Listen Like a Local Park City & Heber City Summit & Wasatch counties, Utah

Man Arrested In Summit County While Smuggling Eight Illegal Immigrants

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

A 33-year old man was arrested in Summit County Saturday after law enforcement officers discovered him smuggling eight illegal immigrants on I-80.

33-year-old Rolando Gomez-Gomez was arrested and booked into Summit County Jail on Saturday with suspected 3rd degree Felony Human Smuggling and a class A misdemeanor Obstruction of Justice – False Information.

According to a probable cause statement, A task force officer with Homeland Security Investigations pulled over Gomez near Hoytsville on I-80 Eastbound for traveling 78 mph in a 70-mph zone.  He also observed the vehicle weaving in the lanes. When the officer approached the vehicle, he noticed eight other men in the car, the officer said it looked like the men were trying to hide.

When the officer asked Gomez for his ID, he gave him a false ID card with the name Rolando Hernandez-Paxtor. After some investigation the officer learned Gomez true identity and that he had been arrested previously for Alien Smuggling. The officer asked Gomez if he knew the men in the vehicle, he said he did not. The passengers in the car later told the officer they had paid Gomez to drive them to other states including Nebraska and New Jersey. Gomez admitted to this and said he had done multiple trips before, driving illegal immigrants throughout the US.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
KPCW reporter David Boyle covers all things in the Heber Valley as well as sports and breaking news.