ICE employee and son arrested for smuggling

By Trisha Maldonado
Douglas Dispatch
Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 3:34 PM MDT


Douglas resident Stella Peterson, 51, and her son Anthony Peterson, 30, were arrested and charged with harboring illegal aliens for profit on Aug. 31.


Stella Peterson is an employee with the U.S. Immigration and Customs.

“Stella Peterson, an investigative assistant assigned to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Douglas, was arrested Aug. 31 on allegations that she harbored illegal aliens,” Spokesperson for ICE, Amber Cargile said. “HSI takes all allegations of employee misconduct seriously and is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation by the Southern Arizona Corruption Task Force (SACTF). Ms. Peterson was placed on paid administrative leave following her arrest and will remain on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and criminal charges.”

According to court documents, on Aug. 28 three illegal aliens and material witnesses, Juan Ortiz-Garcia, Juan Jose Perez-Cruz and Juan Carlos Garduno-Ordonez told Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) agents, they had been smuggled into a residence located at 902 8th Street; the home of Stella Peterson.

Anthony Peterson was identified by two of the material witnesses as the person who harbored them.

The witnesses stated they had paid an unknown subject in Mexico approximately $2,000-$3,000 each to be smuggled by Anthony Peterson. Peterson charged them an additional $100 to be taken from an alleyway to his mother Stella Peterson’s house.

He was arrested and held at Cochise County jail and released to the SACTF on Aug. 31.

Stella Peterson provided the FBI with a voluntary statement stating she knew her son Anthony, had been harboring and smuggling illegal aliens in her home.

She admitted to having illegal aliens smuggled in and out of her residence on at least four other occasions. She also admitted to providing material assistance to the illegals and to receiving financial assistance for harboring them from her son.

No further information was provided at the time, the FBI’s Southern Arizona Corruption Task Force is conducting the ongoing investigation in this matter.

Copyright © 2013 Douglas Dispatch

Comments

    M wrote on Feb 10, 2013 9:45 PM:

    " Guilty before trial?i taught this was America people? "

    laughing it off wrote on Sep 29, 2012 10:45 AM:

    " I pray that Mrs.peterson gets probation.We have several good probation officers .I know of one that is soft hearted ,you need anything ask for him.He will do what you want from a-z.if you got away from this charge hes the man for you. "

    mmmmm wrote on Sep 27, 2012 9:28 PM:

    " Well its very simple everyone... she turned snitch, thats how get got off (if she did get off) i haven't seen a retraction statment in the paper or anywhere else for that matter. So time will tell... if she did get off, she if giving info to ICE, DEA, FBI, etc... if she didn't she will do her little time or get a fine, which is what happens in alien smuggling cases, and at least she'll lose her job, which is pretty good punishment too. "

    AGAIN wrote on Sep 27, 2012 4:00 PM:

    " MRS.Peterson held the position of investigative assistant?So who is investigating everybody else?MRS>Peterson can no longer investigate ?Whos next ?Joe Arpaio?HE should put her in the tents !I love you Joe Arpaio !! COME AND SAVE US FROM ALL THIS CORRUPTION . "

    Unknown wrote on Sep 26, 2012 11:08 PM:

    " The courts owe the public an explanation why this case was dismissed so that others can harbor illegals, earn money and get away with it just like these people did. "

    unknown wrote on Sep 26, 2012 11:03 PM:

    " How can she be innocent when she admitted knowing her son was harboring illegals in her own home on several different occasions? ya she had to have slept with someone or pay someone to clear her name. We all wonder why the system is the way it is!!!!! "

    Marcos wrote on Sep 26, 2012 7:00 PM:

    " You mean besides the part where it says she provided a statement saying she did it? There's a difference between being innocent and not charged. Well all smugglers should be so lucky. "

    tamika wrote on Sep 26, 2012 6:34 PM:

    " i wonder if there is a different set of rules for each position whether it is correctional officers ice agents probat ion officers shouldnt there be a justice system equal for all you do the crime pay the time so if nnocent lady was found innocent with illegals in her house .Mr.Rose should be innocent with the drugs in his car as well as the other cos caught up in this scandal the headlines say Douglas wake up and smell the coffee well maybe we all should but about the reality here in Douglas maybe if we all have good paying lawyers we could get away with everything too.I really think that none of these people took their jobs into consideration because i do know alot of legal law enforcement .But lets all read Mr.Morgans book now he knew what Douglas is really about "

    thats the beauty wrote on Sep 24, 2012 11:24 AM:

    " We want criminals to pay for their crimes, and that is great.. but we have a system in place. There is obviously a lot more to the story that we dont know about. If she is innocent, i wish her the best. We shouldnt be blinded by our zelis and need for people to go down for what they've done. Believe me, i am one of those that gets caught up in the want and must see justice served. Our system is not perrfect, but it works if the truth is known. If she is inocent, good luck to her... if she is not, she will pay, if not by the justice system, by gods hands. "

    yvette wrote on Sep 23, 2012 1:04 PM:

    " Obviously she was found innocent. The charges were dropped and the truth came out so for all those with opinion and false negative words. The courts found her innocent.Get a life douglas. "

    yvette wrote on Sep 23, 2012 12:51 PM:

    " obviously the media jumped on this story before the investagation was complete!!! She is innocent and leave it at that!!all charges were dropped against her for a reason. -SHE DID NO WRONG!! "

    Kathy wrote on Sep 22, 2012 7:00 PM:

    " very happy to hear that,we her friends and her family knew she was innecent since the beganning!thats why we should never comment if dont know whats the scoop, thats why they make the MEAT MORE JUICIER so ppl can talk! but JUSTICE was DONE! like it or not "

    maria wrote on Sep 22, 2012 1:45 PM:

    " how could her name be clear she came on front page tha something fishy ha who could say no evidence when she admits she was doing not fooling and old person ha ha ha "

    DOUGLAS wrote on Sep 21, 2012 4:35 PM:

    " for all who comment!!! charges were dissmissed!!! for your information no evidence found !!! GOD DID JUSTICE!!!! "

    jose wrote on Sep 20, 2012 7:30 PM:

    " show the public her picture and her son's .so that the public will see them
    just like you display la madrid"s.anglos vs. mexican???? "

    Jorge wrote on Sep 20, 2012 6:19 PM:

    " Now I like that ICE and the Anti Corruption Task Force was doing their job. They rooted out the corruption in their own ranks. Let us hope that the Dept. of Corrections will do the same thing with their own people. "

    angelica wrote on Sep 19, 2012 10:19 PM:

    " wow little miss perfect lock her up and it runs in her family like mother and son ha ha ha "

    maria wrote on Sep 19, 2012 10:06 PM:

    " what else could happen here in douglas too many corrupt persons with the government god she needs to pay for her actions no buts or ifs lock that lady u
    she deserves to be ina cage government hum. "

    Sandy wrote on Sep 19, 2012 7:21 PM:

    " This person has admitted to criminal behavior and is on PAID leave? She should be fired! "

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