Jesus Hernandez Ortiz, a 38-year-old Puerto Rican national, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to smuggle aliens into the United States. The crime took place in the District of Vermont on January 29, 2026. According to court documents, Ortiz was part of a transnational human smuggling and money laundering scheme that involved coordinating drivers for long-distance trips, including the pick-up of aliens crossing into the US from Canada.
Ortiz's involvement in the scheme began as early as September 2023, when he was added to an encrypted chat platform that coordinated drivers. On September 15, 2023, Ortiz agreed to participate in a trip, renting a commercial van in New Jersey and driving it to a designated pick-up location in Holland, Vermont. Ortiz's co-conspirators provided him with updates on the exact location and time of the pick-up.
Once at the location, Ortiz picked up a group of 12 aliens, including two young children, who had entered the US illegally. Ortiz expected payment of $400 per alien, totaling $4,800. The scheme involved money laundering, with Ortiz and his co-conspirators using encrypted chat platforms to coordinate their activities.
Ortiz's co-defendant, Francisco Antonio Luna Rosado, was also involved in the scheme. The investigation into the human smuggling and money laundering operation is ongoing, with authorities working to disrupt and dismantle the transnational network.
The guilty plea is a significant blow to the human smuggling operation, and authorities are working to bring those responsible to justice. The case highlights the ongoing threat of human smuggling and the importance of disrupting these networks to protect vulnerable individuals, including young children.
Ortiz is scheduled to be sentenced at a later date, with the exact date and sentence yet to be determined.
Source: Department of Justice