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A woman was arrested Wednesday, February 13, 2013, on charges she allegedly sold fraudulent identity documents to illegal aliens. These charges resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigra
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Tag Archives: alien harboring

HSI Busts Alien Smuggling Ring

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Three Mexican men face federal charges following their arrest Friday, December 7, 2012, at a West Valley drop house discovered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Francisco Javier Astorga-Velarde, 22, Jose Pedro Soto-Valdez, 32, and Noel Galdinez-Marmolejo, 32, appeared in federal court Monday, December 10, 2012, where they were charged in a federal complaint with conspiring to harbor illegal aliens.

HSI special agents were first alerted to the drop house Dec. 5 after a woman contacted HSI Atlanta to report that a man was demanding she pay him $4,000 or he would kill her niece, who was allegedly being held hostage in a drop house in Phoenix. HSI Atlanta alerted HSI Phoenix special agents, who worked around the clock to develop information on the possible location of the drop house. By the morning of Friday, December 7, 2012, special agents had sufficient reason to believe the woman was being held in a residence on West Highland Avenue.

When special agents and officers from the Phoenix Police Department responded to the house, they observed the defendants fleeing out the back door. The defendants ran back inside after seeing police. Special agents approached the back door and called to the occupants of the house to come outside. The defendants complied and were taken into custody. Fearing for the safety of the people inside, special agents entered the home and discovered 14 smuggled aliens, including the niece of the woman who alerted authorities. Special agents subsequently obtained a federal search warrant for the residence and discovered two 9 mm handguns inside.

According to the criminal complaint, Astorga-Velarde served as the “boss” of the house. He allegedly hit two male victims in the face with a gun and called the wife of one of the men, threating to kill her husband if she did not pay his smuggling fee. Astorga-Velarde is also accused of threatening a female alien with sexual assault and claiming he would cut her into pieces and throw her in the trash. The complaint alleges Galdinez-Marmolejo used a gun to hit one of the male victims on the head, face, hands and feet. Soto-Valdez allegedly beat the male victim with the guns and threatened to sexually assault, cut, kill or sell the female aliens in the house if their smuggling fees were not paid.

The investigation is ongoing and the defendants may face additional charges. The case is bei ng prosecuted by Lisa Jennis Settel of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona.

A criminal complaint is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Since January, HSI has encountered 35 drop houses containing 436 illegal aliens in the metropolitan Phoenix area.

Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Human Trafficking, Hostage Taking, and Alien Harboring

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Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty Thursday, November 29, 2012, to their roles in an ongoing conspiracy to hold hostage and harbor smuggled aliens for ransom payments, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Houston, Washington, D.C., and Virginia; and Prince William County, Va., and Houston Police Departments.

Virgilio De la Torre-Santana, 27, and Aduato Aguilar-Lara, 34, pleaded guilty Nov. 29 before U.S. District Judge Gray H. Miller. De La Torre-Santana pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit hostage taking; Aguilar-Lara pleaded guilty to conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens.

On or about Aug. 17, family members and friends of two aliens who had been smuggled into the United States contacted local law enforcement in Prince William County, Va., to report receiving extortion calls demanding money for the aliens’ release. Family members wired money, which was received and picked up at various locations in Harris County, Texas. The two aliens were subsequently released and transported to Virginia.

After arriving in Virginia, the aliens contacted law enforcement to report being held hostage against their will at a location that was later identified as a residence located on Amblewood Drive in Houston. A few weeks later, special agents executed a search warrant at that location and encountered 26 illegal aliens, at least two of whom were juveniles held hostage inside the residence. Special agents also encountered and arrested De La Torre-Santana, Aguilar-Lara and a third defendant, Job Solis-Benito, 23, also a Mexican national.

According to the aliens, upon arrival in Houston, they were forced to undress and were informed they had been “sold” and would not be released until family members made payments to the men holding them hostage. While held hostage at the residence, victims reported they were held in their underwear, in locked rooms with boarded up windows and in deplorable conditions. The victims also indicated they were guarded by men constantly armed with a handgun. Victims reported they were not allowed to leave the residence until payment was sent for their release. Some victims said they were threatened with harm or death if payment was not received.

At the hearing on Thursday, November 29, 2012, De La Torre-Santana admitted he participated in the conspiracy to hold smuggled aliens hostage by making phone calls to relatives and friends of smuggled aliens, instructing them to send money via Western Union and/or Money Gram in exchange for the safe release of the aliens. He further admitted he recruited and paid other unindicted conspirators to pick up the money transfers at various locations within Harris County on his behalf.

