(Spencer)– Clay county authorities say a traffic stop earlier this week on Highway 71 north of Spencer turned up 12 undocumented aliens…including one wanted for attempted murder in Florida.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office says deputies pulled over a Ford van registered to a Sibley construction company shortly before 10:00 p.m. Wednesday for speeding.
Deputies learned the driver, 42-year-old Aquiles Tomayo-Cruz of Spencer, had a suspended license.
Authorities then checked the identities of the occupants in the vehicle. It was determined one of them, 27-year-old Mauricio Ruiz-Matus of Spencer, was wanted on a Florida warrant for attempted first degree murder with a weapon. He was being held in the Clay county jail pending extradition to Florida.
Clay county authorities worked with agents from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement to determine the status of those detained.
Following the check, the driver, Tomayo-Cruz, was held for his driving violations, along with Ruiz-Matus on the Florida warrant.
Another man, 26-year-old Martin Tello-Vidana of Spencer, was held for previous criminal conduct.
The other detainees were eventually released after it was determined ICE agents would not be issuing holds for deportation.
