TUCSON, Ariz. - Yesterday, William Ken Huebbe, 31, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 11 years in prison. Huebbe had previously pleaded guilty to transportation of illegal aliens resulting in death. His co-defendant, Robert Evan Butcher Jr., 26, also of Tucson, Ariz. was previously sentenced to 48 months in prison.
On Jan. 8, 2015, Huebbe was driving a car on a two-lane road outside Three Points, Arizona. He and a co-defendant, Robert Evan Butcher Jr., were smuggling two unauthorized aliens towards Tucson. Huebbe panicked when he recognized an unmarked Border Patrol unit and fled at an extremely high rate of speed. Huebbe recklessly swerved into oncoming rush hour traffic and collided head-on with another motorist. The passenger in the other car, an 80-year-old woman, was killed instantly. The victim’s daughter, who was the driver, sustained massive injuries but survived after first responders extracted her. The co-defendant and the aliens also sustained serious injuries. Huebbe fled into the desert on a broken foot and was captured by Border Patrol agents shortly afterwards.
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and the Pima County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Josh A.C. Ackerman, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-15-230
RELEASE NUMBER: 2016-062_Huebbe
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
