A Michigan woman is accused of illegally smuggling people from Central America into the U.S. across the northern border.
Norma Linda Lozano, 53, of Ypsilanti, was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of conspiracy to smuggle aliens and six counts of bringing aliens to the United States for profit, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday, Sept 3.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges Lozano conspired to smuggle families, including young children, across the northern U.S. border for profit. Lozano allegedly participated in a smuggling organization that attempted to bring people from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador illegally into the U.S. from Canada.
According to the indictment, Lozano drove from Michigan to Vermont to meet the migrants at prearranged locations near the U.S. border in February and July 2024. The migrants crossed the U.S. border on foot from Canada and met Lozano in her car. From there, she allegedly drove them further into the U.S.
The migrants or their family members allegedly paid Lozano for the smuggling services, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In one incident, Lozano smuggled three migrants in her car, including a 5-year-old girl in the front passenger seat who she falsely claimed was her granddaughter. In the other incident, she allegedly fit six adults, an 8-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy in her car. Prosecutors said the girl was placed in the cargo area of the hatchback on top of luggage.
Penalties for alien smuggling conspiracy can include fines and a basic statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, upon conviction.
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