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Congressman's Son Faces Charges

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By BILLY HOUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 17, 2008

WASHINGTON - The 30-year-old son of a Florida congressman was charged with smuggling illegal immigrants after federal authorities found people hidden in his truck during a border inspection Sunday in Arizona.

U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd, a Democrat from Monticello, in Florida's Panhandle, said Tuesday in a statement released by his office that the arrest of his son, John Finlayson Boyd, "is a family matter that my family and I will be dealing with privately."

"John is a grown man and must face the consequences for his actions, but he has the love and support of his family," Boyd said.

Authorities said two of the undocumented immigrants found in Boyd's truck told them they had agreed to pay $3,000 each to be smuggled into the United States.

At his initial appearance in federal court Monday, Boyd was held over for a detention hearing today in Tucson, Ariz., said Sandy Raynor, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Arizona.

According to a criminal complaint outlining the accusations, John Boyd was driving his pickup Sunday near Wilcox, Ariz., when it was stopped for inspection at a Border Patrol checkpoint.

"At the primary inspection area, a Border Patrol K-9 alerted to the possible presence of illegal aliens in the bed of the truck," states the complaint.

"The four individuals all admitted that they were not citizens or nationals of the United States and that they did not have permission to be in the United States legally," the complaint states.

They said they had agreed to pay $3,000 each to be smuggled into the United States.

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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