A Mexican man has been indicted for allegedly bringing unauthorized immigrants into the United States. The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Vermont announced that on April 17, a federal grand jury charged Benjamin Gutierrez-Morales, from Sonora, Mexico, with the crime.
The indictment follows events on April 5, when Gutierrez-Morales reportedly met two individuals near the U.S.-Canada border and led them into the United States. Law enforcement detained Gutierrez-Morales and the two individuals near Berkshire, Vermont. Subsequently, the two individuals pleaded guilty to illegally entering the U.S. on April 7.
Gutierrez-Morales is scheduled for arraignment on April 21 in Burlington, Vermont. The authorities clarified, “An indictment contains allegations only and that Gutierrez-Morales is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.” If convicted, he could face a maximum of ten years in prison, though the actual sentence will be influenced by the District Court’s consideration of advisory guidelines and statutory sentencing factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher acknowledged the efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Banker will prosecute, while Gutierrez-Morales will be represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Emily Kenyon.
The charges are linked to Operation Take Back America, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative targeting illegal immigration and related criminal activities to secure communities from violent crime.