Eight Guatemalan Nationals Indicted for Smuggling Illegal Aliens into the United States for Cash

TULSA, Okla. – Eight Guatemalan nationals were indicted in court for allegedly being paid to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States from Guatemala, Mexico, and other countries in Central or South America, including Asia. The activity is alleged to have occurred over the past four years. Once across the Mexico border, the defendants would further help conceal and harbor aliens illegally across more than 24 states.

“For the past four years, this illegal alien smuggling group has operated and laundered proceeds in the Northern District of Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson. “These defendants would not be in custody today without federal and state law enforcement working collaboratively, with prosecutors across the United States. The arrest and ongoing investigation surrounding these Guatemalan Nationals, and their conspirators not only protects the citizens in the Northern District of Oklahoma but also further protects lawful citizens across the United States.” 

“ICE is committed to pursuing human smugglers regardless of their location or attempts to evade arrest,” said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “This indictment indicates the extensive nature of our human smuggling investigations and role in immigration enforcement. HSI’s special agents across several field offices have worked relentlessly to trace those transporting and harboring aliens from their countries of origin to their final destinations, effectively dismantling their illegal smuggling operations and money laundering schemes.”

Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez, 39, and Ottoniel Castro Argueta, 33, were arrested today in Charlotte, North Carolina; Veronica Maribel Lima Lopez, 33, and Esvin Alexander Rodriguez Luis, 26, were arrested in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Ariz Obdulio Argueta, 28, and Cesar Rodolfo Garcia Argueta, 20, were arrested in Clarksville, Arkansas; Pedro Cucul Gualna, 25, was arrested in Sallisaw, Oklahoma; Carlos Enrique Ramos Caal, 30, was arrested in Flagstaff, Arizona. All are charged with conspiring to bring, transport, and conceal aliens in the United States.

Ottoniel Castro Argueta and Cidia Marleny Lima Lopez are further charged with engaging in monetary transactions with the proceeds from the conspiracy.

During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that the aliens being helped across the border did not have prior authorization to enter and reside in the United States. Once inside the United States, the defendants would help harbor the aliens in Oklahoma, Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Washington.

The indictment alleges that several associates in Central and South America accepted various forms of payment from the aliens to be brought into the United States illegally. While the investigation is still ongoing, the indictment shows that aliens paid roughly $5,000 per alien to enter the United States. Proceeds from the illegal aliens were laundered through mobile applications and banks across the United States, including the Northern District of Oklahoma.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Flagstaff, and Charlotte Homeland Security Investigations field offices; the Tulsa, McAlester and Greensboro, North Carolina Drug Enforcement Administration field offices; the Tulsa and Oklahoma City IRS field offices; the Tulsa and Oklahoma City U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations field offices; and the U.S. Marshals offices in the Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, Eastern District of Oklahoma, the Middle District of North Carolina, and the Western District of Arkansas are investigating the case with the assistance of several state law enforcement agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam McConney and David Nasar are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Eastern District of Oklahoma and the Western District of Oklahoma.

An indictment is merely an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

This case was investigated and prosecuted as part of Operation Take Back America. The Homeland Security Task Force, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.