Alien Smuggling on the Rise: 287 Charged in Arizona this Week
In a major crackdown on immigration-related crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona charged 287 individuals with various offenses, including alien smuggling. The string of arrests and charges took place between April 26 and May 5.
According to officials, the cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
One of the notable cases involves Krystal Lopez, a resident of Arizona, who was charged with alien smuggling. On April 29, 2025, BPAs ran a registration check on a vehicle that showed a positive history of alien smuggling. The vehicle pulled into a gas station, and the driver, Lopez, exited the vehicle and entered the store. BPAs approached the vehicle and saw a person hiding in the back seat underneath a blanket. A search of the vehicle revealed two additional people in the trunk. All three people were determined to be citizens of Mexico illegally present in the United States.
Lopez had been arrested one month prior for alien smuggling and was released pending trial in that case. She was charged by complaint in this case and ordered detained pending trial.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona is working tirelessly to combat immigration-related crimes and protect the community from the perpetrators of violent crime. These cases are 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.
Defendant:
Krystal Lopez
Criminal Charges:
Alien Smuggling
City and State:
Phoenix, Arizona
Exact Date:
April 29, 2025
Sentence or Outcome:
Ordered detained pending trial
Related Federal Cases
- United States v Six Firearms, Gun Smuggling, Arizona 2024 · South Carolina
- Hector Salas-Garcia, Smuggling, Arizona 2008 · Colorado
- Everardo Gregorio, Obstruction of Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire, Arizona 2024 · Washington
- Allen Marston Sentenced to 7 Years for Gun and Heroin Smuggling, Ke… · Idaho
- Sylvia Begay, Medicaid Billing Fraud, Arizona 2024 · Idaho
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Human Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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