BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The grim tale of Karla Izaguirre, a 24-year-old Brownsville resident, took a darker turn as she pleaded guilty in federal court for her role in harboring an underage undocumented boy who had escaped from the Southwest Key facility. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick announced the charges.
Izaguirre, once an employee of the government-sponsored shelter, admitted that she had harbored the underage undocumented boy from Honduras, a minor who entered the United States illegally under Southwest Key’s supervision.
The incident unfolded on July 5, 2019, when the facility sponsored an outing to the Harlingen Arts and Heritage Museum. It was during this event that the unaccompanied minor made his daring escape on foot.
Investigation led authorities straight to Izaguirre. Upon her arrest, she confessed to knowing the boy’s illegal status in the U.S., and admitted to helping plan his escape as well as harboring him in her own home for roughly three months following the incident.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for December 8, where Izaguirre could face up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. Until then, she remains in custody.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikki Piquette is prosecuting the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking|Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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