Aguilar-Lara admitted to conspiring to harbor and conceal smuggled aliens inside the residence by providing the aliens with food, and by acting as a guard to ensure the aliens did not leave the residence until full payment for their release was received.

Sentencing for both De La Torre-Santana and Aguilar-Lara is scheduled for May 10. De La Torre-Santana faces up to life in prison; Aguilar-Lara faces up to 10 years imprisonment. Both also face a possible $250,000 fine.

The case against Solis-Benito is pending. He is charged with conspiring to commit hostage taking, hostage taking, conspiring to harbor illegal aliens, and harboring illegal aliens.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey N. MacDonald, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting the case.

Texas Man Sentenced for Alien Smuggling and Death of Smuggled Immigrant

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A Houston man was sentenced Wednesday, November 14, 2012, to 6 ½ years in federal prison following his conviction on conspiracy to transport 14 illegal aliens within the United States and causing serious bodily injury, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by special agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol.

Leonel Alvaro Abundis-Carreon, 22, pleaded guilty Aug. 6 before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez-Ramos, who sentenced him to a term of 78 months in federal prison, which is to be followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Ramos also ordered Abundis-Carreon to pay restitution in the amount of $7,300 to the victim’s family, $71,423.81 to Christus Spohn Kleberg, $257,638.05 to Christus Spohn Memorial and $34,689.01 to Christus Spohn Hospital in medical costs. In his guilty plea, he admitted he was driving a truck loaded with several illegal aliens, one of whom was killed.

The court learned that on Feb. 9, at about 6:10 a.m., Falfurrias Border Patrol agents were advised to be on the lookout for a white Ford F 250 pickup truck that was possibly involved in alien smuggling. Moments later, agents witnessed a white Chevrolet pickup truck traveling north on Farm to Market Road (FM) 1538 in Brooks County,Texas.

Several people were observed in the cab with several more ducking down in the bed of the truck. When agents began to follow the truck, it sped off at a high rate of speed. Border Patrol agents activated their emergency lights and siren, but the truck continued to travel north on FM 1538 until it merged onto County Road (CR) 417. The driver then turned off the headlights and drove straight through a fence and into a privately owned ranch. Agents followed the truck’s dust cloud and located it facing south on the opposite side of the fence line.

When agents exited their vehicle, they saw several injured individuals lying on the ground near the truck. A deceased person was pinned under the truck’s front tire and another was pinned under the rear axle of the truck, who appeared to still be breathing but unresponsive. At the scene, agents located seven individuals, three of whom were airlifted to the hospital. Near the crash site, Border Patrol agents located seven more individuals involved in the crash.

Abundis-Carreon admitted to HSI special agents that he was the driver of the truck and was being paid $125 for each alien he smuggled. One of the aliens suffered a broken pelvis which is expected to prevent him from walking for at least six months. The person found under the rear axle suffered third-degree burns on his legs. A third alien suffered an injury to his eye that required surgery.

Abundis-Carreon will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

Indictment for 16 in Alien Smuggling Ring

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Sixteen people were arrested Tuesday, October 16, 2012, on alien smuggling and/or drug smuggling charges. The arrests were announced by: U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas; Special Agent in Charge Sean McElroy, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Charles McClelland, Houston Police Department (HPD).

The two-year investigation resulted in the return of two sealed indictments Sept. 20, which were unsealed following the execution of arrest warrants Oct. 16 and 17.

The first indictment outlines a long-term smuggling operation dating back to July 2011. According to the indictment, illegal aliens were smuggled across the United States-Mexico border and were either required to pay a fee or transport narcotics into the country to satisfy their smuggling debt. The indictment outlines how this group allegedly used conference calls during their smuggling venture as they tried to locate and avoid law enforcement.

Aliens and drugs were transported through the South Texas area into and throughout the United States, according to the charges. Those operating the smuggling ring were allegedly paid large sums of money for their involvement.

“Transnational criminal organizations account for a growing amount of crime in our communities and across the country,” said McElroy. “HSI is committed to working together with our local law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe.”

Following are those who were arrested Oct. 16: Eliazar Gonzales, 28, Jose Luis Fuentes, 30, Ruben Avila, 31, Daniel Avila, 29, Jose Antonio Lopez, 24, Jose Galvan Arranda, 50, Israel Alcaraz, 31, and Vinnie Chavez, 34, all of Houston; Noemi Rosales-Sanchez, 35, of Roma, Texas; Marino Garcia, 36, of Mexico; and Otoniel Dumari Hernandez-Rojas, 31, of El Salvador. They are expected to appear before Magistrate Judge Mary Milloy Oct. 17. Fidel Galarza Cardenas, 46, of Mexico, made his initial appearance Oct. 11 after being transferred from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

If convicted of the marijuana conspiracy charge, the defendants face up to 40 years imprisonment and a $5 million fine; if convicted of alien smuggling, they face up to 10 years and $250,000 fine.

