BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS (AP) -- A woman's testimony that she was raped has led a federal judge to exceed sentencing guidelines for a Mexican man given 10 years in prison for his role in an immigrant smuggling operation.
The U.S. attorney's office says U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen went beyond the maximum of 37 months for Rogelio Serrano-Lara on Monday after a 29-year-old woman from El Salvador testified that Serrano-Lara raped her in a Brownsville stash house.
His lawyer said he denies the rape allegation.
Serrano-Lara, a 21-year-old from Matamoros, Mexico, pleaded guilty in June to transporting an illegal immigrant within the U.S. He faces an aggravated sexual assault charge in state court for the alleged rape.
Illegal immigrants told investigators that Serrano-Lara robbed them of their money once they arrived at the stash house.
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