Fort Bliss soldier gets 15 months for trying to smuggle two illegal immigrants from Mexico in exchange for $1,500
Joseph Edmond Cleveland, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiracy-related human smuggling counts
Co-defendant Marco Nava Jr, 20, also pleaded guilty in the smuggling case and awaits sentencing
Nava and Cleveland were arrested by Border Patrol agents at Falfurias, Texas, checkpoint on June 18
The active-duty soldiers were caught trying to smuggle two Mexican citizens in the back seat of a Mazda
One immigrant was deported back to Mexico. The other was sentenced to 120 days in prison
SNEJANA FARBEROV
DAILYMAIL.COM
10 February 2017
A Fort Bliss soldier has been sentenced to 15 months in federal prison for trying to smuggle two illegal immigrants through a South Texas border checkpoint.
Joseph Edmond Cleveland, of El Paso, Texas, was handed down his sentence Thursday in Corpus Christi.
Cleveland, 25, pleaded guilty in November to conspiracy-related human smuggling counts. He originally faced up to 10 years in federal prison.
As part of his sentence, the soldier will also be required to serve three years of supervised release following completion of his prison term.
He is currently out on bond and will be permitted to voluntarily turn himself to the US Marshals at a later date to begin serving his prison term.
Officials say Cleveland tried to use his military status to drive two undocumented immigrants through the Falfurrias checkpoint last June.
Cleveland and another Fort Bliss soldier, 20-year-old Marco Antonio Nava Jr, also of El Paso, were in civilian clothes with two passengers.
Authorities say the immigrants were coached on responding to Border Patrol officers but lacked proper identification and were detained.
Prosecutors say Cleveland and Nava said a man had approached them offering $1,500 to bring the immigrants into the US.
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