Omaha Couple Pleads Guilty to Bringing in and Harboring Aliens

United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on July 17, 2025, Miguel Angel Salazar-Zuniga, age 37, originally of Mexico, entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson in Omaha to bringing in and harboring an alien. On July 18, 2025, Angela Rocio Urrutia Cruz, age 35, originally of Colombia, entered a plea of guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Carson in Omaha to bringing in and harboring an alien. Magistrate Judge Carson set the sentencing hearings for Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz for October 15, 2025, at 9:00 AM and 9:30 AM before United States District Court Judge Brian C. Buescher. Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz each face penalties of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Both Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz agreed to forfeit their residence on North 34^th Street in Omaha which was used to facilitate the commission of these crimes.

Urrutia Cruz and Salazar Zuniga owned and operated two businesses, MASU Construction, LLC and Angela’s Cleaning Services, LLC. Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz owned a residence on North 34^th Street in Omaha.

From on or about May 1, 2022, through May 28, 2025, Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz encouraged and induced multiple individuals to come to, enter, and reside in the United States.

Salazar-Zuniga admitted that a Mexican national, who illegally crossed into the United States in November 2024 near Nogales, Arizona with his wife and children, resided with Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz on North 34^th Street in Omaha. This individual paid Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz $300 a month for rent and worked for Salazar-Zuniga at MASU Construction LLC being paid $800 a week.

Urrutia Cruz admitted he arranged a Colombian citizen to be illegally crossed into the United States in September 2023. Specifically, Urrutia Cruz sent this individual three money transfers to pay for food and to pay for a “coyote” to help him illegally cross into the United States. Urrutia Cruz also helped arrange the coyote to take the individual across the border. When encountered by United States Border Patrol agents, the individual provided Salazar-Zuniga and Urrutia Cruz’s Saratoga address as his destination. Once in the United States, Urrutia Cruz bought the individual a plane ticket from San Diego to Omaha.  This individual resided with Urrutia Cruz and Salazar-Zuniga on North 34^th Street in Omaha and paid $160 a month to Urrutia Cruz and Salazar-Zuniga to cover rent and other expenses. The induvial also worked for Urrutia Cruz’s cleaning business.

This case is part of the Take Back America Task Force, led by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with support from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was primarily investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.