A criminal alien and transporter for a northern border human smuggling conspiracy was sentenced on February 10, in U.S. District Court in Seattle, to 15 months in prison, announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Murphy and U.S. Attorney Tessa M. Gorman.
Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 46, of Independence, Oregon, was arrested on May 23, 2024, in Everett, Washington, with aliens who had been smuggled into the United States from Canada.
“This defendant was a cog in a conspiracy that transported people into the U.S. from across the northern border in an extremely dangerous smuggling scheme loading people into freight cars on trains travelling from Canada into the U.S.,” said U.S. Attorney Gorman.
Gorman added, “These transnational smuggling groups charge thousands of dollars and risk the lives of those trying to reach the U.S. We will continue to investigate these smuggling groups to hold members accountable.”
Since late 2022, border patrol and investigators encountered non-citizens who had illegally attempted to cross the border.
As part of the investigation, agents frequently encountered a phone number that was later linked to Ortiz-Plata. After substantial investigation, Ortiz-Plata was identified, and law enforcement obtained court permission to track his location.
After months of surveillance and monitoring, on May 23, 2024, Ortiz-Plata travelled from his home in Oregon and was surveilled by agents from Seattle to an apartment in Everett. Ortiz-Plata left the apartment with three men – all aliens who entered his vehicle.
All four were taken into custody. Two had crossed the border in a freight train car, and one claimed he had walked across the border and been picked up on the U.S. side.
On November 20, 2024, Ortiz-Plata pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport certain aliens for profit.
In asking for the 15-month prison sentence, prosecutors noted that the defendant did not run the smuggling ring but still played an important role in its success.
“Ortiz-Plata admits that he knew the non-citizens he picked up were using freight trains to get into the United States, but nevertheless, he proceeded to participate.
“Even if he, himself, was not the one directing the non-citizens to jump on, Ortiz-Plata continued to facilitate, and thereby promote, this extremely dangerous smuggling route multiple times, over the course of at least a year,” stated Gorman.
Ortiz-Plata will likely be removed from the United States following his prison term.
