Congressman's son faces smuggling charges

PHOENIX, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- The son of Florida Democratic Rep. Allen Boyd is facing federal charges of smuggling illegal immigrants into Arizona, police say.

Authorities say John Boyd, 30, the congressman's son, has admitted picking up passengers found hidden in his pick-up truck during a weekend stop at a U.S. border checkpoint near Willcox, Ariz., The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reported Wednesday.

An official complaint says border agents found two people in the bed of the truck hidden under a piece of plywood and two more lying on the floorboards in the cab behind the front seat, the newspaper said. Police also claim methamphetamine and a loaded Beretta pistol were found in the truck and a 6-year-old girl was in the passenger seat.

"This is an ongoing investigation," said Sandy Raynor, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona told the Times.

Allen Boyd issued a statement saying: "This is a family matter that my family and I will be dealing with privately. John is a grown man and must face the consequences for his actions, but he has the love and support of his family."