEST, Fla. - Two men accused of smuggling 14 Cuban migrants into the
United States have been charged in federal court, authorities said Thursday.

Umberto G. Gonzalez and Larry A. Mitchell are charged with illegally
bringing aliens to the United States, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

A 38-foot boat driven by Gonzalez ran aground Tuesday on Little Duck
Key, an uninhabited island accessible only by watercraft, authorities
said. Fourteen people on board claimed to be Cuban nationals, and were
taken into U.S. custody on the island.

The boat was heading to the United States from Cuba, and refused to stop
when approached by U.S. authorities, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

If convicted, Gonzalez and Mitchell face a maximum sentence of 10 years
in prison and a $250,000 fine, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. It was
not immediately clear if the men had attorneys.

http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/13834252.htm