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Cuban Smuggler Ramos-Cruz Gets 10 Years, Linked to Gulf Cartel
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Pedro Cesar Ramos-Cruz, 33, a citizen of Cuba, is headed to federal prison for a decade after being convicted of conspiracy to bring aliens into the United States, illegal reentry as a removed alien, and possession of a firearm by an alien. The sentence, handed down today, is a victory touted by federal officials as part of a broader crackdown on illegal immigration and cartel activity.
U.S. Attorney John P. Heekin didn’t mince words, declaring the case “another shining example of the great success of the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America.” He emphasized the fulfillment of promises made by former President Donald J. Trump and former Attorney General Pam Bondi to staunch the flow of illegal immigration. Heekin painted Ramos-Cruz as a dangerous offender who not only repeatedly violated immigration laws but also “endangered our communities by smuggling other illegal aliens…while in possession of stolen firearms.”
The bust began with a seemingly routine traffic stop by Florida Highway Patrol Troopers. What they discovered was far from routine: an “alien smuggling ledger,” a cache of 20 foreign passports, $13,709 in cash, narcotics, and stolen firearms. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) quickly uncovered Ramos-Cruz’s prior deportations in 2019 and 2020. The investigation quickly revealed a connection to the Gulf Cartel, with Ramos-Cruz actively facilitating the illegal entry of individuals from Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Colombia.
“This criminal illegal alien repeatedly violated our nation’s laws, possessed stolen firearms, narcotics, and smuggled people in and throughout the United States like a commodity, with no regard for their safety or wellbeing,” stated HSI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. He underscored the commitment of HSI Tallahassee and its partners to utilize “every tool at our disposal” to dismantle these criminal networks and protect communities.
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Commissioner Mark Glass highlighted the agency’s dedication to uncovering the deeper layers of criminal activity. “What started as a simple traffic stop ended with the takedown of a Gulf Cartel-linked human smuggler,” Glass said. “FDLE picks up the rock and looks at what’s crawling underneath…We run the long, protracted, multi-jurisdictional cases that follow the trail across state lines, across borders.”
An ICE detainer has been lodged against Ramos-Cruz, ensuring deportation proceedings will commence upon completion of his federal prison sentence. The case was a collaborative effort involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FDLE, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey J. Smith and Jason R. Coody led the prosecution. This case falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration, dismantling cartels, and protecting communities from violent crime.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Organized Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Source ↗
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