Foot Guide Charged with Sexual Abuse of 17-Year-Old Girl

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – April 6, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Cecilio Jimenez-Bautista of Mexico appeared in federal court today to face charges that he sexually abused a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor who he and his brother guided from Tijuana, Mexico into the United States in June 2022.

According to allegations in a grand jury indictment, Jimenez-Bautista and his brother, Alexander Jimenez-Bautista, guided the girl and other Mexican citizens from Mexico to the United States through the Otay Mountain Wilderness area with the intent to violate the immigration laws of the United States. Over the course of three days, the group was taken along remote, rugged and desolate paths before being apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents at an area near Otay Lakes Road.

During those three days, Cecilio Jimenez-Bautista repeatedly isolated the girl from the group and placed her in fear, and sexually abused her, the indictment said. He ultimately used her fear of him to cause her to engage in sex with him, causing her serious bodily injury.

Both brothers face charges related to their role as foot guides for an alien smuggling organization from June 2022 to February 2023.

“We will do everything in our power to protect children from harm,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “The United States is committed to protecting the rights of all individuals on our soil, especially the most vulnerable.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and investigating agencies for their excellent work on this case.

“The dangers of human smuggling cannot be overstated,” said Chad Plantz, special agent in charge, HSI San Diego. “According to the complaint, this child entrusted her safety to smugglers. They, in turn, demonstrated that they value profit over human life. HSI and its law enforcement partners are committed to investigating organizations and individuals involved in the exploitation of migrants.”

“We are continuously watchful and alert to deter, detect and prevent threats to any individual,” said San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Aaron M. Heitke. “This includes working together with our law enforcement partners to identify smugglers, and their organizations, who take advantage and profit by placing human lives at risk.”

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine McGrath and Edward Chang of the Southern District of California, and Trial Attorney Danielle L. Hickman of the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 22cr1550-LL                         

Cecilio Yonatan Jimenez-Bautista                 Age: 26                                  

Alexander Jimenez-Bautista                          Age: 20

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Cecilio Jimenez Bautista

Conspiracy to Bring in Aliens Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury, 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(1), and (a)(1)(B)(iii)

Maximum Penalty: Twenty years 

Abusive Sexual Contact, 18 U.S.C. § 2244(b)

Maximum Penalty: Two years

Sexual Abuse by Fear, 18 U.S.C. § 2242(1)

Maximum Penalty: Life in prison

Bringing an Alien to the United States for Financial Gain and Aiding and Abetting,

8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), and 18 U.S.C. § 2

Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years (Five years mandatory minimum)

Alexander Jimenez-Bautista

Conspiracy to Bring in Aliens Resulting In Serious Bodily Injury, 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(1), and (a)(1)(B)(iii)

Maximum Penalty: Twenty years

Bringing an Alien to the United States for Financial Gain and Aiding and Abetting,

8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), and 18 U.S.C. § 2

Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years (Five years mandatory minimum)

AGENCY

Homeland Security Investigations

U.S. Border Patrol

Joint Task Force Alpha

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA).  JTFA was created by the Attorney General in June 2021 in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to strengthen the Department’s overall efforts to combat these crimes based on the rise in prolific and dangerous smuggling from and through Central America and impacting our border communities.  JTFA’s goal is to disrupt and dismantle those human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, with a focus on networks that endanger, abuse or exploit migrants, present national security risks, or engage in other types of transnational organized crime.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California helps lead JTFA, which is comprised of detailees from southwest border U.S. Attorney’s Offices, including the Southern District of Texas, the Western District of Texas, the District of New Mexico, the District of Arizona, and the Southern District of California, and dedicated support for the program is also provided by numerous components of the Criminal Division that are part of JTFA – led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP), and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training (OPDAT), the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS), the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section (MLARS), the Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs (OIA), and the Organized Crime and Gang Section (OCGS).  JTFA is made possible by substantial law enforcement commitment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and other partners.