MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A 56-year-old woman is facing numerous charges after deputies found two "undocumented individuals" and drugs in her car during a traffic stop in Martin County, deputies said.
Martin County Sheriff's Office arrested Brenda Boaz over the weekend. Deputies said they conducted a traffic stop in Stuart after she made an illegal turn then mysteriously turned off her headlights.
When questioned, they learned that Boaz had picked up an unknown number of people from the Mexico/New Mexico border, and spent the past few days dropping them off in various parts of the United States, including Martin County. Boaz was receiving between $2,500 and $3,000 per person to smuggle them into the country, according to deputies.
During the traffic stop in Stuart, a man in Boaz's car said he had no ties to Martin County, but once he was dropped off, he planned to live on the streets until he could find a job. The woman said she was here to connect with other family members who were already here, deputies said.
Chief Deputy John Budensiek said he has never seen something like this before.
“We know migrants come to the border and make their way here, but we are not used to this. We have not dealt with that here in Martin County ever, that I know of," Budensiek said. "We have arrested people coming here on boats from the water but actually being trafficked all the way across the country here to Martin county, that’s new to us.”
When deputies searched the vehicle, they found methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, plastic baggies and marijuana that Boaz planned to sell, deputies said. Also inside the vehicle was a written log titled, “Trips Taken."
The "undocumented" man and woman were turned over to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, and the log was turned over to federal authorities.
Boaz was taken to the Martin County Jail and faces charges of human smuggling, transporting drugs into the state, possessing or selling a controlled substance without a prescription and possession of drug paraphernalia.
