Dinero Devon Washington, Conspiracy to Transport Five Border Crossers, Arizona 2023

A Phoenix man, Dinero Devon Washington, 46, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy to transport five border crossers.

According to court documents, on April 16, 2021, Washington and his co-conspirator, Alina Pablo, were stopped at a fixed Border Patrol checkpoint in Ajo, Arizona, driving a Ford F-150 with five passengers, all wearing camouflaged clothing and backpacks, indicating they had recently crossed the border from Mexico.

The five passengers, nationals of Mexico and Guatemala, had no permission to enter the United States and had been picked up by Washington and Pablo. A subsequent search of Washington's cell phone revealed detailed evidence of the smuggling effort, including pin drops, maps, and text messages.

Washington pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens on September 7, 2023, and was sentenced by United States District Judge Michael T. Liburdi.

His co-conspirator, Alina Pablo, also pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later this year. The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations-Phoenix office, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Uhl handling the prosecution.

The case is a stark reminder of the ongoing issue of human trafficking in Arizona, with smugglers putting the lives of migrants at risk every day. Washington's 24-month prison sentence is a small step towards justice, but it is a critical one in the fight against human trafficking.

For more information on the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/. Follow the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-az/pr/phoenix-driver-sentenced-prison-conspiracy-transport-five-border-crossers