Cuban national Carlos Garcia-Legon, 54, entered a guilty plea in the Southern District of Florida yesterday, admitting to orchestrating an illegal alien smuggling operation from the Bahamas. Garcia-Legon stands accused of encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the United States illegally, aiding and assisting an aggravated felon’s illegal entry, illegal re-entry into the U.S., and failure to heave to.
The defendant faced a stern rebuke when CBP aircraft detected his 25-foot vessel near Bimini on February 7, 2017. As Garcia-Legon transferred passengers from another vessel at sea, he attempted to evade capture by piloting towards Miami. Ignoring commands to stop, CBP and USCG vessels fired shots, ultimately halting his voyage.
Among Garcia-Legon’s captives were fourteen individuals from China, Jamaica, Sri Lanka, and Ecuador, one of whom had previously been deported for a criminal conviction. Garcia-Legon himself had been ordered removed but defied the order, embarking on this perilous journey.
Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg praised the teamwork of ICE-HSI, CBP Office of Air and Marine Operations, and USCG in apprehending Garcia-Legon. The prosecution is led by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Rose and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes.
Garcia-Legon is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Jose E. Martinez on July 10, 2017, facing a maximum sentence of 30 years’ imprisonment.
For more information on this case, visit the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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