US Attorney Reports Ten Individuals Indicted On Alien Smuggling Charges

LAWFUEL – Legal Newswire – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Rear Admiral Steven R. Branham, Commander 7th Coast Guard District, U.S. Coast Guard, Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, John Beutlich, Director, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Miami Air and Marine Branch, Matthew Zetts, Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol, and Harold Woodward, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, announce the indictments of ten individuals, all charged with alien smuggling and related offenses involving the attempted smuggling of more than 130 foreign nationals into the United States. The defendants are expected to make their initial appearances in federal court on Friday, June 6, at 10:00 AM in Key West, and 1:30 PM in Miami.

On May 29 and May 30, 2008, federal grand juries in Key West and Miami returned five separate indictments charging defendants Alexis Sardinas, Rodolfo Perez-Apolinares, Jose Pena-Rodriguez, Junior Santiesteban, Juan Carlos Badia-Vera, Luis Alberto Velaquez-Ojeida, Juan Hermas Sanchez Brito, Maikel Cedre-Penton, Narve Carmona Acanda and Andray Pimienta Cruz with conspiracy to smuggle aliens, encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the United States, and fleeing from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Officers. If convicted, each defendant faces a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment.

Case summaries:

United States v. Alexis Sardinas and Rodolfo Perez-Apolinares, Case No. 08-10041-CR-GOLD. Alexis Sardinas, 37, of Hialeah, FL, and Rodolfo Perez-Apolinares, 34, of Port St. Lucie, FL, are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing nineteen Cuban nationals to come to the United States in May 2008.

United States v. Juan Carlos Badia-Vera and Luis Alberto Velaquez-Ojeida, Case No. 08-20467-CR-ALTONAGA. Juan Carlos Badia-Vera, 36, of Altamante Springs, FL, and Luis Alberto Velaquez-Ojeida, 34, of Homestead, FL, are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing thirty-three Cuban nationals to come to the United States, and fleeing from Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine units in May 2008.

United States v. Jose Pena-Rodriguez and Junior Santiesteban, Case No. 08-20466-CR-GOLD. Jose Pena-Rodriguez, 32, of North Miami Beach, Florida, and Junior Santiesteban, 31, of Miami, Florida, are charged with conspiring to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing twenty-five Cuban Nationals, and fleeing from Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine units in May 2008.

United States v. Juan Hermas Sanchez Brito and Maikel Cedre-Penton, Case No. 08-10042-CR-GOLD. Juan Hermas Sanchez Brito, 26, of Hialeah, FL, and Maikel Cedre-Penton, 21, of Miami, FL, are charged with conspiracy and encouraging and inducing twenty-six Cuban nationals to come to the United States in April 2007.

United States v. Narve Carmona Acanda and Andray Pimienta Cruz, Case No. 08-10040-CR-MARTINEZ. Narve Carmona Acanda, 27, of Hialeah, FL, and Andray Pimienta Cruz, 24, of Hialeah, FL, are charged with conspiracy to smuggle aliens and encouraging and inducing twenty-eight Cuban nationals to come to the United States in January 2008.

Mr. Acosta commended the 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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