PORTLAND -- A Portland man was indicted by a federal court yesterday for his alleged role in conspiring to transport illegal aliens to Maine.

According to a statement released by United States Attorney Paula D. Silsby, Carlos DaSilva was charged with a count of transporting illegal aliens for commercial advantage and financial gain. The claim says that during 2007 and 2008, on at least eight separate occasions, DaSilva transported or assisted transporting illegal aliens for profit.

If convicted, DaSilva faces a maximum prison sentence of ten years on each of the nine counts of the indictment.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt but rather a grand jury decision that there is enough evidence to prosecute.

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