Four others were also arrested Wednesday, October 17, 2012, but charged in a separate case: Aldo Teyes-Sanchez, 29, Eulogio Alanis, 27, Antonio Rivas-Vargas, 29, all of Houston; and Saul Porros-Sanchez, 24, of Mexico, are charged with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine. They face up to 40 years in prison and a $5 million fine.

Those taken into custody Wednesday, October 17, 2012, are expected to appear this week before Judge Milloy.

These charges resulted from an investigation by HSI and HPD, with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark E. Donnelly and Timothy S. Braley are prosecuting this case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

9 Indicted for Alien Harboring and Immigration Fraud Conspiracy

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Nine people from Rapid City and the surrounding Black Hills community were indicted Thursday, September 27, 2012, by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to harbor aliens and harboring aliens. Four of the nine individuals are charged with an additional count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

The indictments resulted from a criminal investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), in partnership with the following agencies: U.S. Forest Service, Rapid City Police Department, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of the Inspector General, Custer County Police Department, U.S. Department of Labor and the South Dakota Highway Patrol.

“Today’s law enforcement operation sends a strong message that HSI and our law enforcement partners are ever vigilant against those seeking to manipulate the system to gain an unfair advantage over their competitors,” said Michael Feinberg, special agent in charge of HSI St. Paul, which covers South Dakota. “The combined resources of a joint federal, state and local law enforcement operation present a formidable obstacle to any criminal enterprise seeking to harm hard-working citizens and American business interests.”

The following indictments have been handed down:

  • Angel Munoz-Escalante, owner and operator of Munoz Logging and Construction Company, Rapid City, South Dakota– charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Barbara Munoz, owner and operator of Munoz Logging and Construction Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Christina Pourier, bookkeeper of Munoz Logging and Construction Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Mario Rangel, manager for Munoz Logging and Construction Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Aurelio Munoz-Escalante, owner and operator of the Black Hills Thinning Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Miguel Soto, foreman for the Black Hills Thinning Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Rogelio Escalante, owner and operator of the Escalante Logging Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Sergio Munoz-Escalante, owner and operator of the SM Logging Company – charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.
  • Benjamin Munoz-Botello, owner and operator of Benja’s Mexican Store, a grocery and licensed money-transmitting and check-cashing business – charged with one count of conspiracy to harbor aliens and one count of harboring aliens.

Seven of those indicted were arrested Sept. 27.

“The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to enforcing our nation’s immigration laws. This includes limiting the demand for undocumented workers by prosecuting employers who knowingly hire illegal workers,” said Johnson.

The alleged fraud is in connection with contracts entered into with the U.S. Forest Service. Conspiracy to defraud the United States is punishable by a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years’ supervised release (a violation of condition of release could result in two years’ additional incarceration on any such violation); a $100 assessment fee; and restitution.

Conspiracy to harbor aliens and harboring aliens is punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both; three years’ supervised release (a violation of condition of release could result in two years’ additional incarceration on any such violation); a $100 assessment fee; and restitution.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and all of the individuals named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.

Two Criminal Aliens Sentenced for Alien Smuggling and Hostage Taking

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An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced Tuesday, September 25, 2012, to 36 months in prison for harboring illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Houston Police Department (HPD).

Carlos Martinez-Aguilar, 44, was sentenced Sept. 25 to three years in prison. Events leading to his arrest began Aug. 19, 2011, when the Houston Emergency Center received a 911 call at its operations facility from a subject who spoke only Spanish. The victim advised he was being held against his will at a house in Houston by alien smugglers who had been hired to smuggle him to an unspecified location in the United States. He claimed another person, later identified as Cesar Avila, 38, an illegal alien from Honduras, was armed with a handgun and had threatened to kill them. The victim indicated that he and others feared for their lives.

The 911 call was traced to a residence located on the 100 block of Jamaica Street in Houston by HPD officers. The building had no windows and the French doors on the north side of the residence had its glass panes covered with aluminum foil. Once inside, several people, later identified as hostages, began covertly pointing to Avila as the hostage taker and smuggler. Officers also discovered a semi-automatic handgun and a ledger detailing payments by the smuggling organization under the mattress where Avila was sitting.

