COLOMBIAN MAN CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL REENTRY AND ALIEN SMUGGLING

St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging William Giraldo Cabanzo, 59, of Columbia, with Reentry of a Removed Alien and Unlawful Bringing of Aliens into the United States. Cabanzo, was previously removed from the United States on April 3, 2021, for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act. As a result of his removal, he was barred from reapplying for entry into the United States for five years.

According to court documents, in June 2024, federal agents apprehended Cabanzo after he was observed exiting a vehicle in the Charlotte Amalie area of St. Thomas. He later admitted to having reentered the United States Virgin Islands in May 2024. In addition to the illegal reentry charge, Cabanzo was also charged with unlawfully bringing a family from Venezuela into the United States in April 2024. According to court documents, Cabanzo contacted the Venezuelan family and agreed to assist them in entering the United States illegally. He initially charged the family $4,000.00 for his services and, upon their arrival at his residence in Tortola, BVI, Cabanzo demanded an additional $4,000.00 to arrange their transportation to the United States. On May 15, 2024, after receiving the payments, Cabanzo arranged the family’s travel from Tortola, BVI to St. Thomas, where they entered the United States illegally.

The charges against Cabanzo highlight the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to prevent the illegal reentry of previously removed aliens, and to combat human smuggling activities that pose a significant threat to national security. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Woods.

United States Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal charging document, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.