Carlos Manuel Legra-Ramirez, Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens, Mississippi 2018

Gulfport, Mississippi - Carlos Manuel Legra-Ramirez, a 43-year-old Cuban national and legal permanent resident of the United States living in Georgia, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens within the United States.

According to court documents, Legra-Ramirez was arrested on February 6, 2018, after a traffic stop on Interstate 10 east bound in Harrison County. The vehicle, a Toyota Highlander SUV, was registered to Legra-Ramirez and contained 10 illegal aliens, exceeding the vehicle's capacity.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials identified four of the passengers as aliens who had been previously deported or removed and had unlawfully returned to the United States. Each of those four passengers were prosecuted for violating Title 8 U.S.C., Section 1326(a)(2), Unlawful Re-Entry into the United States by a Removed Alien, and pleaded guilty to the offense.

Further investigation revealed that Legra-Ramirez had been involved in similar activities prior to his arrest in 2018. On August 27, 2013, a vehicle registered to Legra-Ramirez was stopped in Mobile, Alabama, with 9 illegal aliens as passengers. On August 31, 2013, Legra-Ramirez was stopped on I-10 east bound near Lake City, Florida, driving a vehicle with 6 illegal alien passengers.

Legra-Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Sul Ozerden on September 7, 2018. He faces a potential maximum 10 years imprisonment, not more than 3 years supervised release, a maximum $250,000 fine, and special assessments that could total $5,100.

U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst praised the cooperation exhibited by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. Border Patrol in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Stan Harris is the prosecutor for the case.

Legra-Ramirez will also be subject to immigration removal proceedings. The case highlights the ongoing efforts to combat human trafficking and smuggling in the United States.

The case is a reminder of the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies in preventing and investigating human trafficking crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdms/pr/cuban-man-pleads-guilty-conspiracy-transport-illegal-aliens