WASHINGTON, DC. October 20, 2006 – Today Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA) expressed his disappointment over the recent sentencing of Border Patrol Agent’s Ramos and Compean. Both agents were sentenced to over a decade for their pursuit of Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, an illegal immigrant and drug smuggler from Mexico.

"I am disappointed that the judge did not take into account the mitigating circumstances of this case," stated Rep. Calvert. "We should be commending Border Patrol agents for pursuing a fleeing drug smuggler, not sending them to prison based on the testimony of a criminal who received full immunity to testify."

On February 17, 2005, Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean confronted illegal alien Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila who was transporting 743lbs of marijuana from Mexico into the U.S. According to news stories, Ramos responded to a call for back up from Compean who had tried to pull Aldrete-Davila over. Aldrete-Davila ran from the Border Patrol agents and after hearing shots fired and seeing Compean on the ground, Ramos shot Aldrete-Davila. The prosecution contends that Ramos and Compean fired at Aldrete-Davila after he tried to surrender. A Texas jury convicted Ramos and Compean of assault with serious bodily injury; assault with a deadly weapon; discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence; and a civil rights violation. The judge in the case sentenced Ramos to 11 years and one day, and Jose Alonso Compean was sentenced to 12 years.

"In light of the special circumstances surrounding this case I fully support the call for congressional hearings by Senator Feinstein and Congressman Sensenbrenner to review this case and Border Patrol policies," said Rep. Calvert. "We should not unjustly punish those who guard our borders while protecting the ‘rights’ of foreign drug smugglers."

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