Garcia-Rosales Pleads Guilty

A Mexican national, Juana Maria Garcia-Rosales, pleaded guilty in a federal court in Waco, Texas, to one count of failure to update change of address and one count of false documents, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

According to court documents, Garcia-Rosales was found in Temple, Texas, on May 15, after Temple Police executed a search warrant at her residence. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Officers subsequently arrested Garcia-Rosales for being in possession of a Permanent Resident Card with an Alien Number that had not been issued.

A criminal complaint alleges that Garcia-Rosales admitted to purchasing the card from someone in Florida via social media. Further investigation revealed that Garcia-Rosales was previously admitted into the U.S. with a Border Crosser Card in July 2012 and the Form I-94 documenting her arrival listed her address as a location in Bryan—not Temple.

Garcia-Rosales faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. ICE is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). The initiative aims to combat the growing threat of illegal immigration and related crimes, and to ensure that those who break the law are held accountable. Garcia-Rosales’ guilty plea is a significant step forward in this effort, and demonstrates the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protecting the integrity of the U.S. immigration system.