Bangladeshi man faces U.S. charges for human smuggling

Saifullah Al-Mamun, 39, appeared in a Laredo, Texas, court Monday to face charges of conspiring to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States, according to the Justice Department. Brazilian authorities recently helped U.S. law enforcement extradite Al-Mamun, who is a citizen of Bangladesh.

Al-Mamun is accused of using São Paulo, Brazil, as a base from which to arrange travel routes for migrants who planned to illegally enter the United States. He allegedly worked with co-conspirators who also helped house and transport illegal immigrants, including one who showed people where to cross the Rio Grande River, according to the Justice Department. The group made as much as tens of thousands of dollars per person. The co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty and were both sentenced to 46 months in prison, according to the department.

What penalties will Al-Mamun face, if convicted? The indictment against him includes several counts of bringing an alien into the United States for financial gain. If convicted on all those counts, he could spend five to 15 years in prison, according to the Justice Department. Other related charges against him would carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

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