Human smuggler arrested on I-75 for illegally bringing migrants to Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A traffic stop on Interstate 75 in Alachua County led to state troopers arresting a man for smuggling ten people into Florida who were in the United States illegally.

On Monday, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper pulled over an SUV on I-75 in Alachua County for having extremely dark window tinting. When the trooper spoke to the driver Carlos Velasco Mancilla, 24, he seemed overly nervous. Inside the vehicle, were nine other people.

When the trooper asked about the passengers, Velasco Mancilla called them his “companeros” and did not know the names of the passengers. The trooper stated in the arrest report, a strong body odor emanated from the vehicle.

Velasco Mancilla, who did not have a valid driver’s license, stated he was not paid for transporting the passengers. However, a Spanish-speaking trooper interviewed them and many admitted to paying to be transported. Most left from Oklahoma and were headed to Ocala or the Tampa area.

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Homeland Security officials confirmed Velasco Mancilla and all of the passengers were in the country illegally. Velasco Mancilla was charged with 10 counts of human smuggling and one count of driving without a valid driver’s license.

The arresting trooper requested the court issue a high bond for Velasco Mancilla because of the possibility of him fleeing the country due to his contacts in Mexico.

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