In DeSoto County, a 26-year-old Guatemalan man, Baudilio Benedicto Perez Lopez, has been sentenced to 20 years in a state prison following a DUI-related crash that resulted in the death of a woman. The crash occurred on Highway 302 in 2023, and at the scene, empty bottles of Modelo beer were found in Perez Lopez's vehicle, as reported by WREG.
After the fatal incident, during which Perez Lopez was injured and trapped in his car, he presented officers with a false Guatemalan identification card, leading to additional charges, according to an acquaintance mentioned in a DeSoto County News article. The crash victim, whose details have not been extensively publicized, died from the injuries sustained. Authorities stated that Perez Lopez was under the influence at the time of the accident, leading to an intense legal process that culminated in his recent sentencing.
Matthew Barton, the District Attorney for DeSoto County, expressed that this sentencing is meant to serve as justice for the victim and pointed to the broader implications of this case on current immigration policies and enforcement, "This tragic and preventable incident highlights the severe consequences of driving under the influence and the dismal failures of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, whose policies have left us with an open border and prevent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from enforcing U.S. immigration laws," Barton stated, as mentioned by the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
Barton also reached out to Vice President Kamala Harris with a pointed letter, expressing his concerns regarding the enforcement of immigration laws and the implications on local resources, stressing the community's resistance to bearing the cost for maintaining convicted non-citizens in state facilities and urging for action on the matter, "Mississippians do not wish to see criminals, especially illegal aliens, who have committed crimes in our community remain in our county jails and state prisons at taxpayer expense. Instead, we seek expedited solutions that uphold the rule of law and protect our neighborhoods from further unnecessary tragedies," he detailed in his correspondence, as noted by the DeSoto Times-Tribune.
