Newark Man Sentenced in Immigrant Smuggling Ring

A New Jersey man has been sentenced to nearly four years in prison after admitting to his role in what prosecutors say was an international illegal immigrant smuggling ring.

Nacip Teotonio Pires of Newark was given the 46-month sentence Thursday in federal court in Camden.

Prosecutors say Pires was a manager and supervisor of a ring that smuggled hundreds of illegal immigrants from Brazil, India and elsewhere into the United States.

Authorities said many of the immigrants were young women who worked as dancers at strip clubs to repay their passage.

The 48-year-old Pires pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to bring illegal immigrants into the U.S.

He was one of six defendants charged. Four have pleaded guilty, one case is pending and one defendant remains at large.

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