A woman from Tucson, Arizona, has been given a five-year prison sentence for her role in smuggling undocumented migrants into the United States, according to an announcement by the Justice Department. In a separate case, the judge also imposed an additional year of imprisonment for her involvement.
In a statement released by the Justice Department, it was revealed that Mariana Garcia-Tapia, a 32-year-old resident of Tucson, has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to transport illegal immigrants and endangering their lives.
On February 2, 2024, federal prosecutors revealed that a camera operator from the U.S. Border Patrol witnessed four individuals suspected of being undocumented noncitizens approaching a 2011 Volkswagen Routan near the town of Naco in Arizona.
According to prosecutors, another Border Patrol agent arrived at the scene and witnessed the group entering the Routan. Upon stopping the vehicle, the Border Patrol discovered that the only occupants were the driver, co-defendant Sharnesia Latrice Cooley, her two-year-old son, and the defendant, Garcia-Tapia.
Garcia-Tapia’s sentence was extended by an additional 12 months by the judge due to her violation of the conditions of her supervised release in another case.
Cooley faced a jury trial and was found guilty. He is set to receive his sentence in January.
Just ten days ago, the Justice Department announced the sentencing of Kevin Rojo-Barron, a 21-year-old resident of Phoenix. Rojo-Barron was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his role in a fatal crash that occurred on the Tohono O’Odham Indian reservation, located south of Phoenix. This recent sentencing adds to the growing list of legal consequences for individuals involved in such tragic incidents.
Rojo-Barron was driving undocumented immigrants at a high speed along Federal Route 1 when he disregarded a stop sign at the intersection with Arizona State Route 86 and collided with another car. This tragic accident resulted in the loss of three lives from the Tohono O’Odham nation.
According to a statement from the Justice Department, it was discovered during the investigation that Rojo-Barron had been smuggling four undocumented noncitizens and had an AR-15 style rifle in the vehicle at the time of the crash. Tragically, one of the undocumented noncitizens lost their life in the accident, while another sustained permanent injuries.