Several of the aliens held hostage identified Martinez-Aguilar as having come into the building where they were being held, drinking beer with Avila prior to law enforcement arriving, and inquiring about the status of payments of smuggling fees. The victims indicated Martinez-Aguilar was not involved in abusing or threatening them and had provided them food and blankets. Officers discovered Martinez-Aguilar had been living in the larger house in front of the building where the aliens were housed.

Another victim stated that prior to the arrival of the police, he and the others were being held against their will and threatened with death if they did not pay or arrange to have paid another $5,000 to the smugglers.

Martinez-Aguilar pleaded guilty Jan. 31. Avila was convicted by a Houston jury June 6 and is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 9, at which time he faces up to life in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Searle and Doug Davis, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Alien Smuggling; One Person Killed

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A Houston man pleaded guilty Monday, August 6, 2012, to unlawfully transporting 14 illegal aliens within the United States and causing one person’s death. This guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, from the Southern District of Texas.

Leonel Alvaro Abundis-Carreon, 22, who was smuggling illegal aliens in a pickup truck, crashed his truck when fleeing from law enforcement, resulting in the death of one person and to others being seriously injured.

This investigation was conducted by agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol.

Abundis-Carreon entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez-Ramos, who scheduled sentencing for Oct. 30. Abundis-Carreon faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He has been in custody since his arrest, where he will remain pending that hearing.

Early in the morning of Feb. 9, Border Patrol agents in Falfurrias, Texas, were advised to be on the lookout for a white Ford F-250 pickup truck that was possibly involved in alien smuggling. Moments later, agents saw a white Chevrolet pickup truck traveling north in Brooks County, Texas.

Several people were observed in the cab, with several more ducking down in the bed of the truck. When Border Patrol agents began following the truck, the driver sped off. The Border Patrol agents activated their emergency lights and siren, but the truck continued speeding north on FM 1538. After the road merged into County Road 417, the driver turned off the truck’s headlights and drove straight through a fence onto a privately owned ranch. Agents followed the truck’s dust cloud and found the vehicle facing south – on the opposite side of the fence line.

Several injured individuals and one deceased person were located near the scene of the crash.

Abundis-Carreon admitted to HSI agents that he was the driver of the truck and that he was being paid $125 for each alien being smuggled.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.

Two Convicted Fugitives Sought for Extensive Alien Trafficking

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Following a two-week trial, two southern Arizona men were convicted by a federal jury Monday, July 23, 2012, for conspiring to bring, transport and harbor illegal aliens, the latest convictions stemming from a large scale investigation targeting Arizona human smuggling networks known as “Operation In Plain Sight,” which was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Eusebio Arce-Padilla, 57, of Rio Rico, and Miguel Torres-Organiz, 62, of Tucson, were convicted in absentia after both absconded during the trial. The court has issued arrest warrants for the pair, who are scheduled to be sentenced Oct.1 by U.S. District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on co-defendant Miguel Toralba-Mendia, 50, of Tucson. The court declared a mistrial in his case and has not yet set a new date for his retrial.

“This investigation and prosecution brought down a sophisticated human smuggling operation that was responsible for bringing thousands of illegal aliens into the country and funneling them through Tucson and Phoenix to destinations throughout the United States,” said U.S. Attorney John S. Leonardo. “I commend our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, as well as our prosecution team, for their tremendous efforts in securing these convictions.”

“These convictions represent a significant victory in law enforcement’s efforts to dismantle illicit transnational human smuggling networks and the infrastructures that support them,” said Matt Allen, special agent in charge of HSI Arizona. “HSI’s ‘Operation In Plain Sight’ investigation was successful in large part because of the tireless dedication of our special agents as well as extensive cooperation from our federal, state and local partners and Mexican federal police. Our collective efforts have resulted in the conviction or guilty pleas of more than 70 defendants, including the head of the alien smuggling organization itself.”

Trial evidence showed that Arce-Padilla, also known as “Chevo,” led a Nogales-based alien smuggling organization that moved thousands of illegal aliens into the U.S. for more than five years. The organization guided aliens around the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 19 south of Green Valley and then transported the aliens in private vehicles to various commercial shuttle businesses in Tucson. There, the aliens boarded marked shuttle vans to be taken to parking lots in Phoenix. In Phoenix, the aliens were transferred to private vehicles and taken to drop houses where money was collected from sponsors before the aliens were transported to other destinations in the United States. The organization collected fees ranging from $1,700 to $2,000 per person for the trip from Nogales, Mexico, to Phoenix.

