Press Release
EIGHTEEN INDICTED ON ALIEN SMUGGLING CHARGES
September 5, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Rear Admiral Robert S. Branham, Commander 7th Coast Guard District, U.S. Coast Guard, Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Matthew Zetts, Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol, and Harold Woodward, Director of Field Operations, Customs and Border Protection, announce the indictments of eighteen individuals, all charged with alien smuggling and related offenses involving the attempted smuggling of 185 foreign nationals into the United States.
On August 27, 2008, through September 2, 2008, federal grand juries in Key West and Miami returned eleven separate indictments charging defendants Gerson Pereira da Silva, Vanderson Rosa Pereira, Rafael Gonzalez, Alexander Garcia, Dubierkis Hernandez-Rodriguez, Michelsys Landin-Aleman, Oneche Garcia-Cordero, Junior Arce De La Cruz, Ivan Almagro, Jose Adolfo Jesurun-Rosario, Rafael Lopez, Roberto Sotolongo, George Torres, Pomposo Rojas, Maykel Perez, Yoviesky Padilla-Martinez, Lazaro Cruz-Hernandez, and Alexis Lobelle Arrue with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the United States. If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.
CASE SUMMARIES:
United States v. Gerson Pereira da Silva, Case No. 08-20782-CR-GOLD. Gerson Pereira da Silva, of Brazil, is charged with attempting to illegally re-enter the United States in August 2008.
United States v. Vanderson Rosa Pereira, Case No.08-20786-CR- MIDDLEBROOKS. Vanderson Rosa Pereira, of Brazil, is charged with alien smuggling for profit and encouraging and inducing 4 Brazilian nationals to come to the United States in August 2008.
United States v. Rafael Gonzalez and Alexander Garcia, Case No. 08-10058-CR-MARTINEZ. Rafael Gonzalez, 34, of Hialeah, FL, and Alexander Garcia, 35, of Hialeah, FL, are charged with conspiring to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing seventeen Cuban Nationals to come to the United States in April 2008.
United States v. Dubierkis Hernadez-Rodriguez and Michelsys Landin-Aleman, Case No. 08-10054-CR-MOORE. Dubierkis Hernandez-Rodriguez, 32, of Miami, FL, and Michelsys Landin-Aleman, 35, of Miami, FL, are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing twenty-nine Cuban nationals to come to the United States in November 2007.
United States v. Oneche Garcia-Cordero and Junior Arce De La Cruz, Case No. 08-10057-CR-MOORE. Oneche Garcia-Cordero, 29, of Miami, FL, and Junior Arce De La Cruz, 33, of Miami, FL, are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens, encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the United States, and failing to present an alien to an immigration officer at a designated port of entry for landing thirty-five Cuban nationals in the United States in August 2008.
United States v. Jose Adolfo Jesurun-Rosario, Case No. 08-20760-CR-JORDAN. Jose Adolfo Jesurun-Rosario, 33, of the Dominican Republic, is charged with attempting to illegally re-enter the United States in June 2008.
United States v. Ivan Almagro, Case No. 08-20762-CR-LENARD. Ivan Almagro, 31, of Miami, FL, is charged with encouraging and inducing five foreign nationals to come to the United States including a previously convicted and deported felon in August 2008.
United States v. Rafael Lopez and Roberto Sotolongo, Case No. 08-10056-CR-MOORE. Rafael Lopez, 34, of West Palm Beach, FL, and Roberto Sotolongo, 31, of Hialeah, FL are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing thirty-one Cuban nationals to come to the United States in June 2008.
United States v. George Torres and Pomposo Rojas, Case No. 08-20740-CR-UNGARO. George Torres, 34, of Winter Park, FL, and Pomposo Rojas, 26, of Brandon, FL are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing twenty Cuban nationals to come to the United States in June 2008.
United States v. Maykel Perez and Yoviesky Padilla-Martinez, Case No. 08-10059-CR-MARTINEZ. Maykel Perez, 34, of Miami, FL, and Yoviesky Padilla-Martinez, 27, of Hialeah, FL are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing twenty-one Cuban nationals to come to the United States in January 2008.
United States v. Lazaro Cruz-Hernandez and Alexis Lobelle-Arrue, Case No. 08-10055-CR-MOORE. Lazaro Cruz-Hernandez, 30, of Hialeah, FL, and Alexis Lobelle-Arrue, 27, of Miami, FL are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing twenty-three Cuban nationals to come to the United States in July 2006.
Mr. Acosta commended the cooperation and investigative efforts of the 7th Coast Guard District, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection - Field Operations, and Customs and Border Protection - Miami Air and Marine. These cases are being handled by AUSAs assigned to the Major Crimes Section.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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