ALIEN SMUGGLER SENTENCED TO 102 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT
Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Michael Shea, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), Miami Field Office, Randy Donnelson, Director of Air Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami Field Office, Rear Admiral William D. Baumgartner, Commander, 7th Coast Guard District, Vernon Foret, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Miami Field Office, and Matthew Zetts, Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol, announced the sentencing of defendant Judith Moody, 59, a.k.a. Sandra Anderson, Olivia Marie Williams, Mamie Ann McKenzie, Devra Flowers, Judy Ann Jackson, Kendrick Bernard Fuller, and Audrey Patrice Winkfield. Senior United States District Judge Kenneth L. Ryskamp sentenced Moody to 102 months in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On May 25, 2011, Moody pled guilty to three counts of alien smuggling for profit, in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. 1324 (a) (2) (B) (ii), and one count of aggravated identity theft, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. 1028A (a)(1).
As part of her plea, Moody signed a written proffer in which she admitted that on or about October 11, 2010, she was aboard Le Superior, a 35' U.S. registered Bertram sportfish vessel, when it was intercepted by the Coast Guard approximately 32 nautical miles east of Delray Beach, Florida. Moody and co-conspirator Jesus Saavedra were attempting to bring 31 aliens into the United States for profit. These migrants were nationals from various countries, including Haiti, Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Jamaica. Seven of the migrants had been previously deported from the United States, and three had been deported subsequent to convictions for aggravated felonies. Moody also admitted that she falsely identified herself to the Coast Guard and ICE agents as Sandra Anderson and produced a birth certificate with that name to support a false claim of United States citizenship.
In addition to Moody, co-defendant Jesus Saavedra pled guilty to one count of alien smuggling for profit, in violation of Title 8 U.S.C. 1324 (a) (2) (B) (ii), and, on February 25, 2011, was sentenced to 37 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Three of the migrants pled guilty to aggravated re-entry, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. 1326(a) and (b)(2): Michael Nigel Nobel; George Everton McDonald; and Kesrick Bandoo. All were sentenced to time served, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of ICE-HSI, the USCG, CBP’s Office of Field Operations, Office of Air and Marine, and the U.S. Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Evans and Carolyn Bell.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
