Mexican receives life sentence in smuggling-related Phoenix hostage case

PHOENIX - A Mexican man has been sentenced to life in prison plus seven years after being found guilty by a federal jury of multiple charges for his role in a violent smuggling-related hostage incident investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Bernardo Mancinas-Flores, 29 of Escuinapa, Sinaloa, Mexico, was sentenced here yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver. In imposing a life sentence, Judge Silver noted that Macinas-Flores' crimes were committed with malice against people who were vulnerable due to their illegal status in the United States.

Mancinas-Flores, along with at least two others, was part of a violent group of alien smugglers. In October 2005, they were found holding 15 illegal aliens, including a 3-year-old girl, in a house in Phoenix. While at the house, the illegal aliens were held at gunpoint and threatened with death. In addition, two adult female victims were sexually assaulted at gunpoint by Mancinas-Flores. Three victims of the hostage-taking ordeal gave emotional testimony at trial.

In addition to the life sentence, Mancinas-Flores received concurrent 10-year terms for two charges of harboring aliens and a seven-year consecutive term for the use of a firearm during the hostage taking. Mancinas-Flores' co-defendant, Andres Vasquez-Vera, who was not involved in the sexual assaults, pleaded guilty to possession or use of a firearm during a crime of violence and was previously sentenced to 84 months in federal prison.