Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY

A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 28 July 2017

Troubled trucking firm faces scrutiny after Texas deaths

By RYAN J. FOLEY der. Company owner Brian
Associated Press Pyle has denied any knowl-
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The edge of human smuggling,
trucking company linked to but declined to comment
the recent deadly human Monday on the company’s
smuggling case in Texas operations and did not re-
had promoted itself as an turn additional messages
American success: a fam- left Thursday seeking com-
ily firm whose hard-working ment.
drivers helped keep the On its website, which has
U.S. economy running. since been taken down,
But behind that image Pyle Transportation adver-
was a cutthroat business tised its fleet of high-end
that flouted federal laws rigs and boasted of deliver-
for years, yet managed to ing refrigerated shipments
stay afloat despite financial of meat and produce on
troubles and tangles with time to customers from its
prosecutors, regulators and rural Iowa base.
tax collectors, according Playing upbeat music and
to public records and inter- flashing photos of smiling
views with former drivers. truckers, the site touted
Now, Pyle Transportation love of country, faith in God
faces the biggest threat In this Monday, July 24, 2017, photo, Brian Pyle, owner of Pyle Transportation Inc., the Iowa and the company’s slo-
to its survival yet after one trucking company linked to the deadly case of immigrant smuggling in Texas, speaks to reporters gan: “Keepin’ it Cool Since
of its contract drivers was in Schaller, Iowa. The company had long promoted itself as an American success: a family firm 1950.” Two of Bradley’s for-
charged Monday in the whose hard-working drivers helped keep the nation’s economy running. Pyle has denied any mer Pyle colleagues were
deaths of 10 immigrants knowledge of human smuggling. stunned to learn about
found in a sweltering Pyle (Jared Strong/Carroll Daily Times Herald via AP) the deaths and struggling
trailer in San Antonio’s have described as sophisti- The driver, 60-year-old after stopping Sunday at a to understand what hap-
100-degree heat. cated and possibly linked to James “Bear” Bradley Jr., Walmart to urinate. Inves- pened. “They are always
Investigators are scrutiniz- a Mexican cartel. Federal has told investigators that tigators say dozens of im- looking for ways to save
ing Pyle’s claim that it knew regulators have launched he was unaware any im- migrants were packed into money and make money,”
nothing about an opera- an investigation into the migrants were in the trailer, the dark trailer after being said Moffitt, who has known
tion that federal authorities company’s safety record. saying he heard their pleas smuggled across the bor- Bradley for 30 years.q

Alleged mastermind of Jamaican lottery scam pleads guilty

By BLAKE NICHOLSON reached an agreement 10 years because he coop- scams in October 2009 lost a total of more than
Associated Press with federal prosecutors erated with authorities. The when he returned to Ja- $5.7 million. The case has
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A in North Dakota earlier this government also will rec- maica and wanted to help a total of 15 defendants,
Jamaican man accused month and appeared in ommend that he pay res- his mother through finan- including Willocks and his
of masterminding a lottery court Thursday to enter his titution. U.S. District Judge cial problems. “If you don’t mother. “I’m hopeful we
scam that defrauded doz- plea. Prosecutors dropped Daniel Hovland didn’t im- know somebody, it’s hard can really move forward
ens of mostly elderly Ameri- 65 other counts of wire mediately schedule sen- to get a job,” Willocks said. with this case and have
cans out of millions of dol- fraud, mail fraud and mon- tencing. Authorities say the scam some closure,” he said.
lars has pleaded guilty to ey laundering. Willocks, who has a bach- operated out of a Kings- Another defendant, Grego-
conspiracy, and a federal Willocks faces up to 40 elor’s degree in hospitality ton, Jamaica, mansion ry Gooden, who was arrest-
prosecutor says more de- years in prison, though administration from South- where Willocks lived with his ed in Jamaica last month,
fendants in the case might prosecutors have agreed ern New Hampshire Uni- mother, Dahlia Hunter, who has an initial appearance
do the same. to recommend a much versity, told Hovland that also is charged. At least 90 scheduled Friday in federal
Lavrick Willocks, 28, lighter punishment of about he got involved in lottery mostly elderly Americans court in Bismarck. q