Colombian national extradited to the US to face charges for encouraging and inducing aliens to come to the US

A Colombian citizen was extradited from Colombia to the United States today to face a four-count federal indictment in the Southern District of Florida for his role in a scheme to smuggle illegal aliens from Colombia into the United States.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg of the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Mark Selby of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Miami made the announcement.

Carlos Emilio Ibarguen Palacios, 26, is charged along with three others in a Jan. 6, indictment with one count of conspiracy to encourage and induce aliens to come to the Unites States as well as three counts of encouraging and inducing aliens to come to the United States.   According to allegations in the indictment, from as early as November 2014, Ibarguen and other co-conspirators organized and arranged the unlawful smuggling of illegal aliens to the United States.  The indictment alleges that in at least one instance, the defendant’s conduct resulted in the death of two individuals.

The charges and allegations in the indictment are merely accusations.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

This case is a joint investigation by HSI Miami and HSI Bogota.  The government of Colombia, including the Colombian Office of the Attorney General, provided significant assistance and support during the investigation.  The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with the defendant’s extradition.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Dobbins of the Southern District of Florida.