Ten Indicted and Six Arrested in Joint Task Force Alpha Investigation of the Lopez Crime Family Human Smuggling Organization Operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Thursday, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Francisco B. Burrola, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, announced the unsealing of an indictment returned by a federal grand jury on May 24, 2023, and the arrest of, six alleged human smugglers in a coordinated, multistate enforcement operation that included arrests in Arizona and California.

According to the indictment and other court records, Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar, aka “Tio Roni,” 45, of Guatemala City, Guatemala, and his sister, Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar, aka “Tia Rosa,” 38, of Phoenix, and citizens of Guatemala, allegedly led the Lopez Crime Family, a transnational criminal organization principally involved in human smuggling with operations in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States. The organization smuggled undocumented noncitizens into the United States utilizing a series of coordinated transports, stash houses, and directed electronic money transfers to avoid detection. Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar was arrested in Phoenix on June 14, 2023, and is detained pending further proceedings, which have not been scheduled.

Ronaldo Galindo Lopez-Escobar’s family associates, who are alleged to have been involved in moving money through funnel bank accounts and through electronic money transfers on behalf of the organization were also arrested. Deysi Marisela Lopez-Ambrosio, 25, was arrested in Long Beach, California. Both are citizens of Guatemala.

Arrests in Arizona on June 14 also were made of Rosa Adriana Lopez-Escobar’s family and their close associates, who allegedly coordinated the transportation and harboring of the smuggled undocumented noncitizens: Jose Denilson Lopez-Chilel, aka “Andres,” 24, Franklin Leonardo Chilel-Ramirez, aka “Arisona,” 37, and Junior Vanegas-Portillo, 20, citizens of Guatemala.

If convicted, they each face up to ten years in prison and some will be subject to deportation.

Suny Diaz-Salguero, an associate of the Lopez family associate, was also arrested in a related in case in Los Angeles, California.

“Today’s human smuggling organizations prey on the hope of Latin American migrants, targeting those who are most vulnerable for exploitation,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “To combat human smuggling we will dismantle networks, arrest leaders, and seize bank accounts. And that is our promise, and our solemn duty to each other and to our neighbors south of the border seeking a better life—this team will tirelessly target those who profit from the misery of others.

“We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their invaluable contribution to the success of this tri-state enforcement action - a significant joint effort and victory against unscrupulous human smugglers,” said Special Agent in Charge Burrola. “Criminal organizations, such as the Lopez Crime Family, not only jeopardize the safety and lives of the people on whom they prey for profit and greed, they also threaten the security of the United States. HSI remains steadfast in vigorously investigating and dismantling transnational criminal networks that pose a threat to our nation.”

“El Paso Sector Border Patrol Agents continue to successfully disrupt smuggling schemes and the illegal operations of Transnational Criminal Organizations through our law enforcement partnerships,” said El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Anthony Scott Good. “I am grateful for these partnerships at the state, local and federal level and are vital to our National Security Mission. This alliance is successfully disrupting dangerous criminal organizations, their leadership, and their human smuggling schemes.”

JTFA was created by Attorney General Merrick Garland in June 2021 in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to strengthen the Department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling emanating from Central America and impacting our border communities.  JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.

Since its creation, JTFA has successfully increased coordination and collaboration between the Justice Department, DHS, and other interagency law enforcement participants, and with foreign law enforcement partners, including El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico; targeted those organizations who have the most impact on the United States, and coordinated significant smuggling indictments and extradition efforts in U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. To date, JTFA’s work with its partners has resulted in criminal charges and over a hundred domestic and international arrests, including against leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling activities; several dozen convictions; significant jail sentences imposed; and substantial asset forfeiture.  JTFA is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the New Mexico, the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California, and dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division that are part of JTFA – led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS).  JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement investment from HSI, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners.

HSI New Mexico led U.S. investigative efforts, with enforcement assistance from HSI in Arizona and the Central District of California.HSI received investigative assistance from U.S. Border Patrol Deming, Lordsburg, Blythe, El Centro, Yuma, and Tucson, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel, and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department. HRSP and MLARS also provided support in this matter.

The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Ramirez for the District of New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Nelson for the Central District of California and Stuart Zander for the District of Arizona provided critical support fugitive location and search warrants.

The charges contained in an indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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