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Honduras-Based Smuggler ‘La Guera’ Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison
TUCSON, Ariz. – In a major blow to human smuggling operations, Maria Mendoza-Mendoza aka ‘La Guera’, 52, of Honduras, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for her role as the leader of a smuggling organization that exploited vulnerable migrants for profit.
Mendoza-Mendoza pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit, a charge that carries significant weight in the ongoing efforts to dismantle human smuggling networks. According to court documents, the defendant coordinated the movement of migrants from Honduras to the United States/Mexico border and to stash houses operated in Phoenix, Arizona, where the migrants would be detained until their smuggling fees were paid.
As the leader of the organization, Mendoza-Mendoza utilized funnel accounts to collect millions of dollars in smuggling fees. Her authority within the organization was marked by a ruthless streak, with the defendant threatening to ‘bleed out’ a guide as punishment and demanding that a migrant whose family did not pay his smuggling fee be thrown ‘back in the desert.’
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland commended the efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha, which was established in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security to enhance U.S. enforcement efforts against the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras.
“Today’s sentencing is the latest example of the great work of Joint Task Force Alpha, which we launched nearly three years ago to hold accountable the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling groups, and which has obtained more than 240 convictions to date,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This defendant exploited vulnerable migrants for her own profit, risking their lives and our national security in the process.”
“Cooperation and collaboration are key tools in protecting America from the reach of international human smuggling organizations,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “We thank Honduras for its willingness to extradite, the various local agencies who interdicted migrants and helped us make the connection to a larger organization, and all of the Joint Task Force Alpha partners for dismantling a smuggling network.”
Fransisco B. Burrola, special agent in charge for HSI Arizona, emphasized the insidious nature of human smuggling and the dangers it poses to vulnerable migrants. “Human smugglers do nothing but prey on vulnerable people who at times pay with their lives while crossing the border. Smugglers endanger and exploit people by using dangerous networks that threaten the safety of our communities and our national security; HSI is committed to combatting this type of cross border crime along with our partner law enforcement agencies.”
Mendoza-Mendoza was indicted in January 2018 and extradited from Honduras to the United States in June 2023. In determining Mendoza-Mendoza’s sentence, Judge Collins found that the conspiracy involved several aggravating factors, including smuggling unaccompanied minors, possession of a firearm, intentionally or recklessly creating a substantial risk of death, and detaining migrants through coercion or threat in connection with a demand for payment.
The prosecution resulted from the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona playing a key role in the investigation and prosecution. Since its creation in June 2021, JTFA has achieved significant results, obtaining over 240 convictions and disrupting human smuggling networks that pose a threat to national security and public safety.
The sentencing of Mendoza-Mendoza serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of engaging in human smuggling and trafficking. As the Justice Department continues to prioritize these efforts, it is clear that those involved in these crimes will face severe penalties and that the department will use every tool at its disposal to dismantle and disrupt these networks.
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Violent Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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