Airport staff indicted on human smuggling charges

Two ticket agent contractors for Delta Airlines and an airport employee have been indicted for conspiring to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States. Diana Telemaque and Felicia Brown, the ticket agents, were arrested Thursday along with baggage handler Daniel Confidente.

According to a statement by the U.S. Department of Justice, Telemaque and Brown allegedly sold tickets to illegal immigrants. All three have been accused of aiding an unspecified number of illegal immigrants in getting into the United States from May 2008 to July 2009.

Many illegal immigrants try to get into the U.S. Caribbean territory every year – some to stay, others to use it as a jumping-off point to the mainland United States.

A Delta spokeswoman says that the airline is cooperating with the government and that Telemaque and Brown, who were contractors rather than full employees, have been dismissed.

The three suspects were released on bail of $10,000. If convicted, they could face up to a decade in prison.

[Photo by Ken_Mayer via Flickr, licensed under Creative Commons]

Filed under: North America, United States, Airlines, Caribbean