Utica Man Sentenced for Transporting Aliens

UTICA, NEW YORK – Juan Francisco Izalde-Bautista, a 34-year-old man from Hershey, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 6 months in prison for his role in transporting two Mexican citizens who were illegally present in the United States.

According to court documents, Izalde-Bautista admitted to driving from Hershey to Potsdam, New York, on October 2, 2022, to pick up the two Mexican nationals. He planned to drive them to Hershey.

The case was investigated by the United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Belliss. U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Keith Hoops, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector, made the announcement.

Izalde-Bautista’s sentence was handed down by a federal court in New York, as a result of his guilty plea. As part of his sentence, he will serve 6 months in prison for his crimes.

As the investigation showed, Izalde-Bautista’s actions were in direct violation of federal law, which prohibits the transportation of aliens who are in the United States illegally.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of New York will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute individuals who engage in human trafficking and other related crimes.

Defendant: Juan Francisco Izalde-Bautista

Criminal Charges: Unlawfully Transporting Aliens

City and State: Utica, New York

Exact Date: October 2, 2022

Sentence: 6 months in prison

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