Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Alleged Leader of Maritime Alien Smuggling Ring Arrested
justice.gov ^ | July 31, 2020 | U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of California

Posted on 07/31/2020 3:12:44 PM PDT by ransomnote

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton (619) 546-8941

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY - July 31, 2020

SAN DIEGO – The alleged leader of a prolific maritime alien smuggling ring, Guillermo Barba, was arraigned on an indictment charging him with alien smuggling offenses yesterday in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew G. Schopler.

Barba is scheduled for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge William V. Gallo on August 4, 2020 at 2:00 p.m.

According to the indictment and other publicly available court documents, Barba was a leader of an alien smuggling organization based out of Baja California, Mexico and San Diego, California, which used panga boats, pleasure crafts, and multiple load vehicles to facilitate its sophisticated maritime smuggling operation. This organization is believed to responsible for at least 25 alien smuggling events dating back to November 2017.

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by Homeland Security Investigations - Marine Task Force (MTF) to dismantle active transnational criminal organizations involved in alien smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border in the Southern District of California. During the last year, MTF and its interagency partners have apprehended approximately 300 illegal aliens off the coast of San Diego. The MTF was also aided in this investigation by the HSI Tijuana Attaché Office

“In addition to undermining this nation’s border security, smuggling on the ocean is extremely dangerous for the individuals being smuggled,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Brewer. “Barba’s arrest and the dismantling of this alien smuggling group is the product of outstanding federal and international law enforcement cooperation that resulted in this successful arrest.”

“Maritime smuggling puts lives at risk and is extremely dangerous. Smugglers often use unsafe boats to enter the U.S. illegally,” said San Diego Sector Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent Aaron Heitke. “A unified effort has brought this alleged criminal enterprise to an end and it is only through continued cooperation that other transnational criminal organizations can be effectively targeted and dismantled.”

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) remains steadfast in our commitment to vigorously pursuing members of transnational criminal networks that exploit and endanger the people they smuggle into our country,” said Cardell T. Morant, Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “We will continue to work collaboratively with our domestic and international partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute the leaders of these dangerous smuggling networks.”

The United States is represented in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Sutton.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

DEFENDANT                                   Criminal Case No: 19-cr-4531-JLS

Name

Age

Hometown

Guillermo Barba

29

San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Bring in Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain

Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain

Maximum Penalties: A term of custody including a mandatory minimum of three years in custody and up to 10 years in custody

AGENCIES

Homeland Security Investigations - Marine Task Force

United States Border Patrol, Imperial Beach Station

United States Border Patrol, San Clemente Station

Customs and Border Protection, Office of Air and Marine

Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations

U.S. Coast Guard

U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service

San Diego Harbor Police

Homeland Security Investigations – Tijuana

San Diego ReCoM - Regional Coordinating Mechanism.

(ReCoM is comprised of the U.S. Coast Guard, CBP’s Office of Air and Marine, Office of Field Operations, U.S. Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and state and local law enforcement partners operating in the Southern California. The ReCoM utilizes the fusion of intelligence, planning and operations to target the threat of transnational crime along the coastal border)

Topic(s): 
Human Smuggling
Component(s): 
Press Release Number: 
CAS20-0731-Barba


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 07/31/2020 3:12:44 PM PDT by ransomnote
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ransomnote

Been passing these on, i find them all verrry pleasing. One or Two at a time adds up and saves lives.


2 posted on 07/31/2020 3:21:47 PM PDT by easternsky
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ransomnote

I was wondering how the pangas (pronounced pawn-ga) are launched. I am familiar with the coast of Northern Baja. There are no marinas near the border that could be used by the smugglers. When I was staying in a beach front resort about 25 miles south of the border I saw a large SUV towing a boat down to the surf. The boat was launched into the surf at high tide with two passengers. I was watching from my room with binoculars. I did not see any fishing gear in the boat. There was a second panga (motor boat) just beyond the surf. The second panga threw a line to the first panga and pulled it in beyond the waves. I am still trying to figure out how they get 8 to 10 people into those 20 foot boats.


3 posted on 07/31/2020 3:36:18 PM PDT by forgotten man
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: forgotten man

Holy Moley that guy in the second Panga must have had a bionic arm.


4 posted on 07/31/2020 3:55:47 PM PDT by rockinqsranch (Dems, Libs, Socialists Call 'em what you will, they all have fairies livin' in their trees)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ransomnote

Hmmm... Now that that title mentions it, it does seem as though there are more and more maritime aliens walking the streets of MD these days...


5 posted on 07/31/2020 4:10:29 PM PDT by SuperLuminal (Where is Sam Adams now that we desperately need him)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson