Related Federal Cases
22 Human Smugglers Using Social Media Charged in Law Enforcement Takedown
PHOENIX, Ariz. – In a stunning crackdown on human smuggling, the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, announced the recent unsealing of 13 indictments charging a total of 22 individuals with Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit.
The suspects, all of whom used social media platforms, including Snapchat, to recruit drivers, were identified through law enforcement contacts, data from cellular phones, and their social media accounts. Many of the indicted coordinators were found to have glamorized alien smuggling on social media, claiming that drivers could make large sums of money without the risk of being arrested.
According to officials, the human smuggling coordinators often targeted juveniles and young adults as drivers, promising them lucrative pay without the risk of being caught. The cases include:
United States v. Ramon Moreno-Lopez, CR-23-01022-DWL
United States v. Mauricio Andrade-Garcia, et al., CR-23-01024-DLR
United States v. Juan Ausencio-Avendano, et al., CR-23-01026-DJH
United States v. Josiah Gomez, et al., CR-23-01042-MTL
United States v. Jalen Harris, et al., CR-23-01051-MTL
United States v. Ruben Ibarra, et al., CR-23-01023-GMS
United States v. Dominic Leos, et al., CR-23-01025-MTL
United States v. Jose Molina, CR-23-01041-SPL
United States v. Keyani Perez, et al., CR-23-01040-DGC
United States v. Armando Ramirez, et al., CR-23-01021-DLR
United States v. Fabian Rivera, et al., CR-23-01020-DLR
United States v. Jose Sarabia, et al., CR-23-01019-JJT
United States v. Arnoldo Soto, et al., CR-23-01043-MTL
A conviction for Conspiring to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigations were conducted by Homeland Security Investigations–Casa Grande and Customs and Border Protection’s U.S. Border Patrol–Tucson Sector. Assistant United States Attorneys Ross Arellano Edwards, John Ballos, Timothy Courchaine, Brett Day, Matthew Doyle, Lisa Jennis, Christine Keller, Marcus Shand, LeighAnn Thomas, and Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, are handling the prosecutions.
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Key Facts
- State: Arizona
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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