Member of crew that ripped off drug smugglers to face sentencing

November 24, 2012

A man accused of robbing drug smugglers after they sneaked across the border into the U.S. will be sentenced next month. Rito Osorio-Arellanes will face sentencing in federal court on a conspiracy conviction December 17. Authorities say he was a member of a rip-off crew that preyed on marijuana smugglers.

Five other members of the ring were accused of murder in the December 2010 shooting death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, whose killing touched off the Fast and Furious gun walking scandal.

Osorio-Arellanes was in custody before that shooting and doesn’t face murder charges in Terry’s death. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.

One of the five people charged in Agent Terry’s death has pleaded guilty to murder. One other person is in custody, three remain fugitives.