Three foreign nationals have been charged with immigration offenses, according to the United States Attorney's Office. Saul Mazariegos-Estrada, 29, from El Tejar, Guatemala, faces charges of illegal transportation of aliens. Byron Sicajau Socoy, 40, also from El Tejar, and Christian Rafael Hernandez Villa, 34, from Jalisco, Mexico, are charged with eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers.
On January 27, 2025, the defendants appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Mazariegos-Estrada was detained pending a detention hearing. Sicajau Socoy and Hernandez Villa pleaded guilty to their charges and received time-served sentences. They could have faced up to six months in prison.
Court records indicate that on January 25 at around 9:15 a.m., U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to a report from a citizen who saw several people crossing a dirt road near the U.S.-Canada border in Newport, Vermont. Agents found footprints in the snow and later observed a speeding vehicle with Virginia plates. The vehicle had foggy windows and multiple individuals inside.
Upon stopping the vehicle, agents identified Mazariegos-Estrada as the driver; he admitted to being a Guatemalan citizen without immigration documents. In the back seat were Sicajau Socoy and Hernandez Villa who confessed to entering the U.S. illegally without proper documentation.
The United States Attorney’s Office notes that Mazariegos-Estrada is presumed innocent until proven guilty and faces up to five years' imprisonment if convicted. The sentence would be determined by the District Court based on guidelines and statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher praised the work of the United States Border Patrol in this case.
The prosecution team includes Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan A. Ophardt and Andrew C. Gilman. Defense representation for Mazariegos-Estrada is provided by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon; Jason J. Sawyer represents Sicajau Socoy; Kevin M. Henry represents Hernandez Villa.