EL PASO, Texas Two former U.S. Border Patrol agents were each sentenced Thursday to more than a decade in federal prison for shooting and wounding a Mexican drug smuggler and trying to cover it up.
Ignacio Ramos was sentenced to 11 years and one day, and Jose Alonso Compean was sentenced to 12 years. Both were fired after their convictions on several charges, including assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice, and a civil rights violation.
The men, neither of whom spoke in court, will be allowed to turn themselves in Jan. 17.
The agents have proclaimed their innocence in the Feb. 17, 2005, shooting in the buttocks of admitted drug smuggler Osvlado Aldrete Davila.
Their convictions have drawn criticism from members of the U.S. Congress and others who say the men are being punished for doing their jobs. A handful of protesters outside the courtroom held signs with messages such as "Trial's for Criminals, Not Cops" and "Miscarriage of Justice to Convict Heroes!"
Before the sentencing, Walter Boyaki, a U.S. civil lawyer for the victim, asked the judge to do her job "and not have the possibility that we put a bull's-eye on every illegal alien and say 'Go get 'em.'"
Boyake said Aldrete was physically incapacitated and could not be in court Thursday.
Aldrete was shot as he fled across the Rio Grande into Mexico after a confrontation with Ramos and Compean. The agents said they shot in self defense, but prosecutors charged that they had no reason to shoot at the fleeing man, who later claimed he was unarmed.
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