This was the second trial related to “Operation In Plain Sight,” a major investigation implicating the owners and employees of five Arizona commercial shuttle services and resulting in indictments against 74 individuals in April 2010. In the first trial, which took place from Jan. 24 through Feb. 1, a jury returned guilty verdicts against Ruperto Guillen-Cervantes, 55, and Betty Castillo, 39, both ofTucson. Guillen-Cervantes and Castillo were both sentenced to 37 months in federal prison. All but one of the remaining defendants in the case entered guilty pleas. Charges against one defendant were dismissed on government motion.

A conviction for conspiracy to bring, transport and harbor illegal aliens carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Jorgenson will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

The bi-national investigation in this case was conducted by HSI, with support from numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, and included cooperation from Mexico’s Secretaria Securidad Publica (SSP).

The case was prosecuted by Joseph E. Koehler, Jeffrey D. Martino, Brian G. Sardelli, Munish Sharda and Lisa Settel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona.

U.S. and Mexico Meet for Human Trafficking Summit

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More than 100 representatives from the government and private sectors, including high-level law enforcement representatives from the U.S. and Mexico, convened in Los Angeles Thursday, July 12, 2012, for a binational summit to strategize on ways to enhance existing efforts to combat human trafficking in both countries.

The daylong conference, organized by U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Mexican Consul General in Los Angeles, focused on ways the U.S. and Mexico can work more closely together to detect trafficking activity and prosecute suspected perpetrators. Featured speakers included Nelly Montealegre Diaz, who oversees the Mexican Attorney General’s special prosecutions unit involving crimes of violence against women and human trafficking.

“For everyone at this week’s meeting, combatting human trafficking is a top priority, but despite that, we believe a significant number of trafficking cases continue to go undetected,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. “The goal of the summit was to share ideas on further steps we can take together to bolster efforts to prevent this reprehensible crime.”

“No human being deserves to be trafficked, abused or exploited,” said David Figueroa, the consul general of Mexico in Los Angeles. “We must not allow our borders to be barriers in the ongoing effort to combat this problem. Our shared goal is to achieve a society free of human trafficking and human smuggling.”

Topics covered during the conference included an overview of current human trafficking investigative strategies in both the U.S. and Mexico. Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles and the Mexican Attorney General’s Office discussed case prosecutions. Other speakers detailed the current services available to assist trafficking victims and the vital role such support plays in these cases.

Conference organizers say the meeting was very productive. Participants agreed to look for ways to expand the existing information sharing between the two countries on human trafficking cases. Beyond that, the discussions resulted in a renewed commitment by both countries to seek new and innovative ways to collaborate on human trafficking enforcement efforts.

Mexican Natives Arrested for Alien Smuggling

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Three Mexican men face federal human smuggling and illegal reentry charges after the drop house they were allegedly operating in Mesa was discovered by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents Wednesday, June 27, 2012.

Jesus Castillo-Mejia, 47, and Genaro Guzman-Guzman, 29, appeared in federal court Thursday, where they were charged with human smuggling. A third man, Marco Guzman-Guzman, 27, Genaro Guzman-Guzman’s brother, was charged with illegally reentering the United States following a previous deportation order.

HSI special agents were first alerted to the drop house Wednesday, June 27, 2012, when they received a tip that numerous suspected illegal aliens were being staged at a residence located on South Hobson Street in Mesa. When special agents responded to the location, they observed several people attempting to flee from the house. They pursued the individuals back into the house and obtained a federal search warrant to search the property. Inside the house, special agents discovered the defendants and 22 other illegal aliens, from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Ecuador. The group included three women and one teenage boy. Special agents also found a 9 mm pistol when they searched the house.

“While the number of drop houses in the Phoenix area has declined over the past few years, this case illustrates that human smuggling remains a cold, ruthless business,” said Matt Allen, special agent in charge of HSI Arizona. “To the smugglers, these people are simply a commodity, not human beings. HSI is committed to finding these criminals, arresting them, and working with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring them to justice.”

According to the criminal complaints, Castillo-Mejia showed the smuggled aliens a handgun, ordered them to stay in the house and threatened to pistol whip anyone who attempted to escape. He later demanded an additional $1,000 smuggling fee from one of the women in the group. Witnesses stated that Genaro Guzman-Guzman referred to the aliens as “pollos” or chickens, and pointed a gun at a woman in the group.

The investigation is ongoing.

HSI has encountered 18 drop houses containing more than 200 illegal aliens in the metropolitan Phoenix area since January.

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