3 men indicted in alleged human smuggling ring

Three men allegedly involved in a human smuggling ring that brought illegal immigrants from Central and South America across the border were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles.

The undocumented immigrants were held at a "drop house" in Lynwood until relatives could pay smuggling fees running as high as $13,000, prosecutors said.

The six-count indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles charges Gustavo Sanchez-Lopez, 30; Diego Martinez-Gonzalez, 28; and Francisco Moreno-Lopez, 55, all of whom are believed to be from Guatemala, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

The men were arrested Jan. 28, when authorities served a search warrant at a house in Lynwood. Investigators found 37 illegal immigrants inside the house, prosecutors said.

According to the indictment, the defendants were guards at the house.

The indictment charges all three with one count of conspiracy to harbor and conceal illegal aliens, and five counts of harboring and concealing aliens for financial gain.

Each man faces a statutory maximum penalty of 60 years in federal prison if convicted of all charges, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.